Cob Houses

Cob is a mixture of sand, clay and straw. It is mixed and then it is moulded to make the walls for the cob house. The house usually starts with rows of stones.

These materials are often found on the land people own. The houses are not expensive to build because they use natural materials.

Putting in the finishing touches. The wet mix is moulded around the windows. Notice the pieces of straw.

 

Often groups of friends get together to help build cob houses. People like to use recycled materials for these homes.

Houses can also be built using straw bales. They are stacked tight and covered with plaster.

Here is a finished cob house. Other natural materials such as stones and timber have been used. The roof overhang is quite wide. This is to help protect the walls from the weather.

 

Teacher Reference.