Constructions with the material «cob» consisting of clay mix with straw — maybe the most friendly construction method in relation to the nature. In recent years this method returned to people again.
Used for creation of buildings and drying furnaces for ages, cob is mix of clay, sand, straw, water and the earth, it is by the form similar to a brick. This material fire-resistant, maintains earthquakes, long-term and rather cheap.
Cob House Uk Grand Design can be found in many parts of the world, including the west bank of Canada and the United States. In Devon, England, the 500-year bleached cottages from Cob with straw roofs remained to this day, with ease resisting to a relentless current of time.
«Mixed by hands — it is frequent also legs — cob is the creative, sculptural material which is well passing air and favorable for health,» — said Rosa Dixon from team of builders of the natural materials Mudgirls, the network of the women working on hiring which is on the island Vancouver and the islands Gulfa which build buildings from Cob
«Cob is not toxic» — Dixon says. «As well as in a case with all natural materials, costs of its production are low».
Cob also gives the chance to avoid evaporations of gas and chemicals that occurs at construction by means of habitual construction materials.
«If only construction is carried out correctly, the room will not become dusty, it is absolutely healthy environment» — she noted.
As cob absorbs temperature, it is also «ideal for passive solar heating». As cob has thermo capacity, it preserves heat in the winter and keeps a cool in the summer.
Mudgirls specialize by a traditional method of cob-construction which means lack of the cement bases. Everywhere, where it is only possible, only natural, local materials are used. They almost do everything «from scratch», the negative impact on the environment comes down to a minimum.
Women use the equipment of a dry masonry at which «stones are accurately and safely joined together». Then cob by hands it is imposed directly on a top of stones. Trunks and logs undertake from the processed wood, on a roof the cedar, but not a roofing tile is more often used. On a ceiling the moss, the turf or herbs are used.
Usually the team of builders uses style of rounded shape that creates steadier and strong building which facade can be issued in the various ways.
As
cob-houses of the traditional size cannot be under construction,
conforming to the construction norms and the rules accepted in the
majority of regions of British Columbia, Mudgirls build generally
small guest huts and sheds about 100 square feet in size. At such
size in obtaining permission there is no need.
While materials on
construction cheap or often even free, construction of the cob-house
— the labor-intensive process demanding time. Nevertheless, many
works do not demand any special qualification, people can perform
such works — Dixon tells.
If the cob-house has the good base, and in a consequence as appropriate look after him, then it will never begin to decay or decay. On the other hand, if to throw the house in desolation or it will be demolished, then will break up naturally, without causing damage to the environment — Dixon claims.