Cordwood workshops are the best way to learn the cordwood construction technique. When you take one from Richard & Becky Flatau of Cordwood Construction Resources LLC, they emphasis the “Best Practices” approach to building. The Flatau’s have honed a set of 14 best practice building techniques that will not only make your home, cottage or cabin beautiful, but they will ensure that it will be safe, comfortable and code compliant. Here are some sample pictures from our hands-on workshops that gives the reader a taste of what goes on. The 2016 cordwood workshop schedule. https://cordwoodconstruction.org/img/Cordwood_Workshop_Schedule_2016_final.pdf
Hard workers are determined to finish the sauna…and they did!
The mountains give off their misty glow near Bonners Ferry, Idaho. . 
Banjo Bob sings Country Roads as we teach a private workshop in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Singing and stomping Cob for the Entrance Center. 
A doula and a university professor have fun building a wall. They are married. 
The sauna post and beam framework with grade beam and keyways at Kinstone. 
Cordwood workshop at Love’s Organic Farm near Mars Hill, North Carolina.
Planning their work, working their plan with smiles.
Two teachers build a wall at the Cordwood Education Center in Merrill, Wisconsin.
Spreading insulation, cleaning log ends and tuck pointing are all parts of learning the “technique.”
Sawdust and lime insulation is added and packed in the center cavity.
Learning to “screen” sawdust becomes a lesson in wind direction:0)
Hands on mortaring of a cordwood wall in a “learn it by doing” style is the best way to “cement” the tricks of the trade.
If I see it and do it, I remember.
Classroom time is devoted to “Best Practices” lessons with cordwood that have been hard won during 37 years of cordwood living, building and sharing.
The Kinstone Chapel mortaring crew poses for an end-of-the day photo.
Bottle ends made from vases from the Thrift Store.
Becky and Kirsten are proud of their river motif wall.
Using “Cob Mortar” at a demo at the Midwest Renewable Energy Fair in Custer, Wisconsin.
The six sided chapel walls are being completed at a natural building pace.
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 Construction: Best Practices and Cordwood Conference Papers 2015 are the newest publications available from their online cordwood bookstore. www.cordwoodconstruction.org
