[Cob] Cobhouse Design

[Barbara Roemer]

Phil wrote:

>
> Our first intent was to build a Cob home but it probably will go to
> strawbale with cob filled metal mesh walls about 4-6 inches thick inside
> and
> out,due to time and effort to build.


Phil,

Some thoughts on your system.  Why do you want the metal mesh walls?  Does
that mean blood lathe wired through the bales?  If your code doesn't require
it, I wouldn't advise it as earthen plaster adheres to the straw directly
much better.  I would use lathe (and burlap where appropriate) where you are
plastering over wood or wood/straw joints, or over flashing, as at the
window & door bucks.  You might pass your bale ideas by the Strawbales R Us
Yahoo homes group for responses.  You can build up atop the straw a plaster
coat of 2-3 or more inches as your thermal mass.  Combined with a tight
building, well insulated glass, heavily insulated roof,an entry lock, and
good solar gain and mass in the floor, you'll have an efficient comfortable
home, from what I know of your climate.  If you do use a thick cob on the
interior side of the bales (and true for whatever depth on the outside,
too), you'll need to plan for a plaster rest in the foundation so all that
cob weight isn't hanging in the air.

Barbara in the Sierra Foothills