[Cob] Updates on Stone Haven

[Dean Sherwin]

Janet
re the stem wall, would this have to be concrete, I know this is 
standard practice in many areas of the country ?  Here (Midatlantic) 
it's usually masonry.  I did a small rammed earth shed, I poured a 
concrete footing which is not to hard to do in a trench and at least 
the concrete is well buried... then I used double rows of 8" hollow 
block to make a 16"+ foundation wall, what you call a stem wall.  I 
filled the cores solid with concrete around a good deal of rocks off 
the site, to minimize concrete.  Then I put a layer of bricks on the 
top, partly to get just the right height but also to reduce wicking 
of moisture.  You can use a flashing (layer of aluminum, zinc, 
whatever, at this point), in any case its important to protect the 
bottom of the cob from damp.  Depends on your local regs but here 
they would sensibly require 12" of impermeable wall above grade & 
below any other wall & I think that can apply to cob.  Much prefer 
the masonry blocks to concrete which IMO is not a good environmental 
choice.  Blocks are much easier to get rid of, use less material, you 
can easily lay them yourself (well luckily I do have bricklaying 
experience) as time permits.
I have photos if anyone is interested.
And yes I did get a permit but its only a shed and I am friendly with 
the local codes official.
Dean Sherwin



>Message: 2
>Date: Sun, 17 Jul 2011 18:00:10 -0700
>From: Janet Standeford <janet.standeford at gmail.com>
>Subject: [Cob] Updates on Stone Haven
>To: coblist at deatech.com
>Message-ID: <4E23859A.5030406 at gmail.com>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>
>Hi all,
>
>For those of you keeping an eye on the project here, there are a small
>handful of new photos on http://www.mystonehaven.com under Foundation.
>
>The revised plans should be done next week and we will see what the
>County will ultimately allow.
>
>In the meantime we are weeding the area and hauling gravel and cinder
>for either the foundation and floor or just the floor.
>
>It is possible this will go into next year as it looks like they will
>require a stem wall. Hated concrete! We'll see what I can do about that one.
>
>Has anyone put a stem wall with footing under concrete yet?



Dean Sherwin CPE
Certified Professional Estimator
LEED Accredited Professional
CONSTRUCTION COST MANAGEMENT
3, Cherry Street
PO Box 11
Media, PA 19063-0011
(610)892 8860
fax (610) 892 7862
costman at verizon.net