Cob: freezing walls

Sat May 3 08:42:13 CDT 2003

Not that I have this problem myself in Australia, but just wondering...

Can cob (or other forms of earth walls) be used in places where the
temperature remains below freezing for long enough for the entire wall
temperature to go below 0 deg C / 32 deg F?

My guess is as long as day temperatures are reasonably well above freezing
then the wall retains enough heat overnight to not get too cold.

Do the many adobe buildings in New Mexico and elsewhere in the US withstand
sub-freezing temperatures for any length of time?

My thoughts are that whatever moisture is in the wall freezes, expands and
causes the wall to tear itself apart over repeated freezing/thawing cycles.

Has anyone tried cob in Canada?

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