Building with Cob

Cob is a mixture of clay, sand and straw. Cob homes are literally 'dirt cheap' and can be made by anyone who knows how to make a mud pie.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• cob
• building
• clay
• sand
• straw
• natural
• green
• ecology
• permaculture
• ecovillage
• environment

[wheelori814]

when building a home with cob, do you have to get walls all up in one day? Or does the holes you poke into it allow it to be done gradually?

[cultureartist]

@wheelori814 You can take as long as you want. You poke holes in the top layer so the next layer will key in, Lego-style. It's best to keep a tarp over the wall to keep the moisture from evaporating until you can start the next layer. It may also help to moisten the wall before starting to work again the next day. Some cob homes have taken up to three years to complete.

[wheelori814]

@cultureartist thanks, I might just have to try this. I live in arizona so it only makes extreme sense to build this way. How can I get tutorials from the foundation to the roof?

[cultureartist]

@wheelori814 I can't post links here in the comments section, but if you go to the Culture Artist website, there's a link on the main page that says 'Cob Tutorial.' Click on that and it'll come up.

The link for the website is at the end of this video.

[kesterratcliff1]

is that a bath made of cob at 3:18?? if so, how did you waterproof it enough? Just huge amounts of linseed oil?

[cultureartist]

@kesterratcliff1 The tub wasn't mine, but Since the water stays inside the tub, not that much moisture gets into the cob. The outside is plastered or waterproofed with linseed oil, as you mentioned. Plus, the straw in the cob tends to 'wick' the water away over time, as long as it's not a huge amount.

[Mojopokey]

I want one that looks like Hobits live there....

[fieryflyingserpent]

I've been a carpenter for 22 yrs. and now Im kicking myself in the rear.

[HappyHooker83]

@cultureartist Where to get the materials for cob??? How much are they?

[tetsuyanabashy]

awesome

[000Winter000]

I visited your website but I can't find the step by step tutorial..

[000Winter000]

@cultureartist Does the rock foundation sit on dirt? Would it benefit me to place the rock foundation on a well formed concrete slab?

[000Winter000]

@cultureartist I read somewhere that each layer of wall must dry for a min of one week before the next layer can be built.

[Rockonchick2]

artful