Building Cob Walls
Sculptural Cob & Furniture
Natural Plaster / Lime Plaster
A Simple Poured Earthen Floor
$379 – 30 day advance price.
$599 – Couples 30 day advance,
Or Later…
$479 includes registration for five
days, camping, breakfast & lunch

BUILDING COB WALLS
During this part of the workshop we will learn how to build cob walls, and ‘learn by doing’ as we:

 - Choose materials and mix cob
 - Build w/ foot mixed & tractor cob
 - Trim & shape walls using a cob saw
 - Build and set lintels in cob over windows
 - Bury roof anchors & build cob up to beams

We will cover just about every aspect of building cob walls including, site selection and passive solar design, building your home on a solid foundation, sourcing materials for a good cob mix, setting windows and doors, and placing anchors in cob walls for the roof.

SCULPTURAL COB
During this part of the workshop we will learn how to sculpt and trim, as well as use cob to build furniture, including building a couch, a bench for a breakfast nook, & ‘learn by doing’ as we:

- Mix corbel cob and cantilever furniture seats
- Create sculptures in the walls
- Build window sills

NATURAL PLASTERS
Working with natural plasters is perhaps the most rewarding aspect of creating an earthen structure; the dessert after the main course of building with cob. We will explore and compare a variety of recipes.

LIME PLASTERS AND PAINTS
We will consider the advantages and challenges of using lime, and will work with natural mineral pigments to create various colors & effects.

EARTHEN FLOOR
As a special treat, we will combine pouring a natural earthen floor on the final day of the workshop. We will learn how to prepare materials, prep the building for the pouring the floor including setting up the frame, and see the final step to building with earth.

Contact: Diane Jennings
dianejennings@disputantacob.com
(606) 256-8954

This post was submitted by Diane Jennings.

Learn how to build a house of cob! Cob is a building material made of clay soil, sand and straw. Join us, Andi and Ian Miller, at our farm, Bergbauernhof, as we build our home and teach you how you can build your own cottage, house or tool shed out of the earth beneath your feet. Techniques learned here can also be applied to restoring an existing house. This will be a hands-on workshop where we actually build a house. Topics covered include siting and foundation; passive-solar design; foundations; windows and doors in cob; balecob; and roofs for cob buildings.

Cost: $750 for full week, $250 weekend of June 19/20. Includes camping and three meals a day. Full week is strongly encouraged if you’re looking to build on your own, as you’ll only get a taste of using cob over the weekend.

We are open to bartering/work trading.

Ian Miller
(563) 379-1006
millerbakery@gmail.com

This post was submitted by Ian Miller.

Start Date / End Date:: May 8 – May 15, 2010

Join us for a week of natural building and living in the beautiful Texas Hill County outside of Austin. Professional builders Kindra, John and Sara will take a week off from their packed building schedules to share their passion and knowledge of cob construction. The curriculum is designed to give participants a full outline of what it takes to complete a simple cob project. Including: choosing a site, finding/harvesting materials, design, budgeting, foundations, mixing, building, windows/doors, arches, niches, roof attachment, plastering and earthen floors. Daily guest lecturers will cover other aspects of sustainable living: composting toilets, solar electric, greywater re-use, and more!

We will stay on the land enjoying home-cooked vegetarian meals, campfires and starry night skies. One-day field trip will include carpool travel to a site in Fredericksburg, TX to see and plaster on a nearly completed tiny cob cottage. Families welcome!

This post was submitted by Kindra Welch.