Cob: Cob Homes in Canada?

Wed Aug 6 10:54:27 CDT 2003

Hello, I also live in Ontario and would love to build a Cob House. This is
what I've found out.

Due to the thermal mass of cob, you would probably need to wrap your cob
home with bales to help insulate it for the winter, then plaster over the
bales. Many long cold winter days could make a cob home difficult to heat as
it took on the freezing temperatures. However, this is theoretical as it
seems that cob alone hasn't really been tested in the colder parts of
Canada. I've heard that there is an old cob house in Toronto somewhere which
is actually being inhabited still but have no more information. I also heard
from a gentleman on the list that there is an old earth block church around
Shantyville North of Toronto.

As for getting around the code, there are some ideas in 'The hand Sculpted
house'. Structurally though, cob has withstood earthquakes when other houses
have fallen all around. Plus there are many cob houses in the world,
centuries old, still standing, still inhabited and doing well. There are
also quite a few cob house out in B.C. especially on Mayne Island where a
cob school exists.

Rob Roy of the Earthwood building school (in Northern N.Y. State) teaches
cordwood building and also has books and videos. This method is very
suitable for our climate and they've experimented with using cob as the
mortar (cobwood) between the log ends. See http://www.cordwoodmasonry.com

If you do this, you may want to look into getting a masonry stove (also
theoretically could be made from cob). Very efficient for our winters.

Good luck!

Jenny Walker

Jenny Walker
Freelance Graphic Designer
& Illustrator
613-741-7980
http://www.jwalkerdesign.ca
jenny at jwalkerdesign.ca

----------
From: "Dawn Demers" <crazy4kitties at rogers.com>
To: <coblist at deatech.com>
Subject: Cob: Cob Homes in Canada?
Date: Wed, 6 Aug 2003 02:43:16 -0400 (Eastern Standard Time)

Hello there!  I am a Canadian living in the province of Ontario. I have
become very interested in the cob home and would like to know if anyone has
attempted building one anywhere in Canada or specifically in Ontario?  If
so, I'd like to know how you got past the building codes and difficulties
you came across in the building.  My father, who built two homes
single-handedly, swears up and down that I am wasting my time investigating
the possibility of building a cob home here because I will never get past
the building codes.  However, for the most part, he does not know how to
"think outside of the box".  I, however, prefer to think outside of the box
and am an artist at heart.  I would love the opportunity to build a cob
home.

My father said I was crazy for thinking I could build one of these homes in
Ontario.  In fact, he said it would cost me more to build a cob home than a
"standard" home because I would have to get things tested and certified by
engineers before even beginning to build.  He's a smart man but  would like
to seek advice from other professionals and people with experience in this
field.

All comments welcome!

Dawn Demers
www.artography.ca <http://www.artography.ca>

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Hello, I also live in Ontario and would love to build a Cob House. This is what I've found out.<BR>
<BR>
Due to the thermal mass of cob, you would probably need to wrap your cob home with bales to help insulate it for the winter, then plaster over the bales. Many long cold winter days could make a cob home difficult to heat as it took on the freezing temperatures. However, this is theoretical as it seems that cob alone hasn't really been tested in the colder parts of Canada. I've heard that there is an old cob house in Toronto somewhere which is actually being inhabited still but have no more information. I also heard from a gentleman on the list that there is an old earth block church around Shantyville North of Toronto.<BR>
<BR>
As for getting around the code, there are some ideas in 'The hand Sculpted house'. Structurally though, cob has withstood earthquakes when other houses have fallen all around. Plus there are many cob houses in the world, centuries old, still standing, still inhabited and doing well. There are also quite a few cob house out in B.C. especially on Mayne Island where a cob school exists.<BR>
<BR>
Rob Roy of the Earthwood building school (in Northern N.Y. State) teaches cordwood building and also has books and videos. This method is very suitable for our climate and they've experimented with using cob as the mortar (cobwood) between the log ends. See http://www.cordwoodmasonry.com<BR>
<BR>
If you do this, you may want to look into getting a masonry stove (also theoretically could be made from cob). Very efficient for our winters.<BR>
<BR>
Good luck!<BR>
<BR>
Jenny Walker<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
Jenny Walker<BR>
Freelance Graphic Designer<BR>
& Illustrator<BR>
613-741-7980<BR>
http://www.jwalkerdesign.ca<BR>
jenny at jwalkerdesign.ca <BR>
<BR>
<BR>
----------<BR>
From: "Dawn Demers" <crazy4kitties at rogers.com><BR>
To: <coblist at deatech.com><BR>
Subject: Cob: Cob Homes in Canada?<BR>
Date: Wed, 6 Aug 2003 02:43:16 -0400 (Eastern Standard Time)<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE>Hello there!  I am a Canadian living in the province of Ontario. I have become very interested in the cob home and would like to know if anyone has attempted building one anywhere in Canada or specifically in Ontario?  If so, I'd like to know how you got past the building codes and difficulties you came across in the building.  My father, who built two homes single-handedly, swears up and down that I am wasting my time investigating the possibility of building a cob home here because I will never get past the building codes.  However, for the most part, he does not know how to "think outside of the box".  I, however, prefer to think outside of the box and am an artist at heart.  I would love the opportunity to build a cob home.<BR>
 <BR>
My father said I was crazy for thinking I could build one of these homes in Ontario.  In fact, he said it would cost me <U>more</U> to build a cob home than a "standard" home because I would have to get things tested and certified by engineers before even beginning to build.  He's a smart man but  would like to seek advice from other professionals and people with experience in this field.<BR>
 <BR>
All comments welcome!<BR>
 <BR>
Dawn Demers<BR>
www.artography.ca <http://www.artography.ca> <BR>
 <BR>
<BR>
</BLOCKQUOTE>
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