Cob: RE: Very succulent free shed

[Dena Marchant]

Hi Lois,

Do you have any words of wisdom about building over
a period of years?  How do you protect partially finished
walls, etc.

Dena

> > >-----Original Message-----
> > >From: owner-coblist at deatech.com [mailto:owner-coblist at deatech.com]On
> > >Behalf Of TICKLETOWN at aol.com
> > >Sent: Friday, March 16, 2001 8:29 AM
> > >To: coblist at deatech.com
> > >Subject: Cob: Very succulent free shed
> > >
> > >
> > > I've been reading this list for a while now - I asked my
> > >daughter whose
> > >computer I use to switch here from the strawbale list, which I
> > >enjoyed but
> > >wasn't into as much as cob. I'm trying to learn as much as I can about
> > >building sustainably using onsite materials. I've read a few
> > >books (thank
> > >goddess for inter-library loans) and tried a little tiny cobbing.
> > > After three years of tenting on site in the summer while we worked, I
> > >finally moved into my cosy little half-underground home this
> > >fall. When I
> > >planned my home I knew nothing about cob or I definately would
> > >have gone in
> > >that direction. I opted for a very small, dug out of a southern slope
> > >u-shaped room with glass on the south and west. We had a
> > >horrible time with
> > >the roof since I had insisted on free form curved walls made
> > >using Scott &
> > >Helen Nearings' stone building techniques. I finally had to
> > >give in and go
> > >with a (somewhat) conventional timber framed living roof. My
> > >home is very
> > >lovely but I feel bad about the portland I used in the walls
> > >and some of the
> > >other non-sustainable downright nasty materials (waterproof
> > >roofing material,
> > >nails, even the small bulldozer and back-hoe). Seems that as I started
> > >building I started learning and the more I read about natural building
> > >methods the more radical I became. I've been fantasizing about
> > >an all natural
> > >little cob house for quite a while and imagine my surprise
> > >when I actually
> > >SAW it. Thanks Shannon. I'm totally empowered and motivated to
> > >finish my own
> > >little burrow now and REALLY get into some dirt! And sticks
> > >and stones and
> > >grasses. I'm eager to see how your roof turns out - I didn't
> > >feel able to do
> > >thatch (thought you had to have the right grasses and tons of
> > >know-how)  but
> > >now I'm wondering. What about cattails? Also your jar windows
> > >were neat. In
> > >fact the whole little shed looks downright SUCCULENT. Keep us posted,
> > >
> > >
> > >                      Lois
> > >
> > >