3 day Course

Car Tyre Foundations

From waste to low-impact foundations! Learn how to use car tyres as a cement-free foundation

About the course

The phrase ‘many hands make light work’ was never more true than for car tyre foundations. Not only is this a wonderful, low-impact and cement-free way to make foundations, it is a sociable and collaborative process. This course will cover the practical aspects of transforming this waste product, including:

How to set out the site, using datums
How to choose the right car tyres
Laying, filling, stacking and ramming tyres
How to make the stacks level, and much more!

You should be prepared for outdoor physical activity that may be strenuous at times.

Pricing – 3 day courses

The course fee covers all teaching, materials, handouts and refreshments.

£290 – Sponsored Rate/Income over 25k rate
£150 – Individual rate
£75 – Subsidised rate

We endeavour to make our courses and events affordable to all. Subsidised places are limited and are intended for those who truly cannot afford the standard rate. We don’t ask for any proof, but ask that you use your judgement when purchasing. Similarly, with the sponsored rate – if your place is being covered by your employer, we ask that you play a higher rate to provide access to those who need.

See full Terms and Conditions here.

Who is this course for?

This course welcomes folks of all building abilities, and our build sites are renowned for attracting wonderful, welcoming people, so you’ll feel at home on this course no matter whether you’re a beginner or an experienced craftsperson.

Self-builders, designers, engineers, and builders are some of the people we’ve taught before – alongside pretty much any other background you can think of. Career changers, enthusiasts, artists and absolute beginners.

Access and learning methods

Practical courses take place on construction sites, which often means participants will be walking on rough terrain or through spaces which pose accessibility issues. Those with reduced mobility or in wheelchairs should reach out to us for more information regarding the accessibility of the specific course site you’d like to join, and we can assess the options together.

Upcoming dates

If there are no dates listed below, or you are unavailable, please fill in an expression of interest here.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is included in the course cost?

Our prices include tuition, all materials, tools and equipment, and daily refreshments.

Are accommodation and food included?

Typically, neither accommodation, nor food, is included in the course cost. It will be clearly stated otherwise on the specific course booking page. Sometimes course hosts will be able to provide on-site camping or accommodation, but this is on a course-by-course basis. Hosts will always provide a list of local accommodation options (see specific course booking page). Typically, participants bring a packed lunch, and we eat together, though there may be local options depending on the training site.

What are the daily timings for the training?

Practical courses are usually 9am to 5pm. We ask people to arrive at 8.45 if they want a cuppa beforehand, and we’ll have breaks mid-morning and mid-afternoon. Lunch will be about 12.30 -1.30. Participants need to provide their own lunch, but light refreshments will be provided – tea/coffee/herbals etc. We normally finish at 4pm on the final day in case people have to travel.

Can all physical abilities join this course?

This is a practical training course, and can be quite physical. Participants need to be aware of this and be physically fit to take the course. If they have health needs or injuries, we will do our best to accommodate them, and participants are free to take time out over and above the breaks, mid-morning and afternoon, and at lunchtime, subject to informing the trainer. We ask that participants communicate their health needs to us prior to the course if at all possible, or to make the trainer aware before the course starts. If you are not able to fully participate in all of the practical work, you will still gain valuable learning from observing and asking questions.

What is your refund policy?

The full terms and conditions of purchasing a SNaB training course can be found u003ca href=u0022https://schoolofnaturalbuilding.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/SNaB-Terms-and-Conditions.pdfu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003ehereu003c/au003e – this includes our refund policy.

How do participants arrive to the training?

The School of Natural Building believes in the urgency of the climate challenge, and our work is fundamentally about supporting a low-carbon future where people live in ways which bring us closer to the earth, back into community with our ecosystem and back to ourselves. For this reason, we urge participants to travel to our course locations via public or shared transport where possible. We’ll connect course participants via an optional WhatsApp group in advance of the course, to facilitate ride-sharing.

A short history of Car Tyre Foundations

The idea for using car tyres as foundations came from seeing Earthships—innovative but notoriously labour-intensive structures. While the repetitive hard work of pounding tyres didn’t appeal, Barbara saw potential in using tyres for low-impact, affordable foundations.

She proposed them back in 1997, but the architect on the project wasn’t convinced. It wasn’t until 1998 that Calderdale Council’s Building Control department made history by approving car tyre foundations through building regulations—the first in the UK, though sadly unbuilt. The first pioneering build was for what is now the Clervaux Trust near Darlington.

Since then, car tyre foundations have become widely accepted across the UK. They’re especially popular with community groups because, while they do take some effort, they can be constructed for little or no cost. For example, in 2011 we built the foundations for a three-bedroom, single-storey strawbale house for under £500—including the hire of a dumper truck!

Thinking about hosting a course?

Are you a community group or a self-builder planning to construct a straw bale building? The School of Natural Building is here to help bring your vision to life. We offer a range of hands-on training courses that integrate directly into your build process, providing invaluable skills while advancing your project.

Learn More