Cob: Using Bricks While Building With Cob

Thu Dec 5 22:41:12 CST 2002

Hi Marlin! You have a point about the urbanite. I will have to check into that
very soon! Spunk? LOL! Most people who know me call it hardheaded,
but I like "spunk" better! LOL! I live in south Arkansas, and I called the 
county extension office to find out what the frostline is around here.
I wasn't given the frostline, but was told, "Most people around here
usually go 18-24 inches down." I have no idea, but I imagine the
frostline here is about 12 inches and people go farther so as to be certain
of the effectiveness of their end product. You say you are with something 
called "Outta The Box"? What is that, and do you have a website? Forgive 
me if you included a link and I missed it!

Thanks for the help Marlin!

Kim

Marlin wrote:
In my experience, bricks are not typically tough
enough for ground or underground applications, they
tend to crack up and that's real bad for a cob
foundation.

Is it possible to get urbanite (local broken
concrete) from a construction site. This we have
mortared together with just a small amount of
mortar/concrete and had good results. You can save
the stones for the 'prettier' areas of the
foundation. The broken concrete seems to be very
strong as in the process of shattering it they (the
demolishers) expose the fault lines of the weakest
part of the concrete, leaving virtual stones that
have hung together even during the equivalent of a
massive earthquake (in terms of the smashing force
against them). Urbanite can vary depending on how it
was made/cured etc. but some common sense and visual
and hammer inspection can give you an idea.

With all that said I favor making a rubble
trench/drain foundation underground with this
urbanite/rock/mortar on the surface of the rubble
trench. One secret is to insulate the outside of the
rubble trench to prevent water infiltration into it.

Another very real possibility that I've seen done but
never tried myself is earth/sand bags  that are
plaster over...there's some good descriptions at some
websites (dont' remember which ones though)

I admire your spunk, we (Outta The Box) like to work
with/for people with such open-minded thinking. BTW
what area are you in, did I miss it ? Sometimes
foundation requirements are quite specific to
climate.

Best

Marlin

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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hi Marlin! You have a point about the urbanite. I 
will have to check into that</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>very soon! Spunk? LOL! Most people who know me call 
it hardheaded,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>but I like "spunk" better! LOL! I live in south 
Arkansas, and I called the </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>county extension office to find out what the 
frostline is around here.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I wasn't given the frostline, but was told, "Most 
people around here</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>usually go 18-24 inches down." I have no idea, but 
I imagine the</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>frostline here is about 12 inches and people go 
farther so as to be certain</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>of the effectiveness of their end product. You say 
you are with something </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>called "Outta The Box"? What is that, and do you 
have a website? Forgive </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>me if you included a link and I missed 
it!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Thanks for the help Marlin!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Kim</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Marlin wrote:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>In my experience, bricks are not typically tough<BR>enough for ground or 
underground applications, they<BR>tend to crack up and that's real bad for a 
cob<BR>foundation.<BR><BR>Is it possible to get urbanite (local 
broken<BR>concrete) from a construction site. This we have<BR>mortared together 
with just a small amount of<BR>mortar/concrete and had good results. You can 
save<BR>the stones for the 'prettier' areas of the<BR>foundation. The broken 
concrete seems to be very<BR>strong as in the process of shattering it they 
(the<BR>demolishers) expose the fault lines of the weakest<BR>part of the 
concrete, leaving virtual stones that<BR>have hung together even during the 
equivalent of a<BR>massive earthquake (in terms of the smashing force<BR>against 
them). Urbanite can vary depending on how it<BR>was made/cured etc. but some 
common sense and visual<BR>and hammer inspection can give you an 
idea.<BR><BR>With all that said I favor making a rubble<BR>trench/drain 
foundation underground with this<BR>urbanite/rock/mortar on the surface of the 
rubble<BR>trench. One secret is to insulate the outside of the<BR>rubble trench 
to prevent water infiltration into it.<BR><BR>Another very real possibility that 
I've seen done but<BR>never tried myself is earth/sand bags  that 
are<BR>plaster over...there's some good descriptions at some<BR>websites (dont' 
remember which ones though)<BR><BR><BR>I admire your spunk, we (Outta The Box) 
like to work<BR>with/for people with such open-minded thinking. BTW<BR>what area 
are you in, did I miss it ? Sometimes<BR>foundation requirements are quite 
specific to<BR>climate.<BR><BR>Best<BR><BR>Marlin<BR></DIV></BODY></HTML>