COB HOUSES

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21323, 16 November 1934, Page 8

COB HOUSES

TO THIS KDITOR OF THE PRESS. Sir, —I enclose a cutting from the Sydney "Bulletin" which may give the required information to "Hopeful Cockie," who wrote a letter to "The Press" of November 13.—Yours, etc., B. November 13, 1934. The cutting contains a paragraph written by "Mudlark," which reads as follows: For brick-making choose a loamy soil and use only to a doptli o£ six inches. Throw it into heaps and wet it down to workable consistency. Mix in the afternoons and mould in tho mornings on smooth ground in a tin-lined mould. This allows water to pormeate tho stuff thoroughly and saves a lot o£ mixing. Cover tho moulds with bags if the weather is very hot. Next morning, turn the bats on their sides and square tho bottoms with a trowel. Treat the opposite sides next morning. Stack the bricks three high in open formation at the end of a week.

If the walls are to be run up quickly, a fortnight in warm weather is necessary for curing. Spring and autumn are best for batmaking. A handy size is lGin by Bin by 6in. When building, excavate for the foundation to a firm bottom 2ft wide, and build up with granite well pugged in. If no granite or stono is available uso stiff clay pug well mixed and rammed. Run two hoop-irons on (op of tho foundations, two inches apart, and tho same on every third course. Bend these up, nail to all frames, and join at tho corners. Barbed wire is suitable from Bft upwards, but too stretchy for lower courses.

Buildings with walls up to 9ft and witli light roofs need only have pug foundation*, but see that water is drained well away from them.

To finish off the interior, use ordinary lime plaster or pug plaster. Use only the top two inches of soil, and sieve well. When building, do not finish off the joints and so leave key holds for plaster. One gallon boiled oil, 11 pints water glass and cement tr> consistency make a weatherproof wash for the outside. Outbuildings can be protected with old transmission oil. Don't uso old sump oil on plaster. 'Dobo buildings are cool in summer and warm in winter, and if well constructed practically everlasting. I know several over 50 years old as good as when built, and in my bungalow, eight years old, there is no sign of a flaw.