Cob building with Maya
  • • What is cob?
  • ALL PROJECTS SUMMARY
  • Spring 2022
  • NEWEST IDEA F/650 SQ.' HOUSE. NOV.2021
  • • Pandemic project phase 1: Earthen oven
  • Pandemic Project phase 2 & 3: Bench & Roof
  • Pandemic Project Phase 4: Pajareque wall
  • Pandemic Project Phase 5: Solarium
  • Pandemic Project Phase 6: January 2021
  • Pandemic Project Phase 7: Rocket Mass Heater
  • Pandemic Project Phase 8: Cob/adobe floor
  • Pandemic Project Phase 8 : Plastering
  • Pandemic Project: November 2021 SOLARIUM MOSTLY DONE
  • • Cob wall: first project
  • • I. "ATV Shed": Rural building SITE & DESIGN
  • II. "ATV Shed": STONE PIERS & COB LIZARD BENCH
  • III. "ATV Shed": SUMMER 2012 STONE FOUNDATION STEM WALL
  • IV. "ATV Shed" spring 2013 STONE COMPLETE
  • V. "ATV Shed" SUMMER 2013 WINDOW PREP/COB WALLS BEGIN
  • VI. "ATV Shed" Fall 2013
  • VII. "ATV Shed" SUMMER 2014 SETTINNG WINDOW FRAMES
  • VIII. "ATV Shed" Summer 2015 FAMILY HELP
  • IX. "ATV Shed" Fall 2015 GOT ROOF
  • X. "ATV Shed" Spring 2016
  • XI. "ATV Shed" Summer 2016 PORCH TIMBER WORK
  • XII. "ATV Shed" Fall/winter 2016 STUCCO TESTS
  • XIII. "ATV Shed" Spring 2017 FINISHING COB WALLS
  • XIV. "ATV Shed": Summer 2017
  • XV. WALLS DONE! "ATV Shed" PORCH ROOFING f17
  • XVI. "ATV Shed" Winter 2018
  • XVII. "ATV Shed" SUMMER 2018 EXTERIOR COMPLETE W/STUCCO
  • XVIII. "ATV Shed" SU18 INTERIOR WORK
  • XIX. Late summer STUCCO DETAILS
  • XX. "ATV Shed" NORTH WALL INSULATION
  • XXI. "ATV Shed" fall 2018 CEILING INSULATION
  • XXII. "ATV Shed" 2020 Where it's at now
  • XXIII. "ATV Shed" 2021
  • • Cob Chicken Coop
  • • CSU-Pueblo Bench Spring 2019
  • • Mud Mural Workshop WITH KIKO DENZER
  • • Cob Mailbox
  • • Cob Oven at Pueblo Music House
  • • Rough Timber Frame Shed
  • • Cob bench workshop WITH ANNE FROBEEN
  • • Horticulture
  • • Mountain Park Environmental Center Fire Circle Benches
  • • Xeriscape garden
  • • Ecohouse model
  • • Natural Building on show
  • • Nature, art, fun and other photos
  • Info about Maya

One way to insulate walls. August 2018

The plan had always been to use rigid insulation on the wall but I wasn't sure how to adhere it to the cob.
Two methods that work great:
1. I discovered screws can be put into cob! (I used 1.5") It crumbles a little for the first half inch or so but then it locks in. I wouldn't use it with something pulling on it straight out, but it worked to put a wire on perpendicular to the screw to hold rigid insulation with baling wire. A final twist on the wire tightens it.
2. We'd discovered light straw clay is great to take up gaps between rigid insulation and cob and it also adheres it to the cob, but using Carol Crews method of dipping burlap in slurry with glue, I used that slurry/glue mix with the light straw clay between rigid insulation and cob to add to it's adherence.

After rigid insulation scraps (from Art building re-roofing) were on the wall, I filled gaps with light straw clay and then I rounded corners with the long thin kitchen knife I also used to cut up insulation (cut deeply then snap apart).

Lastly, burlap dipped in slurry/glue mix pinned to the insulation with large staples I made out of baling wire and BOOM! Wall is ready for earthen stucco. (about 3/4 c. Elmers glue to about 1.5 gallon of slurry...it thickens up a lot, so I add more water but have to stir it frequently as it wants to separate out some of the water).
Note: Electrical elements have non-flammable fiberglass insulation around them then a thin layer of cob.

Below left: Looks a bit of a mess, right?
Rigid insulation with gaps filled in with light straw clay.                     Below right: details.
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How good does this look, even before earthen stucco! I was very pleased with the outcome.
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Perlite/vermiculite insulation begins preparing for rocket stove.

My son has returned from Europe and has begun to help with the rocket stove. He's working on dimensions for a six inch system. We are also locating supplies: bricks, stovepipe (not easy to find repurposed), etc. Niko gave me great tip for place to purchase perlite in CO Spgs.
At any rate, Jen D. had made cob, both with and without straw (with for around electrical boxes; without, to hold in perlite insulation next to bales). This wall had originally been designed to hold bales all the way up in a balecob wall but I changed my mind about where the rocket stove will be and it will not be in this NE quarter of the building meaning we need good insulation between it and the rigid insulation and bales. Likely, it would have been sufficient by itself. But then, what above it? So this works. Middle post between windows will have rigid insulation, cob sides to shelves and wood shelves I think.
Here is the tiny cob wall going up with rigid insulation packed between it and the half bales and rigid insulation.
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To the right is a reminder/diagram
of the balecob wall design.
What you see in the photo above is the blue rigid insulation and the half bale sitting on top, adhered to the wall with clay slurry.
Not in the diagram is the perlite
packed behind mini cob wall.
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