Cob: Cob philosophy of insulation

[Charmaine R Taylor]

I think what a lot of modern folks forget is that while people used what
they HAD to build with, either stone is the west of UK or cob in east
UK...it may not have been the BEST solution for comfortable housing.

Poorest people in Mexico pound tin cans flat for roofs and walls and
swelter and freeze druing seasons. They used what they HAD to build with
it doesn't make it appropriate for the climate however.

Falling in love with cob walls is easy, but really smart planning means
you insulate with light straw clay or woodchip clay and make the cob
walls a little thinner maybe, or just cob plaster the heck out of light
straw clay walls. you get the look you want with the comfort we expect.
and no burining 20 cords of wood either.

The Germans seem to have it down pat to make barns and houses with
wood-chip clay walls, which are earth/lime plastered. There is a
resurgence of barn restoation ( mostly in WI) repairing the old
German-built wood-chip clay ones, with the same materials. Over 100-150
years old and keeping cattle warm in winter.

We do solar site-plans for cob and natural houses, so why not go the
rest of the way instead of sticking to purist "all cob" methods?

not trying to pick a fight...I love cob, but if I lived in MI or NH I'd
insulate those walls.

Ms. Charmaine Taylor/ Taylor Publishing
http://www.dirtcheapbuilder.com http://www.papercrete.com
PO Box 375, Cutten (Eureka) CA 95534
707-441-1632 tms at northcoast.com