SB: Re: Cob Plaster on Straw Bale walls

[Bob Bolles]

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> From: Athena and Bill Steen <absteen at gateway.dakotacom.net>
> Subject: Re: SB: Re: Cob Plaster on Straw Bale walls
> Date: Wednesday, July 02, 1997 9:58 AM

BB We have used cob plaster on 9 buildings to date

Bill Steen - quote
> I suppose if we are eager to see something spread around and get well
> utilized we should definitely make it a point to send it in your
direction.
> 9 buildings- good work!!!! Where are they? Baja?

Yes, Most of these buildings are in our Project in El Valle de las Palmas -
18 miles south of the Mex/American border - Just south-east of San Diego
To date: 
A 4  "dormitory" group of buildings - each 10x14 ID 
one dorm/meeting room 14x24 ID
A 5 "dormitory" group of building - 4 are 10x14 ID, and the last has one
curved wall, and is about 14x24 ID (these are still under construction -
they will be completed in the next week or so
The kitchen area is open on 2 sides, a house trailer on one side, and a SB
cob plastered wall on the other
The main "bathroom" building has 2 toilets and 2 shower areas - Yes, they
are SB and cob plaster
We are about to finish a 3 shower unit - Yep - SB and Cob plaster

One other Project that uses the same system is EcoMundo in Mulege, 600
miles down the Baja Peninsula on the Sea of Cortez side.  I'll try and get
together a more complete description in the near term, but in short, the
first building, which they are completing as I speak, is a 2 story Palapa
(palm thatched) 2,200 SF - 2 wire "marshmallows" post and beam - you bet,
SB and cob plaster - a VERY kewl building!

> From: Thomas P. Morrissey <thomcelt at juno.com>
> To: coblist at deatech.com; strawbale at crest.org
> Subject: Re: SB: Cob Plaster on Straw Bale walls
> Date: Tuesday, July 01, 1997 8:10 PM
> 
> What purpose are you trying to achieve in applying 
> cob as a plaster to straw bale?  Sorry if I missed
> that in the thread of discussion.  

> From: goshawk at gnat.net
> To: coblist at deatech.com
> Subject: Re: SB: Cob Plaster on Straw Bale walls
> Date: Wednesday, July 02, 1997 4:45 PM
> 
(quoting -- Tom Morrissey,  thomcelt at juno.com )

> > Maybe this is just semantics, but "cob" and many
> > earthen plasters share the same ingredients (clay,
> > sand and straw), so in fact many plasters are "cob".
> 
> Ah a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.
> 
> Well I have build and plastered a strawbale structure with earth 
> plaster aka cob.  It really is only the effect one is after. You 
> start with some stout cob to fill in those big old hole between the 
> bales. The scratch coat is always the hardest to apply. Mine was 
> applied directly to the bales, I've heard  using chicken wire mess 
> held in place by sewing it on to the bales helps. 
> I had large overhangs so I used cob/earth plaster on inside and out. 
> And it has more breathabilty than cement and such. 
---------snip--------
>Pat in Mauk

Pat,
You are absolutely right - cob to fill the holes to make a flat surface
We are also using the cob as a complete plastering system - no cement
One of the tricks that I learned from Matts, was to vigorously brush (with
your hand) the surface of the bales to dislodge the loose straw on the
surface - the plaster is  more inclined to stick (less likely to fall off)
as it is applied.  For darn sure, it takes a lot of (hand) pressure to get
the cob to adhere to the straw - But when correctly applied, it takes a
sledge hammer to remove it!
The final plaster coat uses a finely chopped straw as the binding agent

>From Bill Steen
> 
> Maybe to avoid confusion, we should rename or reterm this creature to
avoid
> confusion since it is not a true cob for those practicing that building
> system.  I don't have any reccommendations - it is clearly an earthen
> plaster that is heavy on clay and very heavy on the straw.  Possibly
> "straw/clay" plaster.
> Any thoughts?
> Bill

Sure, "straw/clay" plaster sounds right

Bob