Adobe Bricks

The interior wall that abuts our Tempcast masonry heater will be built with adobe bricks which will then be plastered. The logic behind this design is that the masonry heater will heat our house and, at the same time, the adobe wall. The heat from the wall will radiate into the room on the opposite side of the wall, Scott's office.

Monday we had a family work party. The goal? To make 150 adobe bricks, 5 1/2 inches wide by 3 1/2 inches tall by 14 inches long. While Doug and Shanna manned the mortar mixer, the rest of the family went into production mode.

Wesley rinses brick forms.

Barb, Wesley and Kelli fill forms with plaster.

Kelli smooths plaster.

John uses a double form.

Wesley uses a stick screed to remove excess plaster from form.

Jessica fills buckets with clay for the mixer.

Casey keeps Missy company.

Adobe bricks lined up inside the house.

In less than half a day, we made one hundred and fifty-one bricks. Eventually they will go into our heater wall.