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Cob houses are structures built using a mixture of clay, sand, straw, and water.
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This natural building material is shaped into walls and other structures while wet and allowed to dry.
Cob construction is an ancient building technique that's experiencing a resurgence due to its sustainability and unique aesthetic.
Key Characteristics of Cob Houses:
Natural Materials:
Cob is made from readily available natural materials like clay-rich soil, water, straw, and sometimes sand.
Sustainability:
Cob construction is environmentally friendly, using locally sourced, recyclable, and non-polluting materials.
Thermal Mass:
Cob walls provide excellent thermal mass, which means they can absorb and store heat, helping to regulate temperature within the building.
Durability:
Cob houses can be very durable, with some structures standing for thousands of years.
Aesthetic Appeal:
Cob construction allows for unique, organic forms and designs, making it visually appealing.
Cost:
While material costs can be low, cob construction is labor-intensive, and the cost can vary based on size, complexity, and location.
Building Codes:
While not traditionally accounted for in building codes, the International Residential Code (IRC) now includes guidance for cob construction, allowing builders to obtain permits by demonstrating the material's safety, according to Yahoo.
Pros of Cob Houses:
Low Environmental Impact:
Cob uses natural, renewable materials and minimizes the need for manufactured building materials.
Thermal Regulation:
Cob walls provide excellent insulation and thermal mass, keeping homes cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.
Acoustic Properties:
The thick walls of cob houses can reduce outside noise, creating a quiet and peaceful interior.
Creative Freedom:
Cob construction allows for unique and artistic designs, limited only by the builder's imagination.
Earthquake Resistance:
Cob houses have shown resilience in seismic activity.
Cons of Cob Houses:
- Labor Intensive: Building with cob requires significant physical labor and time.
- Time to Build: Cob construction can be slow, especially when compared to conventional building methods.
- Mortgage Difficulty: Obtaining financing for cob houses can be challenging.
- Weather Sensitivity: Cob walls cannot be built in freezing or wet weather.
- Pest Susceptibility: Termites and rodents can potentially burrow into cob walls, though this can be mitigated with proper construction techniques and pest control.
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Jan 7, 2022 · Pros: Cob homes are incredibly inexpensive to build. The preliminary ingredient you require is mud or clay which is available for free.
People also ask
What are the downsides of cob houses?
Disadvantages: Labour intensive. Relatively slow to build. Obtaining a mortgage from lending institutions is difficult.
Are cob houses legal in the US?
Building Codes For Cob Explained
They weren't illegal per se, they just weren't accounted for. However, in 2021, the International Residential Code (IRC) added a section of guidance for cob construction, which allows builders to get a permit by demonstrating the cob's safety with shrinkage and strength tests.
Are cob houses cheaper to build?
In the case of a cob home, the materials can be very inexpensive but there is a great deal of labor required. Because of high labor costs, many professionally built contracted cob homes end up at about the same price per square foot as a conventional custom-built home.
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