Cob: Stucco wire vs. Natural Building

[Ocean]

As Elke noted, yes, strawbale is WAY off topic.  After all, this is the
COBlist...

But for my two cents worth, I'd say that flinging mud plaster onto bales and
then using a trowel to smooth it out is much preferable to wasting precious
time and $$$ to staple up and cut (ouch!) stucco wire onto a "natural"
building...

And anyway, why in the world are we seeing postings about coating strawbales
with Portland cement or even PLASTIC!!!  These non-breathable coatings will
certainly lead to bale rot and failure, and thus (for a load-bearing house)
lead to catastrophe!!!

For reference, there's a local strawbale in our town (in the rainy
Northwest) and rumor has it that is smells like MOLD all winter!!!  Why?
Because it was plastered (according to the desires of the building
department) with Portland cement!

So, if you don't want to plaster your bales with a mud/manure or mud/straw
plaster (COB!), then why don't you just ditch the Portland cement, the
strawbales, the stucco wire...and BUILD WITH COB!!!

Remember, WE LOVE COB! and that's why we're on the Coblist!

BTW, Kiko just finished the most awesome, huge, magnificent cob oven at our
restaurant and there are new pics on the website (http://www.intabas.com)
And for anyone local (or passing through) we plan to be open and cookin'
pizzas by the vernal equinox (March 20)  Pass the word along!

Love and Blessings (and Cob Fever),
Ocean

ps:  Hope to see you all at the Natural Building Convergence in Portland,
May 17-26.  Check the City Repair website for future
info...http://www.cityrepair.org

> From: "lucynda norton" <dragonfly_183 at hotmail.com>
> Reply-To: "lucynda norton" <dragonfly_183 at hotmail.com>
> Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2002 20:02:19 -0600
> To: coblist at deatech.com
> Subject: Cob: Re: stucco wire
> 
> <snip>Regarding using stucco wire on straw bale walls.  I've heard that it
> is
>> unnecessary, that a mud plaster or lime plaster will stick to the rough
>> straw backing fine.  It just addes extra time and expense.
>> 
>> Anyone with experience or information on this?<snip>
> 
> I don't have any personal experience, but I have read that it is easier to
> apply stucco to straw bales covered in stucco wire than it is to plain
> bales, but that it will stick either way.
> 
> 
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