Our work in recent weeks has been inside the house, though we’re not quite finished with the exterior. Like other “flat” roofed adobes we’ve built, we framed the parapets on this house rather than build them of adobe. To tastefully disguise our work, we cut a curve into the parapet studs to mimic a battered back adobe masonry. In our heart of hearts we would love to keep laying adobe all the way up, but the framed parapet just makes too much sense with modern construction requirements. For this assembly, we built what is known as a pocket roof. After the beams are put, the ceiling decking is laid, and a roof framed on top of that. This can be a particularly stressful part of the project, as the beams and ceiling (interior, finished parts of the house) are exposed to the weather until we get a roof deck on. (Needless to say, we’re glad that’s over!!) We had 18-23” of insulation blown into our pocket roof, bringing us to R-60+, and decked the roof right behind the insulation crew. A tar and gravel roof followed. We’re particularly pleased with how we were able to both leave ample space for insulation, and keep the parapets as short as possible. With so many beautiful old adobe homes in the neighborhood, we want nothing more than to feel that our work belongs. As Kate and D.N.S. wrote, “An adobe house should be low and long and close to the earth.”

Since then, we’ve installed all the windows, hooked up our electrical service, built the window sills, finished the concrete floors, lathed our bond beam and interior window bullnoses, and got a first coat of plaster over the lath. We’ve also hung all the sheetrock on the interior frame walls. While we don’t have many, we still always go to some length to make our frame walls fit in amongst their superior earthen precedents. They all get mineral wool sound insulation, sheetrock, and earthen plaster.

Over the upcoming weeks we’ll be building the exterior doors and mud plastering all the interior walls. Once the doors are in we will add our 2” foam insulation to the outside, and the entire house will receive its three coats of cement stucco. Onward!

Aug 3, 2025