Cob: Barn conversion

Sun Sep 9 13:15:53 PDT 2001

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Re: Cob: Barn conversionJeanne wrote:

Slip-straw is loose straw coated in a clay slip. You would then build forms
on the inside between studs and fill the gap with the slip-straw, tamping it
down as you go. You can finish it with a mud plaster. You could also use cob
where you wanted a more organic aesthetic.

I have worked with this method and if you go this route make sure you get it
ever so lightly coated so that you can gain a higher Rvalue as normal straw
clay won't give you more that an R1 per inch and you don't want to go over
12". I still find strawbale to much faster and easier and better insulation
value. I prefer to think of straw clay for interior walls.

Chuck in Wisconsin
Helping Hands: Natural building and Sustainable Living group
  -----Original Message-----
  From: owner-coblist at deatech.com [mailto:owner-coblist at deatech.com]On
Behalf Of Jeanne Leimkuhler
  Sent: Sunday, September 09, 2001 12:01 PM
  To: coblist at deatech.com
  Subject: Re: Cob: Barn conversion

  Chris wrote:

    I'm considering converting my barn to a home using cob walls on the
interior of the existing exterior barn walls.  Is this a stupid idea?
    The barn is somewhat old, but the structural beams appear to be in good
shape.  Would there be a problem with placing the cob right next to the
wood?
    Maybe cob is not the way to go, I just want to use natural materials.
Some other method may be more insulative, as well.
    I would appreciate any ideas.
    thx,
    Zon from Kansas

  Chris,
  Not to discourage you from cob, but you might consider slip-straw if you
already have existing walls. I am planning to do this to an existing barn.
Slip-straw is loose straw coated in a clay slip. You would then build forms
on the inside between studs and fill the gap with the slip-straw, tamping it
down as you go. You can finish it with a mud plaster. You could also use cob
where you wanted a more organic aesthetic.

  For more information see Robert Laporte's book:
  MoosePrints, a Holistic Home Building Guide
  Available from Natural House Building Center  R.R. 1, Box 115F. Fairfield,
Iowa  52556

  You can probably get this from dirtcheapbuilders.com, as well.

  Jeanne

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<DIV><SPAN class=3D50430820-09092001><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>Jeanne=20
wrote:</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D50430820-09092001><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff=20
size=3D2></FONT></SPAN>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D50430820-09092001>Slip-straw is loose straw coated in =
a clay=20
slip. You would then build forms on the inside between studs and fill =
the gap=20
with the slip-straw, tamping it down as you go. You can finish it with a =
mud=20
plaster. You could also use cob where you wanted a more organic =
aesthetic.
<DIV><BR><SPAN class=3D50430820-09092001><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff size=3D2>I=20
have worked with this method and if you go this route make sure you get =
it ever=20
so lightly coated so that you can gain a higher Rvalue as normal straw =
clay=20
won't give you more that an R1 per inch and you don't want to go over =
12". I=20
still find strawbale to much faster and easier and better insulation=20
value.&nbsp;I prefer to think of straw clay for interior walls.&nbsp;=20
</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D50430820-09092001><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff=20
size=3D2></FONT></SPAN>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D50430820-09092001><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>Chuck=20
in Wisconsin</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D50430820-09092001><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>Helping=20
Hands: Natural building and Sustainable Living=20
group</FONT></SPAN></DIV></SPAN></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr=20
style=3D"PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px =
solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
  <DIV class=3DOutlookMessageHeader><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman"=20
  size=3D2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> =
owner-coblist at deatech.com=20
  [mailto:owner-coblist at deatech.com]<B>On Behalf Of</B> Jeanne=20
  Leimkuhler<BR><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, September 09, 2001 12:01 =
PM<BR><B>To:</B>=20
  coblist at deatech.com<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: Cob: Barn=20
  conversion<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><BR></DIV>
  <DIV>Chris wrote:</DIV>
  <DIV><BR></DIV>
  <BLOCKQUOTE cite type=3D"cite">I'm considering converting my barn to a =
home=20
    using cob walls on the interior of the existing exterior barn =
walls.&nbsp;=20
    Is this a stupid idea?</BLOCKQUOTE>
  <BLOCKQUOTE cite type=3D"cite">The barn is somewhat old, but the =
structural=20
    beams appear to be in good shape.&nbsp; Would there be a problem =
with=20
    placing the cob right next to the wood?<BR>Maybe cob is not the way =
to go, I=20
    just want to use natural materials.&nbsp; Some other method may be =
more=20
    insulative, as well.<BR>I would appreciate any =
ideas.<BR>thx,</BLOCKQUOTE>
  <BLOCKQUOTE cite type=3D"cite">Zon from Kansas</BLOCKQUOTE>
  <DIV><BR></DIV>
  <DIV><BR></DIV>
  <DIV>Chris,</DIV>
  <DIV>Not to discourage you from cob, but you might consider slip-straw =
if you=20
  already have existing walls. I am planning to do this to an existing =
barn.=20
  Slip-straw is loose straw coated in a clay slip. You would then build =
forms on=20
  the inside between studs and fill the gap with the slip-straw, tamping =
it down=20
  as you go. You can finish it with a mud plaster. You could also use =
cob where=20
  you wanted a more organic aesthetic.</DIV>
  <DIV><BR></DIV>
  <DIV>For more information see Robert Laporte's book:</DIV>
  <DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D-2><U>MoosePrints, a Holistic Home =
Building=20
  Guide</U></FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D-2>Available from Natural House =
Building=20
  Center&nbsp; R.R. 1, Box 115F. Fairfield, Iowa&nbsp; =
52556</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D-2><BR></FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D-2>You can probably get this from=20
  dirtcheapbuilders.com, as well.</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D-2><BR></FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D-2>Jeanne</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT size=3D-2><BR></FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>

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