I love this... Newb question - does cob degrade in the rain?
Discussion
i think there is all kinds of options for waterproofing, at minimum lime/whitewash is more resistant to water than mud, and if its well formulated it can also have the extra benefit inside of being more sound absorbent
yes it will degrade, only if you don’t separate the walls from the ground with stone or a barrier, where it will soak up all the rain and if there’s no roof overhang to stop the rain hitting the house, that could degrade it a bit, but i’ve seen a few mud homes that don’t have any overhang and they seem to be fine as the walls don’t retain the moisture
and if the lime or mud plaster is damaged, it can be replaced without much effort
How long does it take to build a hut of that size out of cob?
Cob exterior walls need “a good hat and boots” — roof with appropriate overhang and to be up on stones for at least the potential splash area at the base of the house.
You can (usually should) plaster them with a lime plaster for extra water resistance.
I'm imagining mixing masonry with cob for a multi textural appearance. And I can't decide which I like more - actual structural stone masonry, or cob. I also want part of the structure dug into a hill - or a hill made over it. I have a bunch of ideas.