Cob (material) facts for kids
Cob is a natural building material. It's like a giant, strong mud pie! People use cob to build walls and even entire houses. It's made from simple things found in nature. In Wales, it is sometimes called clom.
Contents
What is Cob?
Cob is a mix of soil, water, and straw. Sometimes a little lime is added too. The soil used is usually "subsoil." This is the dirt found under the very top layer of soil. It's important to have the right mix of sand and clay in the subsoil. If the soil isn't perfect, builders can add more sand or clay to it.
How Cob is Made
Making cob involves mixing the ingredients. Traditionally, people would mix it with their feet! They would stomp on the soil, water, and straw. This creates a thick, sticky material. Once mixed, the cob is shaped into walls. Builders stack layers of cob on top of each other. Each layer needs to dry a bit before the next one is added. This process builds strong, solid walls.
Why Use Cob?
Cob has many cool benefits.
- Fireproof: It doesn't catch fire easily. This makes cob homes very safe.
- Strong: Cob can stand up well to earthquakes. It's flexible and moves with the ground.
- Inexpensive: The materials for cob are often cheap or even free. This makes it a great choice for building.
- Artistic: Cob is easy to shape. Builders can create curved walls and unique designs.
- Eco-friendly: Using cob helps the environment. It uses natural materials and less energy to build. This is part of the sustainability movement.
Other Names for Cob
Cob material is known by many names around the world. Some of these names include:
- Adobe
- Lump clay
- Puddled clay
- Chalk mud
- Wichert
- Clay daubins
- Swish (from Africa)
- Torchis (from France)
- Bauge (from France)
- Bousille (from France, often with moss)
Long-Lasting Homes
Cob buildings can last a very long time. Even in rainy places, they stay strong. To protect a cob house, it needs two main things:
- A tall foundation to keep the bottom of the walls dry.
- A large roof that hangs over the walls. This keeps rain from splashing onto the cob.
Images for kids
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Building a wall out of cob
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An example of a modern cob building in the Pacific Northwest style. The exterior cob wall is limewashed for an attractive, uniform appearance.
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The Sota Construction Services Corporate Headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, constructed of cob walls
See also
In Spanish: Cob para niños
