Q: What is Adobe?
A: It’s basically sun dried mud brick, over time gaining a few modern variances. Spaniards introduced Adobe in brick form to the New World, Native Americans before that were hand forming Adobe mud into walls. The name is derived from a Spanish word, originally derived from an Arabic word. Not to be confused with Adobe Systems (a software company in California) or Adobo (a marinade for meat, seafood, and vegetables). Common modern/more durable Adobe variances include Caladobe, Burnt Adobe, and Portland Cement stabilized Adobe. CEB (Compressed Earth Block), and Rammed-Earth can also be considered a form of Adobe construction.
Q: Who are you people?
A: We are a growing group of about 60 proud adobe homeowners in San Diego’s North County that meet monthly for Friday night potluck and adult beverage parties. We exchange information, check out each-other’s homes and restoration projects, and for part of the year we assist the Escondido History Center in planning their annual tour. The income from the tour funds this volunteer run website, which allows free access to all interested people, globally. We (our adobe homeowners group) charge no dues and ask no commitments, other than being a volunteer docent for our tour. Our goal is to educate and keep interest in our unique adobe homes alive. Adobe homeowners have contacted us from all over the state of California, the American southwest, Melbourne, Australia, and even from the UNESCO site of Yazd, Iran. Additionally, we our all as unique as our homes.
Q: Where are all the Adobe Homes in San Diego County?
A: They tend to radiate out from where the Escondido L R Green Adobe Block Factory was, near the present day North County Westfield Mall, in South Escondido off hwy 15. But they can be found all over the county, and almost all are custom built. Many are set back from the street and can’t be seen on a drive-by. There’s a neighborhood in South Escondido, behind the old Centre City Cafe, now called “Baps” (off City Center Blvd.) with dozens of custom Adobe homes (most are painted) and then there’s a community of almost 100 smaller Adobe track homes at Pala Mesa Village, where hwy 76 meets hwy 15.
Q: What style are the local Adobe Homes:
A: Almost all are “Western/California Ranch” style, or “California Hacienda” style. Some people call them Mission style ranch homes, or Rancho-Mission style, inspired by the early Spanish Missions in the area. Below is a link to a Sunset book on western ranch home design, both adobe brick and conventional wood framed:
It’s also a safe assumption our modern California adobe home designs have roots from designer/builder Cliff May. Click below for a primer on local Cliff May houses of the 1930’s:
Some vary a little, being custom built for what the original owner wanted. The webmaster’s home is considered “Spanish Colonial with a California twist”. There’s a home in North Escondido that is best called: “Bavarian Castle meets Adobe with Talavera accents”. But all have old/massive timbers making up the roof/beam structure. Most Adobe Homes in Arizona and New Mexico are different; being Sonora, Territorial, or Pueblo style, flat roofed with no overhangs, other then maybe a shaded porch.
Q: What’s it like living in an Adobe Home:
A: It’s a feeling a peace and comfort, perhaps like living in a log cabin. It’s also the feeling that you’re living within a piece of art, as much as a home. You tend to relish the fact that you’re experiencing what few others can. What could be more original Californian?
Q: Do Adobe Homes really stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter:
A: Yes, sort of. Adobe homes conserve energy because of their thermal mass properties, not insulative properties. The whole house very slowly heats up and cools down. Like in an earthen cave, perhaps. For example; the webmaster’s house has 16″ solid Adobe exterior walls, and low eaves with 3′ overhangs. Inside, it rarely gets hotter than 80 degrees F in the summer (in Poway, CA, where temps can reach the high 90s) and colder than 65 degrees F in the winter. We only run the A/C or heater outside of those temperatures. We do use window fans to push cooler summer night air through the house after sundown, and do the same during the winter, during warm-sunny winter days. I will mention we have a 2″ foam/metal foil insulation barrier on the roof (under the clay tile), but also we have over 30 original single pane windows. During the spring and fall (with Poway highs in the 80s and lows in the 50s), the house interior stays at 70-74 degrees F, all night and day, without opening windows to regulate temperature. Basically, the house runs at a median temp between the highs and lows.
Q: Are modern Adobe homes (mainly 1940s to 1980s) reinforced with steel re-bar?
A: Local knowledge from Adobe Homeowners and stories passed down from the children of builders suggest there was always two re-bars running horizontally every four courses of bricks in our San Diego County area homes. This has been verified by designed and builder Steve Goodbody (younger brother to builder Mike Goodbody) in early 2021. Steve states: two #3 horizontal rebars were layed in every forth course, and four #4 rebars in the concrete bond beam, based on his memory from the 1970s builds. Building in the 1970s and beyond also required additional re-bar (maybe vertical) according to newspaper articles where builders were interviewed by reporters. This made building with Adobe in California more expensive in the 70s and 80s than Adobe friendly States like New Mexico. Some local homeowner’s drawings and construction pictures show some vertical re-bar. A homeowner recently advised us a handheld tool; a Hilti PS-50, shows re-bar within her Adobe walls.
Q: What’s the best way to run additional electrical (or plumbing):
A: Most of our adobe homes have the Romex wires layed in the mortar joints, without conduit. Be aware of this when nailing or drilling into walls. The most common way to add additional electrical is to surface mount the new electrical. (Hide it with an added architectural feature, such as a wood trim beam or panel, if desired.)
Q: How can I find out more about Adobe Homes in the San Diego area:
A: Take the time to read every page on this website; read every article and link (hint: the local newspaper articles we’ve collected tell a story). Download the three books mentioned at the bottom of our community resources page. These books are perhaps the best resources on this website. Understand the difference between unstabilized (straw) Adobe and Caladobe, and the difference between historical adobe buildings, and their more durable modern Caladobe counterparts.
Q: Can a realtor assist me to find a well built, quality, Modern Adobe Home.
A: It’s unlikely. Almost all area realtors nowadays know nothing about the history of these homes, the prominent builders at the time, and the materials used. Almost all the builders and original owners have passed away, with very few records remaining. And the knowledge of finding matching materials and experienced labor for repairs is lacking. That’s why our group has tried to make this website the go-to place for local information. We acquire more information every year, and are happy share it on this website. Some realtors have found this website, and if they have read through it, it may help them to sell (or buy) a quality adobe home.
Q: Can Adobe Homes still be built in California?
A: The short answer is yes, it can be done, if you want to spend a ton of money. It’s best explained by reading this link, from an associate’s Adobe website:
http://adobeisnotsoftware.com/consumers.html
Check out our Adobe Homes for Sale web-page to see a 2006 built Adobe (at the bottom of the page).
Q: How can I determine if my home is built with Bitudode/Caladobe or unstabilized Adobe?
A: If your house was built after the early 1930’s in California, it’s likely Bitudobe/Caladobe. If your house is older than that, it’s probably built with unstabilized Adobe. Many unstabilized adobe homes have a coat of adobe mud, heavy whitewash, naturally hydrated lime plaster (NHL), or cement stucco over the bricks. Some have wood cladding over the bricks. A picture of a 1920’s unstabilized historical Adobe structure in California’s Central Valley is shown below. Note how the bricks under the protection of the eave overhang have fared better than the bricks down lower.
The owner used a historical restoration company to perform restoration and preserve the weathered unstabilized Adobes (after this picture was taken). On our Good Reads web page, (at the bottom) see our Restoration Guide Book from New Mexico for proper unstabilized Adobe restoration techniques. It’s also download-able on our Adobe community resources page. The link to the National Park Service adobe preservation site is another great resource.
Here’s another way to tell what your Adobe bricks are: Use your hand like a claw, and try to dig your fingernails into your Adobe. If you can do this, and pull off A LOT of dirt, you likely have unstabilized adobes. (Please only do this on your own property.)
