[Cob] An good example of why we need a cob building "standard"

[Ocean Liff-Anderson]

The following coblist post is a good example of why we need a cob  
building standard and also why, lacking a standard, we should never  
expect building officials to take us seriously:

In the first paragraph, the author doesn't offer any description of  
how an arch should be built, except you can have "any kind you  
want".  He doesn't specify the need for more straw, as Linda and  
Ianto teach in their classes.  The author then says you need a  
"strong enough board" over windows, but doesn't help the original  
poster determine what is strong enough.

In the second paragraph, the author discounts any concerns over wind  
and seismic forces, offering cute patter about the big brother  
tornado.  He disregards any concerns of builders who may be in high  
wind locations (like the Deep South, where land is cheaper?).  Later  
on he does say "taller" walls need to be "thicker" for seismic  
strenght. This answer is like many found on the coblist, off-the-cuff  
HERESAY, which offer no specific information on just how to build  
with cob!

The cob building at Ahimsa Sanctuary has many structural cracks which  
have appeared due to a foundation which lacks a concrete-rebar bond  
beam, with differential settling in the soil under the walls.  We  
have yet to figure out how to repair it, or if the building will  
eventually need to be demolished.  And this was a building created  
through a Cob Cottage workshop with much advice from cob "experts".

As a result I may have become more cynical about cob than necessary,  
but when I imagine folks creating homes without proper training - and  
following off-the-cuff advice and heresay they find here on the  
coblist - I get very nervous and concerned for their safety.

I suggested the Independent Cob Building Standard as a way to protect  
the home builder first, and second to appease the building  
department.  If for the moment, we abandon the quest to get building  
permits and official approval, at least we should be concerned that  
the cob houses we build will be strong enough so they don't collapse  
on us!

Do you think building advice given on the coblist should be so  
cavalier and unfounded?

Ocean Liff-Anderson
Steward, Ahimsa Sanctuary
http://www.peacemaking.org


On May 25, 2007, at 7:56 AM, Jon Kerr wrote:

>
> On May 24, 2007, at 1:55 AM, Shody Ryon wrote:
>
>> Are any cob houses built with gothic arch windows and
>> doors?
> Yes!  from the reading I've done you can have basically any kind of
> arch you want. They're just harder to make since you have to use a
> form to fill in the hole while you're layering cob up around it. With
> regular rectangular windows, you just lay a strong enough board over
> the top. There are tons of building in the middle east with arched
> windows, go for it!  Here's one at Ahimsa sanctuary:
>
> http://www.peacemaking.org/ahimsawebfiles/main.html
>
>
>
>> I assume that cob walls are usually built lower
>> rather than taller so there is not usually room for a
>> lot of wall between the top of the window and the roof
>> for a gothic arch (that would not require a header),
>> and the load on the wall would increase from wind and
>> seismic forces and incresed labor of more cob which
>> would usually be more of a problem than most would
>> wish to deal with.
> Nah, wind forces on a cob wall are just going to make the cob wall
> laugh until the wind gets really pissed and comes back with it's
> tornado big brother. OTOH, seismic forces don't care how big your
> wall is, it'd be like us caring about the difference between the
> lifting the weight of a post-it or a full sheet of paper. The taller
> walls will be thicker at the bottom, so proportionally, it's the
> same. I'll see if I can find a picture of the gigantic welsh or
> english farmhouse. I think I saw a picture of it in the Hand Sculpted
> House, but it's just HUGE. Twelve foot ceilings I think.
> This isn't it, but it's a 2 story addition in UK: http://
> www.cobcottage.com/node/121
>
>>
>> As for up-lift on the roof,
> -snip-
> I think someone else pointed out about putting dead men in the walls
> as you build the walls. You can simply cut notches in the logs and
> insert your rafters' ends into the notches.
>
> Good luck!
>
> Jon
>
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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> that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only
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> public."
>      -- Theodore Roosevelt, speaking on President Wilson's crackdown
> on dissent after the U.S. entered W.W.I
>
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>
>
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