World Hands Project – Pallet Houses in Mexico
While the World Hands Project is currently going through internal re-organization I was happy to find that during past workshops they’ve helped people down in Mexico build some simple homes from shipping pallets.
Instead of using some kind of manufactured insulation they’ve actually been packing the pallet cavities with a cob like mixture. I imagine that this doesn’t add much structural strength but it would add some thermal mass and insulation qualities to the walls.
I’m not sure I would recommend this approach (mixing structural wood and dirt) since it might invite termites or rot over time but it does seem like a novel way to approach pallet house construction. I’m curious to know how these homes hold up over time. (Update: See the comments for more info on using pallets and cob and wood together)
To learn more about the World Hands Project and potential future workshops visit their website. World Hands Project
Another Way To Build With Pallets
One of my readers, EJ, sent me a link to this project. It’s an alternative way of building a shelter out of shipping pallets. This one was built by students at the University of Biberach in 2005. It was a concept for a pavilion intended for participants of sporting events. This one measured 6 meters high, 8 meters wide, and 18 meters long. So not exactly a tiny house, but you can see where I’m going with this.
I like the organic shape and potential insulation value. The roof should be very strong due to the arch. I can even see covering the whole thing in wire mesh and then using a stucco or a similar coating. A hard shell surface and spray foam insulation would create an incredibly insulated structure. The interior could be finished with plaster or stucco. Windows could be cut-out after assembly or built into the walls as they went up.
The only disadvantage seems to be the number of pallets, you’d need a lot of pallets. The good news is that you could probably build the whole thing without cutting one pallet and you could use all the scrappy broken pallets you find. In fact I’m starting to think this might be a better approach for my tiny free house and definitely a concept worth exploring for a tiny pallet house emergency shelter. This is definitely something to consider while my tiny house project sits quietly waiting for warmer weather. Thanks EJ! You’re tips are always great!
For more information see this original article.
