Bousillage

Bousillage (bouzillage,^[1] bousille, bouzille) is a mixture of clay and grass or other fibrous substances used as the infill (chinking) between the timbers of a half-timbered building. This material was commonly used by 18th-century French colonial settlers in the historical New France region of the United States and is similar to the material cob and adobe. In French torchis has the same meaning or the meaning of a loaf of this material.^[1]

Discussion

Bousillage in south

retted Spanish moss as the binder.^{[citation needed}

] Split sticks or staves, known as barreaux, rabbits or batons were used as rungs between the upright post. They were shaped to fit at an angle and hammered into place without the use of nails.

Bousillage is made by layering a taché (hole in the ground) with mud and moss and adding water.[3] Then tacherons (barefoot men) worked the mixture into a mortar. Torchis (bousillage shaped like a bread dough loaf) are hung over the barreaux being compacted, one placed next to another. The finished wall would have been either lime washed or covered with lime plaster. The plaster contains animal hair as a binder.^[4]

Gallery of structures using bousillage

poteaux-sur-solle
construction.
A model of the
poteaux-sur-solle
construction.
poteaux-sur-solle
construction.
The Durand Cabin is an example of
poteaux-sur-solle
construction.
An example of bousillage in the Amoureux House in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri
Kent Plantation House in Alexandria, Louisiana, constructed in 1800, is built partly of bousillage.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c McDermott, John Francis. "bousillage, bouzillage, n. m.". A Glossary of Mississippi Valley French, 1673-1850. St. Louis, 1941. 34. Print.
^ Edwards, Jay Dearborn, and Nicolas Verton. A Creole lexicon architecture, landscape, people. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2004. 32. Print.
^ Blokker, Laura Ewen and Heather A. Knight. "Louisiana’s Bousillage Tradition: Investigation of Past Techniques for Future Practice". 2009 Fitch Mid-Career Grant. 2011. Print. accessed April 7, 2015
^ Louisiana Vernacular Gumbo, by Edward Cazayoux and A Manual for the Environmental & Climatic Responsive Restoration & Renovation of Older Houses in Louisiana, by Edward Cazayoux

External links

Video about what bousillage is and how to make and use it.

[McDermott-1] McDermott, John Francis. "bousillage, bouzillage, n. m.". A Glossary of Mississippi Valley French, 1673-1850. St. Louis, 1941. 34. Print.

[2] Edwards, Jay Dearborn, and Nicolas Verton. A Creole lexicon architecture, landscape, people. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2004. 32. Print.

[3] Blokker, Laura Ewen and Heather A. Knight. "Louisiana’s Bousillage Tradition: Investigation of Past Techniques for Future Practice". 2009 Fitch Mid-Career Grant. 2011. Print. accessed April 7, 2015

[4] Louisiana Vernacular Gumbo, by Edward Cazayoux and A Manual for the Environmental & Climatic Responsive Restoration & Renovation of Older Houses in Louisiana, by Edward Cazayoux

[1]

[4]

Discussion

Gallery of structures using bousillage

See also

References

External links