[Cob] exterior finishes for insulated cob

[Damon Howell]

> I'm an energy auditor who believes in insulation more than thermal  
> mass,
Why that's what all the building inspectors say too! There is proof  
enough when you walk into a cob building in the winter.

> I'm interested in insulating it thickly, probably with a shredded  
> cellulose.  I think I'll use wood 1.5"x12"s to frame a cellulose  
> wall onto the outside of the
> cob.
I've heard it is a bad idea to put anything like that on the outside  
of your cob because cob MUST breathe or it doesn't do it's thing.

> We have a lot of dead and dying trees that are being logged already  
> and can be delivered to a friends sawmill for free.  I'll probably  
> put cellulose between
> the boards about 24" OC.
Cobwood is more suited and less waste.

> What I would like advice on is an appropriate exterior cladding or  
> siding or exterior coating for the celulose insulated wall.
You're not describing that cob is what you want to build with. Cob  
should have lime or clay plaster on the outside. You should do as  
Bernhard suggests and do bale/cob. That's a few inches of cob on the  
inside for mass and about 12-24 inches of strawbale on the outside  
with clay or lime plaster on the exterior.

> JS Orndoff
Damon Howell

P.S. I have a copy of the Devon Cob Building Regualtions and in it it  
talks about insulation vs. mass. I'll send it if you want.