Cob: straw clay insulation-Try cardboard/ papercrete

[Charmaine R Taylor]

One thing I tried when insulated between studs in an old carriage house was a
sawdust/clay/lime mix..and it took a long time to dry on a north wall ( tried
it just for that reason)

I ended up making long blocks of papercrete material and drying them in the
sunshine on a cement slab area, much faster. The the lightweight blocks can be
tucked inside between the studs and papercrete  mortar used to keep them in
place. Take advantage of the summer weather and air to dry premade forms of
light straw clay too!

Make a basic mold, a squide bigger than your stud spacing, to allow for
shrinkage, then tamp and fill on a flat warm spot, let dry, insert with a clay
plaaater/mortar mix to make 'em stick.

Inside an old house I am remodeling I got some cardbord cores that hold bolts
of fabric.  Battered them with a clar slurry, let dampo dry, layered them in,
standing on edge, into stud spaces as a test..worked great, I tried several
spaces this way, and was able to g 3 cores deep to reach flush edge of stud.

Flat cardboard cores are very strong ( have baffels inside to bear weight), no
inks or dyes,and clean, and get tossed out by the thousands at the back of the
fabric stores.

 might want to try them too.  just cut to fit the height needed.


Thanks, and email me with any questions.

Charmaine  Taylor
Taylor Publishing
PO Box 6985, Eureka CA 95502
1-707-441-1632
http://www.northcoast.com/~tms
Visit online where you can buy books & videos anytime!
Marlin Nissen wrote:

> Hello everyone
>
>
>
> My first experience with clay/straw has been somewhat disasterous, no
> drying, slow production etc. and I feel like I must be missing something.
>  Please help by responding to the list....
>
> Thanks
>
> Marlin Nissen
> lightearth at onebox.com - email
> (847) 563-3001 x6189 - voicemail/fax
>
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