Cob: RE: Re: Insulation etc

[Michael Saunby]

On 19 July 1999 19:46, Mike Holland [SMTP:mholland at cyberservices.com] 
wrote:
>
> Just for reference, one of the internal walls we removed was built with
> vertical posts about 2 foot apart, with split oak laths nailed to them - 
the
> kitchen ceiling/attic floor the same: the laths and posts had been there 
for
> anything up to a century and showed no particular signs of rot or insect
> attack.  I strongly doubt that they were treated in any way.  The lime in
> the cob mix used round here tends to dissuade insects, anyway.
>
>
Same thing here.  Oak posts approx 3.5" x 3.5" at 2' intervals with a tidy 
pegged morice into 4.5" x 4.5" horizontal beams at floor and ceiling.  The 
split oak laths are nailed to these and covered with two layers of plaster, 
the first with hay to bind it, the top coat with cow hair. The horizonals 
that would have been set in the ground floor have gone now (after 300 
years) but the others are fine, some worm in places, which has been treated 
in recent times.

In the old days the fires would have smoked a lot, as evidenced by the 
colour of much of the wood, this may well have surpressed wood worm.  Worth 
bearing in mind that in England we don't have termites, well except in one 
house in Devon that accidently imported some and the authorities have been 
struggling to control.

Michael Saunby