Friday, February 23, 2007

Cob Building (no it's not made of corn cobs!)




Tim and I have big plans to turn our falling down firepit area into a cob structure where we can have fires to cook on and hang out at in the evening by the river.

Currently it's a cement pad with a light pole in the corner and a dangerously tilting fireplace of bricks with a iron oven on oneside. Behind that is a 3 foot cinder block wall that the top 2 rows are dissintegrating. It looks horrible.

Here is kind of what we want it to look like.



This is a cob structure that was built in 2006 in Dufferin Grove park which we lived near. The whole community pitched in with working the cob material. Cob is made up of clay, straw and mud I believe and you have to stamp on it with bare feet to work in the straw to the clay.

THey also did a gorgeous job laying in mosaics of glas, china and mirror and then grouting it all around to the outside of the cob. Anyone was allowed to come and do mosaic on it. There are some amazing designs on the structure.

I don't know when we'll do it or if it's even possible. We've been looking for a book with decent instructions besides telling us to take a weekend workshop.

5 comments:

ron st.amant said...

and I have some pictures of it too!!

good luck...that would really be a nice addition

Undercover Angel said...

That's great! Good luck.

I was surfing blogs today, and I came across yours by chance, but from reading it, I believe that we are neighbors. In fact, I am pretty sure that I live kitty corner across the street from you.

If you feel like it, there is a contact me area in the side pane on my blog that you can use to drop me an email.

Troy Little said...

Hey Guys!

Great to hear from you Les and Tim, I see you're doing well and now that I have your blogsite I can spy on you ALL THE TIME.

mWAHAHAHAhahah*cough*hahah...heh.

Troy

JuliaMazal said...

Yay - you both have blogs!

(1) It's time to read the "Little House" books to teh kidlets
(2) Here's the real cobb house - I've even been there! Not kidding.

Anonymous said...

Very Cool! I've always enjoyed the concept of cob building and other sustainable (and affordable) methods, but I'm not sure how it would hold up in my particular climate (Northeast US)