General Archives - Page 2 of 4

Humidity Regulation in Cob Buildings

by Alex | Feb 4, 2016 | Cob, General, Natural Finishing, Walls

I keep getting a lot of questions about humidity issues with cob buildings. So I want to speak a bit more on this topic with you today. Keeping a balanced level of indoor humidity is important to maintaining a healthy living environment and preventing mold and fungus...

Natural Remodeling – Limewash Paint

by Alex | Aug 10, 2015 | General, Natural Finishing, Remodeling

Here is a simple, yet functional, way to start your natural remodeling by using a limewash paint. Unfortunately, we can’t all have our own naturally built home created out of materials of earth and straw. We can however implement certain natural building materials and...

Building a Cob House – Your Checklist for Success

by Alex | Jun 23, 2015 | Cob, General

Building a home is a major undertaking that will cost you a lot of money and time. It can be like putting together a large three dimensional puzzle that must also be able to interact with the environment and the conditions around it. Building a home is also a lot of...

Do not use earthbags for stemwall foundation

by Alex | May 30, 2015 | Cob, Foundations, General, Materials

This morning, I received an email newsletter from a prominent Natural Builder explaining why they had chosen to build a stemwall foundation using earthbags. I was really surprised when I read this email! Especially when I saw that they were actually filling the...

“Dirt Cheap” Cob Homes

by Alex | May 24, 2015 | Cob, General

I have a lot of people ask me… “How much does a cob home cost?” Or… “I heard cob homes are really cheap to build. How much does it cost per square foot?” These are good questions to ask, but they’re very broad and can’t really be answered in a general sense. The cost...

Earth Building Techniques – Build Your Home with Earth

by Alex | Feb 22, 2015 | Cob, General, Materials, Walls

Beginnings of Earth Building Techniques Earth building techniques have been around for thousands of years. Since before our recorded history, people have been using the earth to build with. That’s why I tell people that earth building techniques are nothing new. In...