by Chuck Hall
Since cob homes are made from materials readily found in nature, they can be built very inexpensively. The tradeoff with a cob home is that it is a labor-intensive process. If you’re not a hands-on, do-it-yourself type of person, cob is probably not for you; but if you don’t mind getting your hands (and feet) dirty, then cobbing can be a very relaxing and meditative experience. Most of the cob structures I’ve seen were built by groups of people in ‘cobbing bees,’ where friends and neighbors get together for a weekend or two to share the experience. Since no power tools are involved, people often spontaneously break into song or conversation while cobbing together. It’s a great opportunity to socialize while doing something positive for yourself and the environment! In fact, people who have experienced cob building firsthand often talk about it in terms usually reserved for those who have undergone a religious experience. Cobbing brings people together at an instinctual community level.
Due to the fact that cob is labor-intensive; cob homes are usually smaller than the average stick-built home. This loss of space isn’t really that noticeable in a well-designed cob home because you can shape alcoves and shelving right into the walls to take advantage of vertical space. Round rooms also look larger than square ones. The organic shapes that are possible with cob also make it possible to use space more efficiently. Housing square footage is four times larger today than it was 40 years ago! Think about how much unused space you have in your home now and you’ll see the advantages of a smaller home. By building smaller, more space-efficient and natural buildings, not only can you save on building costs, but you also save on the energy required to heat, cool and light the extra space. Cob homes can be designed to make living more comfortable in less space.
Though they may take a little longer to build than a traditional home, a crew of six to twelve people can build up to a foot of height per day in a cob home of about 800 square feet or less. One advantage to cob building is that other than applying plaster to the finished wall, there is no finish work required. Plumbing and electrical fixtures are laid in place inside the wall as it is built, and there is no framing to be done. There is no need for insulation, sheet rock, taping, and finish framing. Once the final plaster coat is applied, the walls are done.
I have seen a small cob cottage (about 300 square feet) built in one weekend by a dozen dedicated workers. But racing to finish the home is missing the point. Half the fun in building with cob is in taking time to feel the materials take shape under your hands. It’s a very tactile experience, similar to sculpting with clay. If you have a ready stable of volunteers, you’ll find that your group will eventually settle into a rhythm that is almost like a dance. Cobbing is an activity that naturally lends itself to parties, since it doesn’t require a lot of skill, and who doesn’t like playing in the mud! It’s a chance to indulge your inner child; and if you have children of your own, they’ll love it! If you don’t mind putting a little sweat-equity into building your own home, it makes a lot of sense to return to nature’s most abundant, inexpensive and healthy building material.
Due to the fact that cob is labor-intensive; cob homes are usually smaller than the average stick-built home. This loss of space isn’t really that noticeable in a well-designed cob home because you can shape alcoves and shelving right into the walls to take advantage of vertical space. Round rooms also look larger than square ones. The organic shapes that are possible with cob also make it possible to use space more efficiently. Housing square footage is four times larger today than it was 40 years ago! Think about how much unused space you have in your home now and you’ll see the advantages of a smaller home. By building smaller, more space-efficient and natural buildings, not only can you save on building costs, but you also save on the energy required to heat, cool and light the extra space. Cob homes can be designed to make living more comfortable in less space.
Though they may take a little longer to build than a traditional home, a crew of six to twelve people can build up to a foot of height per day in a cob home of about 800 square feet or less. One advantage to cob building is that other than applying plaster to the finished wall, there is no finish work required. Plumbing and electrical fixtures are laid in place inside the wall as it is built, and there is no framing to be done. There is no need for insulation, sheet rock, taping, and finish framing. Once the final plaster coat is applied, the walls are done.
I have seen a small cob cottage (about 300 square feet) built in one weekend by a dozen dedicated workers. But racing to finish the home is missing the point. Half the fun in building with cob is in taking time to feel the materials take shape under your hands. It’s a very tactile experience, similar to sculpting with clay. If you have a ready stable of volunteers, you’ll find that your group will eventually settle into a rhythm that is almost like a dance. Cobbing is an activity that naturally lends itself to parties, since it doesn’t require a lot of skill, and who doesn’t like playing in the mud! It’s a chance to indulge your inner child; and if you have children of your own, they’ll love it! If you don’t mind putting a little sweat-equity into building your own home, it makes a lot of sense to return to nature’s most abundant, inexpensive and healthy building material.
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