On Thursday the 6th of December Fifth and Sixth Class went to Cob House in Screen. We learned all about cob and how to make it. Cob is earth used as building material. Straw is mixed in with it to improve its strength.
First, we made cob by stamping on subsoil and kneading straw and water into it. You can’t use any soil you have to discard the top soil and use soil with the right amount of clay and sand in it.
Second we created a human chain to transport the hand cobs to the earthen wall. We used cob sticks and our thumbs to embed the cobs into the wall.
Third, we carried out a series of tests on the soil to see if it was the right mix: The Sound test, the Squish test, the Drop test and the Palm test.
Fourth, we went inside for a house tour. Féile showed us all the different variations of wildlife inside her house such as wood, soil and animal skin. She showed us a slideshow of the types of houses built in the olden days and many of the features of their environmentally friendly built house.
We really enjoyed our trip to Cob House. We had lots of fun and learned loads. A big thank you to Féile and Richie for letting us into their home. Check out the video below to find out more.