SB: Cob Plaster on Straw Bale walls

[goshawk at gnat.net]

> Maybe this is just semantics, but "cob" and many
> earthen plasters share the same ingredients (clay,
> sand and straw), so in fact many plasters are "cob".



Ah a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.

Well I have build and plastered a strawbale structure with earth 
plaster aka cob.  It really is only the effect one is after. You 
start with some stout cob to fill in those big old hole between the 
bales. The scratch coat is always the hardest to apply. Mine was 
applied directly to the bales, I've heard  using chicken wire mess 
held in place by sewing it on to the bales helps. 
I had large overhangs so I used cob/earth plaster on inside and out. 
And it has more breathabilty than cement and such. 

If anyone's interested, I'm finished with the large (22 ft) dome's 
foundation and am about finished with the foyer foundation.
It's been a bit of a challange to think of how to connect the domes 
together. Basicly they are going to be mini faults that are corbelled 
forward and inward. The forward part of it has to do with matching 
the dome's curve without intruding too much in the room it self.
I'll have photos posted on my web site when I get to this point. I 
hope it will be in the next week or so.

Later
Pat in Mauk
http://www.gnat.net/~goshawk