[Cob] Hobbit House

[Mary Lou McFarland]

I was doing an on-line search for Hobbit Houses because I like doing that and I found this article.  Extremely cool house, but it gave me some questions.  This guy did a version of light clay/straw for a 900 hundred sq. ft. house.  he used 250 bales of straw.  i know nothing about these methods, but depending on number of windows and doors etc.  Wouldn't you use about the same amount of straw if you went with strawbale construction?  This kind of indicated to me how tight they were packing it in the forms.  I thought it was suppose to be packed lighter to get a better insulation value.  so would like some feedback on that... also, his plaster recipe contained salt and alum.  i was wondering what those two ingredients added or benefitted the plaster mix.  I'm tempted to try this version of cob for my blacksmith shop.
http://www.naturalhomemagazine.com/Remodeling-Redecorating/2000-03-01/hobbit.aspx

Thanks for any feedback.  Would also like to see other light clay/straw projects if anyone has fotos.Mary Lou 		 	   		  
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