Restoring adobe walls: materials, costs and grants in Spain

Restoring adobe walls: materials, costs and available grants

Adobe is not a material of the past. Anyone who says so has not seen the data: 80% of the world's countries use it in their buildings. In Spain, however, it was abandoned four decades ago. But the need to renovate rural homes on tight budgets has rekindled interest.

The basic recipe is clay, straw and water. The proportions vary, but a manual from the Ministry of Development (2002) details the process. A controversial ingredient is chicken or donkey manure, which some say adds strength. Others warn of pests. The debate centres on whether to add cement: it stabilises and hardens, but alters breathability and the ecological essence. Those who have tried it say "a little bit of cement makes it hard as a stone".

Grants for restoring rural houses do exist. One participant mentioned that "with a bit of luck you can get a grant". The Fundación Navapalos, in Soria, offers courses and has published the catalogue "Construir con tierra" (Building with earth) (ISBN 8449806100). There is also an adobe factory in Tierra de Campos, Valladolid, mentioned in a 2003 report.

The thermal inertia of adobe is a double-edged sword: it is slow to heat up, but it retains the heat. In humid climates, it is best combined with stone or cement. If public grants are available and skilled labour returns, adobe could become profitable again. But the shortage of specialists remains the main bottleneck for anyone wanting to renovate without blowing the budget.

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