Straw bale/cob construction

[Beekissed]

Anyone here attempted this type of structure? I have been fascinated with the possibilities since first seeing some of the beautiful homes that are built out of these materials.

I have even seen a beautiful chicken coop made from cob. Self insulating, long standing, little maintenance, a fraction of the cost of making traditional housing, natural ingredients, a freedom of design and self expression on a level that traditional construction does not provide.

Here is one link on cob construction but there are so many good sites out there, if one cares to search.

http://www.cobprojects.info/Projects/peoples/peoples.htm

 

[1acrefarm]

I have heard of it but had no idea the homes could look so nice.

 

[ticks]

Wow.........

 

[Beekissed]

I read a book once about using fresh cow manure and blood to make a floor. Stamped flat and rubbed until it shines....says its indestructible, waterproof and easy to clean. Dries a dark green color.

Anyone ever heard of that?

 

[BrookValley]

Never heard about the manure and blood floor. Though I do have a link somewhere to make manure bricks for heating fuel, if anyone cares to give it a go.

Straw bale construction is beautiful and very energy efficient. A friend of mine lived in a straw bale house in New Mexico for a few years--totally off-grid (of course, if ever there was a place just made for solar energy, it would be New Mexico, right?) She loved it. I never heard her complain about it. It was a gorgeous little house--and cheap, too!

 

[Beekissed]

That's my dream, Brookvalley! Build a cob/straw bale home....got the design already drawn out. Also want to build a chicken coop of the same material....saw one online once and the nesting boxes were built into the cob and placed in various places on the walls....cute! No insulation needed, lasts for hundreds of years....no down side really.

Now, take a house like that and solar or wind energy and just how cheaply could one live? Some of the designs are just beautiful...so artistically rendered! A lot of them go with the living roofs but I like a tin roof too much....like right now...its raining on my tin roof....ahhhhh! Lovely!

 

[canningmama]

I've been a fan of strawbale construction for years. I also have a friend who was trained in cob construction. I would love to at least make a chicken coop/goat shed, and maybe even a house !

 

[lupinfarm]

I believe there is a house in the County (in Ontario, Canada), that is built using strawbale construction that looks like a victorian farmhouse. Actually, shame you don't live here, the skatepark by us has built several strawbale buildings to house clubhouses, bathrooms, etc. They give people tours, and everything all the time.


We may be building a strawbale garden shed in the summer for our vegetable garden.

 

[Beekissed]

Please, please post pics of the construction step by step and the completion? I would sooooo love to see that in action. You are so fortunate to have an area that recognizes this type of construction for the value that it is. Cheap, durable, renewable construction material....what is the down side?