How to Build a Sod House

Last Updated: February 5, 2020 References

Sod houses were built by prairie settlers in the United States and Canada. Wood was scarce on the prairie, but thickly-thatched sod was abundant. Sod houses were cheap to build, sturdy, warm in the winter and cool in the summer. However, they were subject to insects and mice infestations, and could be severely damaged by weather. Settlers cut and stacked bricks from prairie sod to build sod houses.

Steps

1
Build sod houses in September, when the roots of the grass are deepest. The roots hold the sod bricks together during construction.
2
Find a location that's fairly level in an area that's covered with thick prairie grass, such as buffalo grass. Mark the area where you will build the house so you will know where to place the exterior walls. Leave a space for the door.

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3
Dig up the sod inside the marked area, rake the dirt until it's smooth and level and tamp it down as much as you can. This creates the floor of the house.
4
Mow the grass to a height of 4 inches.
5
Slice the sod into 2-foot (61 cm) strips. Cut down to a depth of 4 inches.^{[1]
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6
Cut the strips across at 1-foot (30 cm) intervals. This creates uniform bricks of sod which you can then remove and stack near where you will build the house.^{[2]
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7
Lay 1 row of bricks on the ground, grass-side down. Follow the markers for the exterior walls.
8
Lay the second row of sod bricks on top the first. Place the center of the second-row bricks directly over where two first-row bricks meet. You must cut some bricks in half to fit the corners.^{[3]
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9
Add subsequent rows of bricks over the first rows. Stagger the bricks so the ends of the bricks on the row below are directly under the centers of the bricks on top. Every few rows, lay the bricks crosswise to the row underneath to help make the walls more sturdy.
10
Lay sod brick until your walls reach the bottom of where you want your windows. Place the frames for the windows on the walls and the door frame in the space you left for the door.
11
Continue building the walls around the window and door frames. Leave room between the bricks and the frames and stuff the spaces with grass. If you pack too closely, the sod may settle and cause the frames to shift or the window glass to break.^{[4]
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12
Construct a roof for your sod house. Several styles of roof were used on sod houses, ranging from flat roofs made from a lattice of tree branches, to traditional gabled roofs made from lumber, tar paper and shingles. A quality roof can protect a sod house for many years with little need for maintenance.^{[5]
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13
Cover the roof with sod. Place the grass-side up to protect against erosion.
14
Install the doors and windows.
15
Suspend a muslin sheet to the roof inside the house to form a sort of ceiling that will catch any dirt or water that falls from the roof.
16
Fill any spaces remaining in the walls with additional sod or grass.
17
Smooth the inside of the walls and whitewash them. You may also choose to cover the outside of the walls with stucco to protect them from the weather.

Community Q&A

Question

What is it like to live in a sod house?

Community Answer

It is a very rustic way to live. There is no plumbing, water etc.
Question

Can I use sod from a sod farm?

Community Answer

Yes, it is better quality than regular sod.
Question

How long does it take to build a sod house?

Antp2103

Community Answer

Probably a couple months for it to be fully completed.