Cob interior wall - foundation detail?

[John Cruickshank]

                John Cruickshank
         <<<Hobbit House Sunrise Ranch>>
            5569 North County Road 29
                Loveland CO 80538
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-----Original Message-----
From:   INTERNET:coblist at localhost 
Sent:   Wednesday, July 16, 1997 9:51 PM
To:     INTERNET:coblist at deatech.com
Subject:        Cob interior wall - foundation detail?


Should
I go through the same effort as I would for an exterior 
cob wall?  I don't need to worry much about drainage and 
the only load I really need to worry about is the dead weight
of the wall (as the wall won't be load bearing).  I guess
I still need to worry about moisture wicking up from below
as it will be on/in an earth-coupled floor (though I would
think/hope that the moisture present below an interior wall
would be minimal (if it's not then I'd have bigger problems).
So, can I get away with a rather shallow rubble trench (to 
help distribute the dead load of the wall) and a really short
stem wall of some sort (to avoid any moisture and thermal 
wicking and just in case there are any moisture disasters like 
pipes bursting).  

Your thoughts?

-- Tom Morrissey.   thomcelt at juno.com
USPS: 5569 N. County Rd. 29, Loveland, CO  80538.   Ph: 970/679-4265

[John Cruickshank]  The same considerations are applicable for interior
walls as for exterior.  Just moderate the degree "effort".  If they are not
load bearing, their footprint may be wide enough considering the soil's PSI
rating. They are not subject to frost if the building is heated, so depth
of footer is also downgraded to rough standard bare minimum - 8-12 in into
undisturbed. Water wicking up into wall should also be "considered" but
need not be so particular.  Barriers may not be needed if the footer is
aggregate.  Looks to me that shallow (8"?) tamped aggregate trenches to
support a thin layer of mud mortared flat stone (3" deep?) would be enough
to support and protect the interior walls.