Cob Gustave Stickly walls

[Michael Saunby]

On 23 February 1999 16:03, John Stephenson [SMTP:john_tanja at hotmail.com] 
wrote:
> 	 What Mr. Stickley proposes ...

In the UK at least there is some concern about the failure of galvanized 
ties between inner and outer walls of (what has become since the 40's) 
"traditional" cavity walls of brick and more recently block.  The failure 
is most likely caused by condensation on the cold inside of the outer wall 
of warm moist vapour passing through the inner wall.

It's all to easy to assume that moisture penetrates from the outside in, 
everyone happily accepts that outside is "cold and wet" and inside is "warm 
and dry." I've seen and lived in houses of various materials, brick, stone, 
cob, and never witnessed serious moisture damage to interiors except in 
bathrooms and kitchens!

Overall I can't see I'd be worried about living in a house constructed 
according to Mr Stickley's pattern, though I'd get a bit annoyed if rodents 
decided the cavity was a good place to live if they expected me to feed 
them.  On the other hand I've never experienced serious damp problems so I 
guess if you have you take these sorts of measures to solve them.

But wouldn't it be cheaper and easier to use a much thinner material for 
the inner wall, either wood panels, or even cloth stretched over a 
framework?  Sure you might not be able to fix shelves and cupboards to the 
walls but that's what furniture is for.  For something more substantial a 
stud wall with wattle and daub in-fill as found in the internal walls 
(downstairs and upstairs) of many traditional cob houses would also work.

Michael Saunby