Cob House – Start with a clay model

I made this model out of modeling clay according to one of my Cob House designs. I still need to design and add the roof.

I made it according to the scale of 1 inch = 2 feet. It’s a good size home with central living area (can include a wood burning stove), kitchen, bedroom, and office.

If you have questions, please feel free to ask me.

11 Comments

Tei Reisen on March 5, 2012 at 12:07 pm

Fascinating!!
How would a cob house hold up in a rainy climate like on the Oregon Coast?
Thanks
Tei
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- Alex on March 5, 2012 at 12:46 pm
  
  Hi Tei,
  
  Oregon is actually full of cob buildings! It’s very popular there. It’s kind of the hub of cob building in the United States.
  As long as you have a good overhanging roof and foundation, or “hat and boots” as some like to call them, a cob home can do very well along the Oregon coastline.
  Look up the Cob Cottage Company. They are located in coastal Oregon and have tons of experience building with cob there.
  Hope that helps! 🙂
  Reply
Dania Gomez on May 20, 2012 at 8:28 pm

I live in Maine now but i am on my way to Florida in like 2 weeks, do you know of any cob houses in Florida ?
Reply
- Alex on May 21, 2012 at 6:21 pm
  
  I don’t specifically know of any cob houses in Florida. You could try contacting the Cob Cottage Company and asking them too. They have a much wider network and probably could point you to something in that area if it exists.
  If you’re traveling you should check out the Natural Homes Map. You might find something to look at along the way.
  Reply
  - Jill on December 5, 2012 at 12:05 am
    
    Hi Alex,
    
    Cristina Ott, the owner of The Barefoot Builder, had a cob workshop in Alachua, Florida a few years back. Alachua is in the Gainesville, Florida area (north Florida.) I am not certain where the building is exactly but perhaps anyone interested could contact her? She also built a cob art studio in Gulf Breeze, Florida which is in the Panhandle area. Hope this helps out!
    Reply
Vondy on July 8, 2012 at 8:00 am

Hi Alex, I just recently purchased a peice of land in rural NC. I have a 10×12 shed as a temporary dwelling and have been researching what I can do as a permanant dwelling and stumbled upon you and the cob home. I am extremely interested in this and will continue to research online, but to narrow my search down is there any books, websites, workshops that you can recommend? Thank-you for your time.
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TH on October 15, 2012 at 2:01 am

Great idea to start with a clay model. It gives you a much better feel for how the house will look.
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Jennifer on October 21, 2012 at 11:54 am

Hello, hello! I am thinking of buying land in the olympic peninsula or British Columbia, Ca. Do you or anyone you know work in such a region? I have heard of a group called the Mud Girls but that is as far as my research has reached. I would love a cob home with a rocket mass heater and a geodesic greenhouse dome. Your designs are beautiful.
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lorenzo on November 26, 2012 at 3:36 pm

what to say… I enjoyed and I was attracted to all the material available on this site. I seek encouragement and motivation to build a cob house. I live in northern Italy, and I’d like to build in Sicily in the south, where the climate is milder, uniting him to a permaculture environment. I’ll definitely need your advice very soon I hope. Thanks Alex.
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- Erica Formaini on August 15, 2013 at 2:20 am
  
  Hello Lorenzo
  
  Did you find someone to help with your cob house?
  I am also looking for someone in the North of Italy (I live near Lucca).
  
  I should love to hear.
  
  Thank you in advance.
  
  Best wishes
  
  Erica
  Reply
HobbitWannaBe on March 9, 2014 at 3:15 pm

I would like to build cob into a hillside, to include a “garden wing” . Since I will be digging out the hillside to have a flat area, I want to install radiant heat through the floor using solar collectors. I love the look and feel of the cob houses in the photos and the creative things that I can do with cob. Would I need a seal between the cob and the earth surrounding it? I also would like to incorporate “living water” into the decor. (Fountain or waterfall) Would this require special treatment over the cob base?

I have been studying different websites to learn, so I know I need to either go to a workshop, hold a workshop, or go to a build share. This is definitely something I want to incorporate into my building. I really Do wannabe a Hobbit!
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