Maria & Toby built a beautiful cordwood home in the mountains near Asheville, NC.   Maria blogs about her life as a homesteader, homeschooler, dye-maven, and grower of herbs.  It is an excellent blog, filled with hope and life, and light.

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Toby & Maria’s cordwood creation with a living roof.

Framing the home took some serious geometric cutting skills. Fortunately Toby is a carpenter!

Framing the home took some serious geometric cutting skills. Fortunately, Toby is an excellent carpenter!

This cordwood home has a living roof and a cool second floor.   Heated with a Hearthstone soapstone stove, this beautiful dwelling provides a welcome family sanctuary.

All kinds of interesting motifs are mortared into the walls.

All kinds of interesting motifs are mortared into the walls.

Garlic and onions hanging from the rafters, no problem in a post and beam framed home. Especially if the beams are left exposed.

Garlic and onions hanging from the rafters, no problem in a post and beam framed home. Especially if the beams are left exposed.

A triangle window is the backdrop for mother and child.

A triangle window is a backdrop for a loving mother and child.

Natural paving stones form a very functional and attractive patio.

Natural paving stones form a very functional and attractive patio.

The family and homestead were part of an excellent article about cordwood construction in the NY Times.

The family and homestead were part of an excellent article about cordwood construction in the NY Times.

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.Cordwood Construction Best Practices Front_Cover_-_CC_Best_Practices small pixels 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 Construction: Best Practices DVD,  Cordwood Construction Best Practices (print) and Cordwood Conference Papers 2015 are the newest publications available from their online cordwood bookstore.   www.cordwoodconstruction.org

Here is a picture of the DVD label on the best-selling Cordwood Construction video.  It has been getting rave reviews for its incredible detail, clear instruction and how it breaks the cordwood tasks into manageable sections.  There are 30 menu items from foundation, framing, electrical, plumbing, wall building, materials, special effects, bottle bricks, best practices, drone views of outstanding cordwood and so much more. Order yours today.