The Amazing Cob House

From the moment I first heard about cob houses I was in love. And what's not to like? It is an eco-friendly building that can be made for cheap. It's a combination of sand, clay and straw. Most people who live in a cob house built it themselves. Because no frame work is required for a cob house, even those with no previous building experience are able to create their own home after only attending a weekend workshop or reading a few books on the subject.

The unique thing about cob houses is that you get to essentially "mold" your house. This means that you can easily create curved walls, sculptures, and work bookcases and shelves directly into the wall. I have also seen people do things like put recycled glass bottles and other items into the wall to create nifty artistic touches. I have included some pictures below so you can see some examples of what can be done with a cob house and what they look like if you have never seen one before.

There are a few reasons why I have chosen to build a cob house as my future residence. First, they are cheap. Like really cheap. A decent size cob house can be built for about $50,000. This means that you have no mortgage. Just like that you have eliminated one of the biggest expenses in the average person's life. One step closer to being off the grid and on your own. The second reason is health related. By that I mean my own health as well as the health of the planet. The materials for a cob house come directly from the Earth and are pretty much used as they are, just mixed together. There are no trees that need to be cut down or artificial products that need to be created like insulation. Because there are no artificial products, you do not have what is known as "off gassing." This occurs in most things that are made of synthetic material. Over time those products start to break down and release hazardous fumes into the air. Since most homes use an a/c system that just cycles the air inside the house, you are pretty much always breathing these toxins. Check out this website for more information on the subject. The third reason for a cob house is efficiency. Because the house is made of mud and because the walls are usually made fairly thick, the house acts as a thermal mass. This means that the house will naturally keep itself cool in the summer and warm in the winter, reducing the need for things like a/c and heating. The fourth and final reason is that they are just awesome!

If you want to read more about cob houses, this website has more detailed information as well as links to companies that hold workshops. As promised, here are some pictures I pulled off the internet of cob houses:

Here is an example of how you can create shelves and seating directly in the walls.

Because you are molding the walls, you can make different sized windows easily.

Here the snake was sculpted right on the fireplace the painted a different color.

Those are the recycled bottles I was talking about. How awesome is that?