Cob: Thin cob walls- Fiber mesh embedded?

[Charmaine R Taylor]

Yes, burlap might work for art on the wall stuff ( In Germany they dip it in clay and
drape the walls for a texture effect) but I was  looking for a sturdy high tensile
open weave material which could be draped and shaped over a roof  structure or circle
of poles and be the base for a thin wall surface,  or arching shape. ( Not an entire
house or even a load bearing wall.!)  This stuff can also be rolled and plastered
over, filled with straw into  "building burritos", etc, and was discussed on essa list
I believe as a nice flexible substrate. Cob is so dense and heavy that using this as
an armature or filler for the arms or back of a cob bench might be great, I plan on
trying it.

In discussing the art aspect there is great potential for  creating a garden wall by
placing material OVER pallets, which would be clay/cob plastered, binding all
together. I'm very interested in recycling materilas and finding uses for "discard"
objects"

In reference to the big caution message, yes.. safety is critical for roofs, but
Linda Evens ( Cob Cottage Co.) and I discussed using these as core for cobbing thin
interior divider walls. Hang/suspend, then plaster over.  And surprizingly,  Kiko
Denzer ( Earth Oven guy) told me open weave fabrics were used this way by someone he
knows...so this is an exploration of art and materials, nuthing new under the sun.

And, Duane, since most folks do have to pay for shipping of any bought item ( unless
they have the access you do) then the cost for burlap (13.2 cents)  and BioD-mat  (12
cents)  is actually NOT  cheaper but is essentialy the same from the prices you
emailed me.  I wouldn't discount it unless you have used it, and can compare to
burlap.

Charmaine.



Duane/Dorothy Lindstrom wrote:

> I have found that plain old burlap sold in bulk (available at places
> like Fleet Farm here in the midwest) is cheaper than the bio mat and for
> the intended purpose you are talking about, it seems like it would do as
> good a job.
>
> Duane Lindstrom