Cob: cob hybrids - alternatives for pressure treated wood

[Howard]

Kerry,

I help people build with bales in the Southeast where "its the humidity" is nearly
consistently high.  Even when we have drought it's humid.  Humidity hasn't been a
problem for us on our straw buildings, including the Burritts Mansion built in 1936,
but water would be bad for it as it would be for wood.  Where are you located?

I agree you don't need to use PT wood, just keep the water from being able to get to
the wood.  At the bottom you might consider using something like several layers of
building felt so water won't wick up into the wood.

Kerry S Tebbetts wrote:

> I've been reading the archives regarding cob hybrids.  I'm considering
> all the options.  I'm trying to figure out a way to make my North, East
> and West walls out of straw such as light clay or strawbale (although I
> am very hesitant to use strawbale in my warm and humid climate).  Of all
> the suggestions for cob hybrids, I like the cob house wrapped with
> exterior strawbale the best (sorry, I can't remember whose idea it was to
> give due credit).  However, as I've said, I'm leery of using strawbale.
> Also, I don't really think that any high mass material is necessary on
> the North, east and west walls.  It would be pointless, it seems, except
> to bear the load of the roof.  So, it would seem that a pole frame would
> be a better solution, with light clay infill used where I want the
> insulation and cob used where I want the mass.
>
> As I understand it, pressure treated lumber is recommended for a p&b, but
> I really don't like the idea of using wood treated with arsenic.
> Besides, I have trees all over the place that are free.  Why go and buy
> lumber that's been treated or have lumber treated if it's free?  Is there
> a homemade recipe for treating wood?  Also, is there a way to use stones
> for the pole footings rather than concrete?  My reasoning is that the
> stone footings would keep moisture from being wicked up to the wood, the
> same way that a cob's stone foundation does.
>
> I read a thread in the archives about the possibility of using cob to
> form the posts for a post and beam frame?  Would this work?  Has anyone
> tried it with any kind of success?
>
> shae