Sand was Fellow owner builder talk was Cob and Bathrooms (fa

[Patrick Newberry]

Pat said: 
> >sand doesn't absorb water so it seems to hold quite well. It isn't even
> >sitting
 

Speireag replied: 
>     The sand definitely absorbs water if there's any water in contact with it.
>  Sand will hold, and keep, quite a bit of water.  That's why you can't fill a
> rubble trench foundation with sand; you have to use stones large enough that
> there's no capillary action.
> 
 
and pat replied again.

Thanks for the correction. The arch I built with the sand isn't all that large
so the fact the it's weight isn't all the that great. It's about 4 or 5 feet 
tall and the same distance wide.  Also may another factor is that the sand 
doesn't loose it's ability to support weight even if it's weight vs clay which 
turns to mush when wet and won't support anything when it's wet.  It's cemented 
on the outside with stabizlized earth and on the inside (underside of the arch) 
with a lime and earth plaster.  I can push and shove and try to knock it down, 
but it doesn't move even a bit. It's been there for about 2 years. 


"There is No Hope, but I may be wrong."