Cob greetings

[andrew scotney]

> Date:          Wed, 21 Jan 1998 09:34:27 -0600
> From:          Paul Valerio <valeri at io.com>
> To:            coblist at deatech.com
> Subject:       Re: Cob greetings
> Reply-to:      coblist at deatech.com

> Unleesh,
> 
> I am interested in wattle and daub too, but I know nothing about it
> except that my mother grew up in a wattle and daub house in England that
> is supposedly almost 400 years old.  It is still in great shape.  It
> appears to me to be identical to a true Cob house but my granny says
> that it is in fact wattle and daub.  Of course you can't see the
> "wattle" once it's built.
> 
> I've been there twice in my life, years ago when I had no interest in
> such things, but I do recall the thick walls and the cozy feeling
> inside.
> 
> I imagine the two methods must be similar in terms of energy efficiency,
> etc.  I doubt if the "wattle" provides much insulating advantage.
> 
> Despite my lack of any real technical knowledge about this stuff, I for
> one am fully persuaded that this will work.  If a house made out of dirt
> can last for 400 years and costs very little to build, I think I'll try
> it.
> 
> If you find any info on the wattle and daub method please post it to the
> list or send it to me.
> 
> Thanks,
> pv
> 

Paul, 

So far as I am aware wattle & daub is used only as non-structural
infil panels in timber framed buildings.

However, where abouts in England did your mother come from?

We live in Lincolnshire in a 'mud & stud' cottage, which  is a sort of
hybrid of a cob and a timber framed building.

Mud & stud buildings contain a (relatively light weight) timber frame
(either just posts seated  on pad-stones or else posts joined into a
sill-beam over a plinth.) The walls are then built up as follows;
horizontal rails are fixed between the vertical posts, vertical laths
are fixed to the rails, and a cob-like mix is then built up around the
laths. Mud and stud walls are typically 8 - 12" thick, making them
thicker than wattle & daub (typically 3-4", I think), but thinner than
conventional cob. The timber frame is only visible internally. In
theory both the frame and the earth wall have a structural role. (Our
cottage is a little over 300 years old).

Andrew Scotney.> 

Try this for more info & pics:
http://users.ox.ac.uk/~xpsy0048/index.html
(sory some parts of the site are presently dis-functional)