The use of adobe in construction
Adobe is a material used for building that is made of organic materials such as earth, clay, straw, and so on. In Spanish, ‘adobe’ translates as ‘mudbrick’, and buildings that are constructed from adobe have a similar appearance to cob or rammed earth buildings.
Adobe bricks are traditionally made in open cast moulds and left to sun-dry rather than being kiln-fired. They are laid using an earth mortar and smoothed down when the wall is finished before a clay render is usually applied as a surface coating. This production process, as well as the nature of clay, means that adobe bricks have advantageous water resistance. However, buildings that are exposed to a lot of wet conditions should be provided with eaves to protect the walls.
Adobe bricks have similar properties to other forms of earth construction – fire-resistant, flexible, durable, provide sufficient thermal mass to ensure good energy efficiency, and good sound insulation.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Arup and Better Shelter at the Working Together For Disaster Relief conference.
- Brick.
- Brick wall.
- Clay.
- Cob building.
- Construction materials.
- Daub.
- Earth building.
- Earthen construction.
- Green building.
- Hempcrete.
- Mud brick in Iran.
- Practical Building Conservation: Earth, Brick and Terracotta.
- Rammed earth.
- Recyclable construction materials.
- Shelter.
- Straw bale construction.
- Unfired clay masonry: An introduction to low-impact building materials.
- Vernacular earthen architecture.
Featured articles and news
Microcosm of biodiversity in balconies and containers
How minor design adaptations for considerable biodiversity benefit.
CIOB student competitive construction challenge Ireland
Inspiring a new wave of Irish construction professionals.
Challenges of the net zero transition in Scotland
Skills shortage and ageing workforce hampering Scottish transition to net zero.
Private rental sector, living standards and fuel poverty
Report from the NRH in partnership with Impact on Urban Health.
.Cold chain condensing units market update
Tracking the evolution of commercial refrigeration unit markets.
Attending a conservation training course, personal account
The benefits of further learning for professsionals.
Restoring Alexander Pope's grotto
The only surviving part of his villa in Twickenham.
International Women's Day 8 March, 2025
Accelerating Action for For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.
Lack of construction careers advice threatens housing targets
CIOB warning on Government plans to accelerate housebuilding and development.
Shelter from the storm in Ukraine
Ukraine’s architects paving the path to recovery.
BSRIA market intelligence division key appointment
Lisa Wiltshire to lead rapidly growing Market Intelligence division.
A blueprint for construction’s sustainability efforts
Practical steps to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Timber in Construction Roadmap
Ambitious plans from the Government to increase the use of timber in construction.
ECA digital series unveils road to net-zero.
Retrofit and Decarbonisation framework N9 launched
Aligned with LHCPG social value strategy and the Gold Standard.
Competence framework for sustainability
In the built environment launched by CIC and the Edge.
Institute of Roofing members welcomed into CIOB
IoR members transition to CIOB membership based on individual expertise and qualifications.
Join the Building Safety Linkedin group to stay up-to-date and join the debate.
Government responds to the final Grenfell Inquiry report
A with a brief summary with reactions to their response.
Comments
Just FYI, adobe is not a Spanish word. It comes from Arabic and was incorporated into the Spanish language.