[Cob] sound proofing

[Sabrina Free]

Hi,
I am getting quite a chuckle and some good advice out of the replies, so
thanks for both.  I realized that 1.  You all don't know me so don't know
how much energy I have/don't have and 2. I didn't really describe the house
much.  (Shody, I would like to hire you.  You seem extremely hard working.)

Charmaines suggestion might be more up my alley. :o)  The house is cement
block in a very, um, economically challenged neighborhood.  It is in
foreclosure and has been empty 3 years and red-tagged by the city for 2
years.  It is cute, with a capital "C", and cement block with falling off
stucco has ooooh so many natural plaster possibilities.  There is some
damage to some of the cement blocks and I am thinking "Good place to try
Papercrete and at least provide a little insulation in this place".  What I
was told is that the permit and code requirements are different for "A
Homeowner Making Repairs" than "A Person Building On" or a "Person
Remodelling".
I grew up 1.5 blocks from a train track, so some train noise I love.  I just
realized this train is a lot closer than I am accustomed to, though the
thought of it derailing and falling on me while I slept did not dawn on me.
The dirt from the train did enter my mind, and the thought of toxicity from
that as well.  I don't think being IN the house will be an issue due to the
cement block, but being out in the yard it might be rather noisy.  However,
there is not a constant train, obviously.  Between the house and the train
track is a little back yard  that has a cement block garage in there, a
porch, a big evergreen tree (with a cactus garden growing under it, in
MICHIGAN no less?!?!?!) and no room for anything else, a street, and I
suppose what is technically the RR right of way?  Sort of a big wide ditch.
The ditch used to be almost completely full of trash but the neighbors all
banded together and cleaned it up and the people in the neighborhood keep it
clean.
Anyway, the cement block garage has a flat roof with a rubber membrane on
it.  I have a fear of heights, but that roof does not scare me too much.
Was originally thinking I could make a sort of cob / strawbale staircase
wall up to the roof of the garage and have a little living roof garden up
there.  When I took some friends over there to look at it, all of them said,
Hey, you could put one of those living roof things on top of the garage.
(These people are NOT natural builders so it was nice.)
I figured cob so I could get the practice, and thinking maybe a fence would
draw enough interest in the neighborhood that I might be able to enlist some
help.  (That is if Shody doesn't show up)  ;o)
Thanks, I will keep you posted and supply pictures if I am actually able to
buy it.  It almost looks like cob if you squint.  Which is probably why I
fell in love with it.
Sabrina

On 1/9/07, Dirtcheapbuilder-Charmaine Taylor <tms at northcoast.com> wrote:
>
> hummm if I wanted the look of cob, but not the full labor required I
> would use either 1)  straw bales stacked 8'  and plastered with cob.
>
> or  2)   a really cheap alternative of making a double walled wire mesh
> fence -about a foot wide,  with leftover wood, or  inexpensive metal
> fence posts- and fill with recycled milk jugs, cat litter pails, or
> other large free containers,  filled with sand or dirt.   or even sand
> baged stacked high like earthbag walls.
>
>   Spray over the whole thing with  a clay-slip   plaster,  papercrete
> plaster, and  finish with a nice cob plaster.  get the wall up fast and
> achieve the same soundproofing.
>
> an adobe experimenter tried to patetn the use of a duoble mesh wall
> filled with jugs, but it was too basic an idea to qualify.
>
> Charmaine
>
> Charmaine Taylor Publishing
> www.dirtcheapbuilder.com
> PO BOX 375 CUTTEN CA 95534  USA
> Tel:  707-441-1632
> New Books-DVDs-CDs on Natural/House Building
>
>
> On Jan 8, 2007, at 7:17 PM, Sabrina Free wrote:
>
> Hi,
> Am thinking of buying a house that is nearer to a railroad track than
> any
> hearing person might want to live, but it is really cheap.  Wondering
> if a
> cob wall would be a good idea to block the sound somewhat?
> Or any other suggestions?
> Thanks,
> Sabrina Free
>
>