Tire count

We are done the main tire wall! The only tires left to pound are the ones to support the south-facing windows, which will be maybe 70-80 tires. We've got clay piled up in a line right beside where those tires need to go, so it should be super quick filling them up.

The back wall consists of 444 tires total
First course (size: 265): 54 tires 
Second course (size: 265): 52 tires (less tires because of the culverts and a few blocks to fix spacing issues caused by the culverts)
Third course (size:245): 56 tires
Fourth course (size:235): 57 tires 
Fifth course (size:235): 57 tires
Sixth course (size:235): 56 tires 
Seventh course (size:225): 56 tires
Eighth course (size:225): 56 tires 

Our back wall is supposed to be 8 feet from finished floor level, including the bond beam. Each course is about 10-11 inches, so our bond beam may need to be about 18 inches tall. The bond beam needs to be a minimum 8 inches, so it really would have been cutting it close doing a 9th row, plus we are getting sick of pounding tires anyway.

Initial Packout

We've finished the main tire wall (more on that later!---the only tire pounding left to do is two rows along the front to support the south facing windows) and have begun packout. The initial packout is done by filling in between the tires with a cement mixture to prevent any compacted earth from the tire above from falling through. We used an entire pallet of cement and a decent amount of sand, clay, rocks, and beer bottles to fill all the gaps. Tom and I got 70% done in a single day (and that includes taking the evening off to put our feet up and watch a movie). We had lots of practice with cement over the last few summers while building the rabbitry, so the initial packout went super fast!

More earth being moved

Tom (left, white hat & blue shirt) and volunteer Scottie (right, red shirt) holding the 4" rigid foam insulation in place as clay is dropped on either side of it to keep it upright.

Our pond is getting bigger and bigger.

West wing wall is done!

The west end will be our back entrance. The two concrete strips on the ground mark our mudroom. The tires extend 3 tires past that so our roof will overhang the width of 3 tires outside of the entrance, which will be nice getting in/out when it rains.

Pretty soon I've have to mow our floor!

Hard at work on the 8th row. The back wall is lower than the front, because of the sloped roof, so the back wall will be a total of 8 feet high from the finished floor level.

Slowly starting back up again after 3 weeks of rain

Updated tire count: 374 tires total
First course (size: 265): 54 tires so far
Second course (size: 265): 50 tires so far
Third course (size:245): 54 tires so far
Fourth course (size:235): 53 tires so far
Fifth course (size:235): 51 tires so far
Sixth course (size:235): 50 tires so far
Seventh course (size:225): 49 tires so far
Eighth course (size:225): 13 tires so far

I'm wondering if we'll break the 500 tire mark by the time we're all done. We collected around 1000+ tires, so I guess we'll do lots of tire flower planters, tire lawn ornaments, and other crafty things to use them all up.

One tire pounded today

It's rained for at least two weeks now, and we've been able to pound a tire or two here & there. One today, and maybe three or four total since it started raining. Today has been the first full day of sunshine, and with a day or two more of sun we should be back in business. Can't wait!

While I was away...

I've been out of town for a few conferences, but lots has happened while I was gone (despite it raining most of the time I was away!) The cisterns have been put into position and backburried. Sorry the pics are a bit out of order; I had others taking photos for me while I was away. We're all set to start the 8th course and the two courses that go along the front (to support the windows) once the rain clears. Unfortunately it's supposed to be at least another week of rain to come :(