When we built the White Earth Reservation Cordwood Home we had not only an excellent general contractor (Robert Zahorski) but we had a tribal project director (Bill Paulson) who is an artist of significant skill.  He created the Ojibway Medicine Wheel in the cordwood wall using recycled bottles, but his magnum opus is the bear paw.   The owner of the cordwood home belongs to the bear clan and this bear paw put a pattern in her wall that speaks to her proud heritage.

Bear Paw in a cordwood wall created by Bill Paulson, member of the White Earth Reservation in Naytahwaush, Minnesota.

The Ojibway medicine wheel a collaborative effort from Bill Paulson and Robert Zahorski.

The interesting thing about the White Earth Cordwood Home is that we used closed cell foam insulation in the center cavity which increased the R-value in the wall to 35.

For more details on this amazing project go to:  www.daycreek.com/dc/asp/forum2002/display_topic_threads.asp?ForumID=2&TopicID=2058&PagePosition=1

Happy Trails,

Richard Flatau

Should you wish to learn how to build a cordwood cottage, cabin or home, please visit www.cordwoodconstruction.org   While you are there, click on the pictures, read the brief articles, check out the latest workshops and newsletter and if you are interested click on the Online Bookstore to see all the cordwood literature available in print and ebook format. If you have questions that aren’t answered on the website you can email me at richardflatau@gmail.com  
Readers have requested a brief bio, so here goes:
Richard & Becky Flatau built their mortgage-free cordwood home in 1979 in Merrill, Wisconsin. Since then, they have written books, conducted workshops, facilitated the 2005,  2011 and 2015 Cordwood Conferences and provided consultation for cordwood builders.  Cordwood Workshop DVD (2018),  Cordwood Construction Best Practices (print 2017) and Cordwood Conference Papers 2015 are the newest publications available from their Online Cordwood Bookstore.  The books & DVD are also available as ebooks for a quick and easy shipping free download.   www.cordwoodconstruction.org
This is the Cordwood Workshop DVD will show you how to build a best practices cordwood home.
Cordwood Workshop DVD 3
The 30 detailed menu items from the Cordwood Workshop DVD.
DVD Menu 1
DVD menu 2Thank you for your kind attention to Cordwood Construction.   If you would like more information, please visit www.cordwoodconstruction.org
Or email richardflatau@gmail.com