Recently we gave Gina’s cob hogan a new layer of plaster. We started off by poking at the existing earthen plaster; raking off the loose stuff. It was worn out, but what do you expect after 15 years? All around the base of the walls the earthen plaster had touched the ground. Moisture worked it’s way in. We had to remove about 3 inches in and 1 to 2 feet up in some spots. The wall underneath was still in good shape. We filled in with a stiffer cob mix, rich with sand. We under cut the new cob, rather than plopping it on the ground again. Continue…

I do. I Love Cob! If you haven’t checked out I Love Cob! – please do.
It’s my blog centered around the magical mixture of clay, sand and straw.
There you will find a collection of photos, stories, drawings, video and tales about MUD.

This adobe wall suffered a water leak. I inspected the adobe bricks beneath and filled with an earthen plaster. Local materials were sourced for the plaster. Some of the mud came from a near by ditch and some came from the wall itself.
In the end the 10 foot walls received a lot of mud!

Kelly, the owner, sculpted a very nice relief on the finish plaster.

More photos »

I’ve been working on a earthen wall by my casita.
The barbed wire is visually abrasive so I thought I’d remedy it with some cob.
I’ve been collecting stones and old concrete for the stem wall.
Next to source the mud…

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