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[Cob] Fancy a Mexican Vacation Anyone ?Jill Hogan jill.hogan at mat.org.zaMon Feb 26 13:43:14 CST 2007
Hi Ron
Leichtlehm is straw rich clay, you probably know about it, where you make your cob the consistency of yoghurt and then add so much straw that you can pick it up. Each piece of straw must be coated with clay or earth with about 30 to 40% clay. It is incredible light but has wonderful insulation value. We make forms on the roof and ram it into the forms, when I get my picas will send you some.
I teach lime finishes at a government and Swedish school for teaching skills and we have found that the best mixture is 1 part hydrated lime, (just the powder we don't turn it into lime putty or anything like that) three parts sand and one part earth. We measure with the same bucket to get exact mixes. We then trowel it on in two layers. The first a scratch coat and the second the final. Both are very thin. It comes up beautifully, smooth as silk. If it cracks it is too much clay and if flaky too much sand in the earth mixture.
Love chatting and enjoy the info moved back and forward on this site thanks all
Regards Jill
Minimum energy for maximum production
www.mat.org.za
023 625 1533
----- Original Message -----
From: Ron Becker
To: Jill Hogan
Sent: Monday, February 26, 2007 9:22 PM
Subject: Re: [Cob] Fancy a Mexican Vacation Anyone ?
One last quiestion Jill and I'll leave you in peace. What is leichtehm? Well maybe two. It's impressive that your lime render stands up to rain as a nearly horrizontal surface. Is it just lime and sand or are there other amendments. Are you using quick lime, natural hydroloc lime which is fired at a lower temp than standard [ in this country anyway ] type S lime?
Ron
Those who question global warming have a financial or emotional interest in the status quo.
?
On Feb 26, 2007, at 11:37 AM, Jill Hogan wrote:
Hi Ron
Sorry only replying now but had a weekend workshop which turned out to be great. We are building our roof out of leichtlehm and going to lime render it. I have existing almost flat roofs that are limed render and even in the last floods I was the only person in McGreogr that did not have a leak. This roof we are doing now is a 45 deg angle.
I only use raw linseed oil which here in SA is pure linseed oil and you buy it at the local hardware shop. I have used it for oiling all my wood with equal parts of Methalated spirits and vinegar since my grandfather taught me as a child.
Regards Jill
Minimium energy for maximum production
www.mat.org.za
023 625 1533
----- Original Message -----
From: Ron Becker
To: Jill Hogan
Sent: Friday, February 23, 2007 11:35 PM
Subject: Re: [Cob] Fancy a Mexican Vacation Anyone ?
Thanks Jill. I'd not realized the beeswax and oil went down at the same time. That explains how it stays workable long enough to be of use. I thought the wax went on by itself as the last layer. Did you have windows and doors in place during the application. I'm thinking of the smell here? Your ambient outside temp might keep that drying period on the short side. Did you use boiled or raw linseed oil? Some say raw is best because of the driers present in the comercial boiled product. Did you pre-dry or evaporate the raw oil if you used that? It's supposed to speed the drying time. So all I know on this subject is what I read. It's nice that someone is out there doing it. We are getting to lime plaster our adobe this spring. We've been in the enjoy life for a few years and it's time to get back at it.
Ron
Those who question global warming have a financial or emotional interest in the status quo.
On Feb 23, 2007, at 1:00 PM, Jill Hogan wrote:
Hi Ron,
I am in South Africa in a little town called McGregor which has a vast number of earth houses dating back to the late 1800's and also built in the last ten years starting with mine.
My floors are lovely. I dig down about 20cm +- 9 inches put 10cm small stone tamped down well, then 5inches cob. When dry I lime render with a 1 to 3 mix hydrated lime and sand and 1/4 bucket clay. I am very precise with mixtures and use the same container to mix all.
When the floor is dry I seal it with linseed oil, turpentine and bees wax. I heat the mixture to just below boiling it must not boil.
The first layer is pure linseed oil
Second 1/4 turps and 3/4 linseed
third layer 1/2 and 1/2 linseed and turps
fourth layer 1/4 linseed oil and 3/4 turps and to this I add bees wax.
The linseed oil/turps has to be three parts and the wax two parts.
I paint each layer on with a brush. It must not be too thick and can usually paint next layer on the next day.
When all this is done and dry usually about a week it is quite sticky so I take a softish broom and a cloth and polish it up. It just gets more beautiful each time I brush it. My floors are due their next treatment now a couple of years down the line and I will simply do the 4th layer.
keep a little gas stove under mixture and put it on quickly before it can boil. Couple of us do it together.
Enjoy doing and using your floor.
Thanks for the signature it is great.
Regards Jill
Minimum energy for maximum production
www.mat.org.za
023 625 1533
----- Original Message -----
From: Ron Becker
To: Jill Hogan
Sent: Friday, February 23, 2007 9:00 PM
Subject: Re: [Cob] Fancy a Mexican Vacation Anyone ?
Hi Jill, I'm glad your floors turned out so nice. Will you discuss
some of the details of application, drying times, if you used a thinner
or not and how the beeswax was to apply. Did it need constant
reheating? i.e. did it get harder to work with as the temp dropped? Any
other details you'd care to share. What part of the world are you in/
I noticed my signature line at the bottom of your email. See below. I
have no objection to your using it if that was you intention. Or did
you trim one of my posts from the list and forget to remove it. I had a
fair amount of flak over the years I've been using it. Even from people
on alternative building lists. That's why a amended a few months ago.
All the posts were hotly and emotionally disputing that it didn't apply
to them. Got booted of two lists over it as a matter of fact. I've
known about global warming since the mid eighties. But haven't had the
sig. line that long. Just curious if you realized it was in your post
is all. Please continue to use it if you want. The word on GW is
finally getting around but not fast enough to suit me.
Ron
Those who question global warming have a financial or emotional
interest in the status quo.
On Feb 22, 2007, at 11:49 AM, Jill Hogan wrote:
> Hi
> I laid my first cob and lime render floor in 2003 and then the next in
> 2004 and they are just the nicest floors around. Warm in winter and
> cool in summer and soft under the feet. I painted the layers of raw
> linseed oil and beeswax and my floors are the envy of everyone.
> Best thing I did
>
> Jill
> Those who question global warming have a financial or emotional
> interest in the status quo.
>
> McGregor Alternative Technology Centre "MAT"
> 023 625 1533
> www.mat.org.za
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: sarah doron
> To: coblist at deatech.com
> Sent: Thursday, February 22, 2007 12:33 AM
> Subject: [Cob] Fancy a Mexican Vacation Anyone ?
>
>
> Hi , I have been soaking up all the latest chats about earthen
> floors, but having almost completed my cob house on the beautiful
> coast of Oaxaca Mexico I still don't feel confident enough to take
> the plunge and try to lay one .I've never posted a comment before but
> felt it was worth a go before caving in and going with the polished
> cement floor that would be a very sad but much easier option
> For one thing it's just me my daughter and 3 local labourers, it's
> taken me a tough but wonderful year to get to this stage and if I
> went through all that time, work and money (linseed is no bargain down
> here) and I managed to balls it up which would probably happen at
> least once I would be devistated.
> I have an abundance of clay and have actually resorted to using
> coconut fibre for my walls as it ,unlike straw is readily available.
> Man power is not an issue , it's cheap and cheerful over here and
> I could even offer accomodation close to the beach with basic cooking
> facilities .
> This place is heaven , if anyone who really has first hand
> experience at laying successful earthen floors feels that they might
> be tempted to a great get away with a bit of work thrown in please let
> me know , I'm open to starting the work anytime between now and June.
> Many thanks to all , for all your contributions to this fantastic
> forum !!!
> Sarah.
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