Posted on 04/06/2004 7:33:09 AM PDT by The G Man
Our home's main structure dates to the early 1920's and was moved to it's present location in the 1940's. REAL 2x4's, wallboard that bends nails, and a structure that's survived more than a few hurricanes(Claudette in July was our 1st real one here).
Our home's main structure dates to the early 1920's and was moved to it's present location in the 1940's. REAL 2x4's, wallboard that bends nails, and a structure that's survived more than a few hurricanes(Claudette in July was our 1st real one here).
Cob is a mixture of sand, clay, water, and straw. When it dries, it becomes extremely hard and compact (it "shrinks") if mixed properly. While rammed earth is stronger, Cob is pretty tough, and much easier to build with, requiring no tamping. It's much cheaper, too, requiring no cement.
For the life of me, I simply cannot understand modern America. People pay $400K-$500K in the area I live in in Maryland (commutable to DC) for a McMansion made of sawdust and glue that won't last more than 50 years. The are perfectly happy paying someone else to build a house for them and then spending the rest of their lives as debt slaves to what is essentially a piece of junk that cracks and pops in a 20 mph wind.
Cob homes can be built by just about anyone if you start small. The building techniques are simple, the material is free. People are building nice homes using recycled materials for fixtures, etc., and often getting away with $10K or less in the building. Most get a finished product with no mortgage that will last hundreds of years. There are Cob houses in Ireland and Wales that are hundreds of years old, some more than a thousand, that have been exposed to the worst of driving rains. The thermal mass of these homes often ensures a constant indoor temp in the 60's. A fireplace or woodstove for the coldest winter days is usually all that is required. The secret is to be patient, build it yourself.
But, alas, it is not to be. Most people would rather have a sawdust and plastic heap with 0 thermal mass that requires thousands in fire insurance, interest, utility bills, repairs and reconstruction, and principle repayments. I say no thanks. I'm planning my cob house now and should be in - mortgage-free - by 2005.
Knock yourself out. My house will be cob with a steel roof. Whether or not more plywood trees get planted is irrelevent to me.
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