Jun
Cob is a type of building that is centuries old, and recently enjoying a revival in interest. Cob material consists of clay, sand, straw, water, and earth. These ingredients are mixed up traditionally with hands and feet. It is then tossed from one builder to another in clumps, and piled up to form a wall. The builders allow one layer to dry before trimming and shaping and adding another layer. In this way, cob building is very labor-intensive, however, the cost of labor is offset by the overall cheaper cost of the finished building.
Cob is fireproof, resistant to rain and cold, and resistant to seismic activity. However, it will hold up much better if it is built on a large foundation, and if the roof overhangs quite a lot.
Cob walls are generally twenty four inches thick. This makes it ideal for passive solar construction. In fact, cob is a better insulating material than adobe. This type of building lends itself to being artistically shaped:
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