Would you build and live in a house made of soil, sand, and straw? Cob building is affordable and simple for everyone to do.

  Most people would probably answer no. You would think about the three little pigs, with visions of the straw house being blown away. Or that if it rained really hard the house would crumble to the ground, like a sand castle being washed away by the ocean. Maybe you think the house would be very primitive to live in, picturing mud huts. Maybe you feel that you don't have the skills to build your own home and what about zoning? Stick frame housing is being built everywhere it is the norm. But that hasn't always been true.

     The method of building with clay, sand and straw is called "cob". Houses have been built with cob in parts of Britain from the 15th century until industrialization and cheap transportation made brick the preferred building method, and was considered the norm. By WWI, cob building had declined, being considered primitive and backwards.  But in the 1990's in England, there was a renewed interest; people began to realize the importance of these historical homes. Cob homes that had lasted hundreds of years with only minor repairs. There are Cob houses still standing after 500 years.

      There is now a revival in North America that started in Oregon. The cob revival is still in the beginning stages as more cob homes are being built in diverse locations. There are cob-building schools where you can get hands on instruction and learn all the methods. No electric tools are used, so building with cob is like an old-fashioned barn raising, where friends and family of all ages can join in.  "Cob" which is the English term for mud building, uses no forms, no bricks and no wooden structures and almost always owner built. Clay, sand, and straw are mixed with water to form a mud that is thrown and massaged onto the foundation creating thick load bearing walls. Working with cob is a lot like sculpting a house and provides a peaceful and creative environment. The soil with a percentage of clay acts as the glue, the sand helps harden the walls. The straw works the same as rebar, providing strength in the walls. With the ease of construction in cob building, you can use organic continuous curves and archways. With the freedom of design, you can add-on, cut out or reshape anytime. This allows you to start small. And because of its porous nature cob is highly resistant to weathering and can be protected futher by applying a lime wash. Walls that are 1 to 2 feet deep provide thermal mass, which helps regulate the temperature inside. It is also bug resistant and fireproof. Cob can be used for building ovens, fireplaces and chimneys. Cob houses being built today are sculpted into livable spaces with molded benches, shelves, cubby holes and archways.

     I have always been interested in alternative sustainable housing; I feel that traditional homes are designed to alienate nature. It is also a waste of our natural resources.  Using cob reduces the use of wood, steel, and toxic building materials. Ever since the 70's I have read every Mother Earth News magazine and books available on the sustainable living and I'm very interested in ways to save our planet. This method would seem to be the answer for some of our problems. Now with the resurgent of cob in North America, cob houses are being built in almost every part of the country. There is increasing interest and pressure to bring cob into the mainstream. And as our local officials become more informed, I feel that cob could become more mainstream in the future.  Right now the Uniform Building Code adopted by most jurisdiction west of the Mississippi, allows for "alternative materials and techniques", but it has to be demonstrated to meet all safety and energy standards. This has been done in several states including Colorado.

     There is a need for inexpensive, healthy, bioregional housing. So why not build with cob.