Cob: clay mortar &stucco question

[Charmaine R Taylor]

Michael S.  you make a good point. I took photos of a "clay and bool"
essentially -   mud  & stones -mortar 1800s building in the pioneer gold
country of California. the building is still standing, the motar was
basic river clay, and the place is now a trendy coffee shop and art
gallery, and standing strong.  This area is very hot and dry with cold
but not overly wet winters, little snow, and so the clay mortar has held
up.

You can scratch out the mortal with a  fingernail, but who would? very
little erosion over the last 150 years..and in an earthquake area like
here...that's saying something too.

about Clay and bool, bools are usually rounded river stones  which were
used a lot in Scotland to do a slip form type wall, and bedding in clay
worked.

Charmaine Taylor
www.dirtcheapbuilder.com