Cob homes

[dragonlaurel]

Has anyone started their cob project yet? I'm guessing it is too wet here on Sound to do this. Dragonlaurel, what do you think?

I would love to make one as my chicken coop...pipe dream?

ETA: http://www.sufficientself.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=133 <----here is some more info on the subject.

They built them in Britain for hundreds of years and the weather there is pretty wet too. Natural plaster the outside so the moisture can escape. Using a wide roof overhang keeps the walls drier. A covered porch on the side you get most of your storms from can help protect the walls.
The super thick walls are good for keeping the temps steady in the home. Lots of people make display niches in the walls for art pieces. I would still use interior walls for bookcases though in your climate.

If you want to do a hen house out of it, you need to remember to do lots of ventilation. I would use 3 complete walls and then make a big wide window near the top on the south side. You could use something like shutters over it in storms but the roof overhangs might be enough the rest of the time. Angle the roof to keep excess water away from the door and windows so the inside stays dry.
Let us know if you do it- and I would want pics.


Edited when thought about the hen house part more.

 

[big brown horse]

Thanks!! That gives me some courage.

I hand-made my chicken coop out of left overs and pallets, I had trouble with the roof but I worked it out. I always new it would be temporary so I wasn't too picky. It suites them fine, but I want a nice lookin' (cheap, sustainable) permanent home and I think cob is the way to go. I am sure I wont be able to do this until the rainy season is over (and I will probably need "roof lessons") but I think I can do it...off to research cob built homes.

 

[Beekissed]

BBH, I saw a coop made out of cob once and it was darling! The nest boxes were individual little cups formed out of the wall....so very quaint. A person could get real creative and artistic with a cob constructed coop, couldn't they? Please, please, have an egg-shaped door?

 

[big brown horse]

BBH, I saw a coop made out of cob once and it was darling! The nest boxes were individual little cups formed out of the wall....so very quaint. A person could get real creative and artistic with a cob constructed coop, couldn't they? Please, please, have an egg-shaped door?

Yes an egg-shaped door is a must isn't it? What a great idea Bee!!! Oh, the wheels are turning!!!!

 

[big brown horse]

http://www.cobcottage.com/questions Not sure if this site was posted before, but I found some helpful info on it.

 

[noobiechickenlady]

I've followed this guy since almost the beginning. He lives at that "intentional community" in Missouri. I love the roof he put on his cob house. Now, this is straight cob, NOT plastered strawbale.
http://small-scale.net/yearofmud/

 

[big brown horse]

Thanks Noobie,

Nice site, but my dumb computer is soooo sloooow it took forever for me to look around. Anyway, when I have a bit more time to sit here and wait for my computer to let me look around that site, I'll check it out.

(Sometimes I just want to throw this Dell out the window! )

I have been thinking about the cob homes all day, can't stop. I wonder which is easier to build cob or straw bale? Anyone know that off the top of their head? (Chicken coop size.)

 

[Beekissed]

Straw bale if you have manpower or machinery to lift your bales and impale them on rebar, cob if you are a single woman with little equipment.

 

[Ldychef2k]

The local police recently built a new substation about a half mile or so from my house. They made it out of hay bales and I guess plaster. It's awesome. My son-in-law is a police chaplain and took a tour of the place before it opened. Said the temperature is completely even and the it is extremely quiet.

 

[Beekissed]

How intelligent and progressive! I wish more buildings funded by taxpayers dollars were built out of these kind of renewable resources.