My Cob Cottage Project

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It's finally underway--a 200 square-foot Oregon cob cottage! For those who don't know what cob is, it's a mix of straw, sand and clay--like adobe, but instead of bricks, it's monolithic, i.e. built solid by adding balls of the mix (or cobs, as the English called them--this is the type of building used back in the day in the UK).

We broke ground today, clearing the site and digging the trenches for the foundation. This weekend, we'll put in drainrock and drainpipe, and a concrete bond beam. Hopefully we'll begin the stemwall from four to six tons of recycled concrete chunks and some pretty cool rock slabs. Next weekend, we're having a work party, and (fingers crossed) we'll begin building up the cob walls!

The bummer is, I've been having pain in my chest...and finally I ended up in the emergency room yesterday. I was a bit freaked; the pain was under my left breast, and I feared the worst (breast cancer's rampant in our family). But yay, it's only a cracked rib! How it happened is anybody's guess--I'm an active child. But a cracked rib AND a cough... Ow! Ow! But you know? I'll take a cracked rib over cancer anyday!

Here's the fun part. Building with cob is very freeform and creative, once you've met the basic needs of a good foundation. So, being on a heavy course of Percoset for the next few weeks, I'm thinking this little cottage is gonna end up far funkier than I'd ever imagined!

I'll post pics as the project progresses. The plan is to work slowly, and finish it next year as part of a formal cob workshop--I'm talking with a local group about hosting one, and in fact next weekend's work party will be kind of a dry run for me.

I'm really excited! This tiny cottage will be far better than the ratty old camper we currently use when we stay out at the property, and it's far more secure for storing materials and tools.

Thanks for letting me share--and for the inspiration you all continue to give. Have a great weekend, everyone! (Yeah, the pain meds have me all fluffy and soppy...hee hee).

[dirty]

it sounds cool. i've never heard of cob building. i'm looking forward to pictures. i'd really like to see the mixing process.

have fun. be careful we that rib. those can take awhile to heal.

[kyosa]

Lupine, that sounds like an interesting building technique. When you refer to adding the cobs (balls) of the mix into the forms, are they then rammed or tamped to incorporate them into a solid mass of the wall? When the forms are removed are the walls weatherproof as-is, or is some kind of treatment necessary to make them durable? I'm anxious to see your pics of the project. Please post LOTS of them, inquiring minds want to know!

I'm glad to hear your health scare turned out to be sort of minor, if still painful. Take care and enjoy the building process.

[bbird]

You are going to have so much fun Lupine!

Daryl brings up a good question that popped into my head too. What about all the rain we get? does it make the cobs soggy? I know clay holds out water, but with the sand and straw and wonder how that is. I've only seen pictures of cob houses. In fact the ones I have seen look exactly like soutwestern adobe houses. Very cool looking!

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There's clay in Oregon? or will you have to buy it?

[adelaide]

Sounds like you will have a very interesting house! Just becareful of that broken rib. Look forward to photos.