Cob: wattle & daub

[Jamei Tierney]

This is not directly related to cob, but hopefully close enough.

Where I've been living for years, in wet lowland tropical areas of 
Hawai'i, cob structures don't seem appropriate.  There is no need here 
for insulation or thermal mass.  Walls are mostly needed to block wind, 
keep out insects, and create visual privacy.  Large screened areas are 
beneficial for providing good ventilation (cave-like structures in this 
climate are dank and unlivable), and should be able to be closed up in 
case of storms.  Post & beam structures with wattle & daub walls could 
meet these specs.  So here's my quest:

I'm looking for people who have experience in wattle & daub and natural 
plasters (especially in the tropics) who have the willingness and 
wherewithal to lead a wattle & daub / natural plaster workshop here on 
the island of Maui sometime in the next few months, November or December 
2002, or possibly a little later.

-> The main project would be the plastering (interior and possibly also 
exterior) of a large multiple-octagon community center.  It was 
initially conceived as a post & beam structure (using locally-milled 
Eucalyptus wood) with wattle & daub walls. However, with the pressure of 
building codes, etc., it is presently being built with mostly standard 
materials and practices :(   The owner, though, has all along been very 
interested in modelling sustainable building practices and now wants to 
explore the use of natural plasters.  The interior surfaces are open 
stud walls, and the exterior surfaces are plywood sheeting.  There is 
some openness to using lime plaster on the exterior.  The default plan 
is stucco.

-> Other projects might include doing wattle & daub walls on an existing 
post & beam structure.  The wattle could possibly be made of local 
bamboo.

-> Some of the challenges with natural plasters here in Hawai'i:
     * true clay may not exist on the islands, and may have to be 
imported (Bentonite drillers' clay is readily available in 100# bags)
     * surfaces should not encourage the growth of mold or mildew in this 
hot & humid climate

-> Compensation would definitely be available for someone with the 
willingness and qualifications to lead such a workshop.

I'm also personally very interested in doing earthen floors here.

By the way, cob structures could be very appropriate at higher 
elevations here (say, above 3000 ft), except that there probably isn't 
any native clay.

Blessings on the Journey of Natural Building!

Jamei