The Cob Builders Handbook, Step by Step [PDF]

Description

INTRODUCTION
What is cob?
Why build with cob?
DESIGNING YOUR HOME SWEET HOME!
Things to do to get ready
Think Small
Think Rounded
Make the Most of the Climate
Design with passive solar access in mind
Other things to think about when designing
One Story or More?
Noise
Plan for Future Additions Now
Designing the Entrance
Buttresses
Permits
CHOOSING YOUR SITE
Here’s a list of some things to consider when looking for land:
Finding your home site
Choosing the house site includes:
Put the house where it belongs
Pick a site that is naturally comfortable
Passive solar planning
Harvesting your own wood
Wind
Noise
Boundaries
Getting the site ready to build!
GATHERING MATERIALS
DRAINAGE
Test Holes
Making Your Drainage
Creating drainage on a flat site
Berms
Ditch drains
THE FOUNDATION
Making the foundation
Planning the foundation (Footing or Plinth)
Designing the door area
Setting up the door frame
Tamping tips
How deep do I make the foundation?
How wide do I make the foundation?
How high do I make the foundation?
Moisture barrier between the foundation and the cob?
Getting plumbing and electric wire into the house
Stone Foundations
Choosing stones
Making a stone foundation
To Mortar or not to Mortar?
Some Other Foundation Options
Poured concrete
Concrete blocks mortared together
Railroad ties and gravel
Earth-filled tires
Agricultural bags filled with earth and tamped
Foundation and drainage summary
FLOORS
General Info to Consider
Make the floor higher than the ground outside
Making the floor
Tamping the ground
Finding level for the floor
Base (or layers of base materials) under the floor
Floor base options
Cob floor surface
Floor surface recipe
Putting down a cob floor
Drying your earth floor
Sealing an earth floor
Caring for a cob floor
Repairing a cob floor
Some other floor surface options
COB GLORIOUS COB!
Making Test Bricks
More details about cob ingredients
Sand
Clay
Straw
Tools
Here’s how to make cob
Putting the cob on the wall
Cobbing by foot
Cobbing by hand
Tapering your walls and how wide to make the top of the foundation
Putting the cob to bed at night
Control the wall drying
Sculpting cob shelves and furniture
Burying in shelves, counters, and loft floors
Scaffolds
Electric wiring
Other things to think about
Termites and silverfish
Planning for future additions
Interior walls
Tips for happy cobbers
The cob builders checklist
WINDOWS AND DOORS
Arches
Lintels
Putting the windows and doors in the wall
Things to consider before putting in the windows and doors
Passive solar design – getting the most out of your windows
Ventilation
Views
Noise
Magic windows
Some glass safety tips
Getting rid of unwanted windows
Fun window ideas
Replacing broken glass
ROOFS
Components of a roof system
Beams
Rafters
Nogs or blocks
Bracing
Vertical Posts
Roof sheathing
Gutters
Some common roofs
Domes and Vaults
Cone shaped roof
Shed roof
Gable roof
Gambrel roof
Hipped or Pyramid
Organic shaped roof
Roof design and planning
Building the roof before the walls
Putting the roof on as you build the top of the wall
Roof surfacing
Some roof surface options
Insulation
Ceiling
Possible ceiling materials
PLASTER (RENDER)
Purposes of plaster
Mixing plaster (render)
Basic earth plaster
Plaster additions
Applying the plaster or render
Other Plasters
Alis and Paint
Some ideas on adding color
FINISHING TOUCHES