Cob

What is cob?

Cob is a style of building that has been around for centuries.  The English root meaning of cob is a lump or rounded mass. It is made from sand, clay, water, straw and earth.  Cob structures are built by using hands and feet to mix and sculpt the materials. Cob is great for curves, arches, and organic shapes. Unlike most assumptions, cob is resistant to rain and cold.

Benefits

Cob is interactive.  It takes many hands working together to create a cob structure.  Bringing people together for work that is meditative, peaceful and fun is a byproduct of cob building.

The materials are non-toxic and recyclable.  Industrialized building dwindles our natural resources and requires machinery that pollutes our environment.  Cob building is a solution to affordable and healthy building.

Recipe

50%-85% sand

50%-15% clay

straw to taste

water

Resources

Screen Shot 2014-06-03 at 1.49.11 PMcob_builders_handbook

(click to download PDF)

 

 

cobcottagecompanygif

Cob Cottage Company

http://www.cobcottage.com/

 

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