🌲🏡 Cordwood Construction Workshops at Talking Water: Build Your Own Sustainable Retreat! 🌿💪
Are you ready to dive into the world of natural building and create something beautiful, energy-efficient, and truly your own? Join us at Talking Water Nature Retreat for our Cordwood Construction Workshops—hands-on, practical experiences designed to empower you with the skills to build your own sustainable haven.
Workshop Dates:
-
September 13-14, 2025 (Saturday & Sunday)
-
September 20-21, 2025 (Saturday & Sunday)
📍 Location: Talking Water Nature Retreat, Suck Creek Mountain, Chattanooga, TN
👩🏫 Instructors: Bobbie Such & the Talking Water team
💲 Cost: $315 per student ($275 for early registration before June 15, 2025). Discounts for cash/check payments and multiple ticket purchases!
🔍 What You’ll Learn
Our workshops are a deep dive into cordwood construction, offering both classroom instruction and hands-on practice. Here’s what we’ll cover:
1. Principles of Cordwood Construction
-
Fundamentals of building with cordwood: wood, glass, and mortar walls designed for beauty, insulation, and sustainability.
-
Energy-efficient design principles to ensure your build stays cool in summer and warm in winter.
-
Handbuilt construction techniques that allow for creativity and customization.
-
Recommended resources to support your cordwood journey long after the workshop ends.
2. Design & Planning
-
Creating a realistic timeline and order of operations for your build.
-
Design approaches: random/impulsive creativity versus predictable/planned precision.
-
Sourcing unique elements like windows, doors, and decorative bottle logs.
-
Timber framing essentials, propane torching techniques, and using grab screws, rebar, and wood keys.
-
Roof considerations: direction, overhangs, gutters, and meeting insulation code requirements.
-
Laying strong foundations—concrete vs. stone—and the importance of moisture control.
-
Exterior trenching, French drains, and preparing your foundation to resist water, mold, and leaks.
-
Choosing whether to use cement and how to create a barrier layer between stone and wood.
-
Navigating permitting and planning for utilities.
-
Seasonal considerations: How to work with (or around) cold weather.
3. Log Selection & Preparation
-
Choosing the right species of wood for your climate and design.
-
Sourcing logs, making straight cuts, and monitoring moisture content.
-
Kiln vs. air drying techniques and how to properly store logs.
-
Dealing with insects and deciding whether to treat logs.
-
Sanding and treating finished logs for durability and aesthetics.
4. Mortar Selection & Application
-
Understanding different mortar types and recipes.
-
Preparing lime and achieving the right moisture levels when mixing.
-
Tuck-pointing techniques to ensure stability and beauty.
-
Covering walls daily and re-wetting layers between workdays to maintain integrity.
5. Site Preparation
-
Recommended tools and safety gear.
-
How to properly store materials to maintain quality.
6. Maintenance
-
Annual maintenance tips to preserve your structure.
-
Addressing cracks and sealing wood-timber joints to prevent water intrusion.
7. Caveats & Lessons Learned
-
Exploring different styles and personal preferences.
-
Experimenting with proven techniques and developing your own methods.
-
Honest reflections: our mistakes, other people’s mistakes, and what we’ve learned from them.
-
When to hire help versus going full DIY.
📝 Why Attend?
-
Hands-On Learning: Gain practical skills with expert guidance from Bobbie Such and the Talking Water team.
-
Tour a Completed Cordwood Cabin: See the process in action and discuss creative design possibilities.
-
Community Connection: Meet like-minded builders passionate about sustainable living.
📅 Secure Your Spot!
Space is limited to 12 participants per workshop—don’t wait to sign up!
🔗 Register Now: Eventbrite
📧 Contact Bobbie: [email protected] | 📞 (423) 713-3641