[Cob] cob and outside showers

[Patrick Newberry]

Well I've done something similar. That is I have a shower inside a cob /
earthen building.

Here is an image to help with my description:
http://users.pstel.net/goshawk/summer2002/pg.htm

Anyway, Looking at the photo starting from the right: The Pink looking
wall is colored lime plaster. Then the triangle piece which serves as a
shower wall is made of diamond lathe plastered in cement on a wooden
frame. Inside the shower the walls which are white or blue have been
plastered in that ole yucky cement, then coated with cool seal. Then
have been painted again (in the case of the blue stripe at the top). The
red wall above and further to the left have a natural earthen plaster
with some lime in it because my earthen plaster based on type of clay I
have is pretty dusty and that can be a pain in the shower area where
dust from earth plus water equals mud. 

There is a drain of course in the shower with drains the water. It's
been in operation now for around 6 years or so and we have not had any
moisture problems. A couple of reason for that. One is there is very
good air flow. The back of the shower wall  is not sealed but if you
stood up and looked over the wall you would see the front door. Thus the
air flow is a big factor. Unlike  you I live in Georgia with lots of hot
humid days and this can make for mold. I've never had a mold problem
here. Also since the cement is only locale in the shower area, the cob
area around this can breath and thus this is a local enough area that
moisture does not seem to get trapped and thus I've never seen any
evidence that water as passed through the cement shower walls to the cob
walls. 

Pat Newberry
www.gypsyfarm.com