Forum:

Will my clay soil shrink

Posts: 2

posted 1 year ago

1
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

I have studied building cobb ovens for years. Our neighbor just dug a pool. I got several loads of the soil. We are in SE Texas with montmorilinite soil, the heavy, black gumbo, sticky clay. My question:
Will this clay work for cobb if I add sand and straw or does it shrink too much?

Toni

Angela Wilcox

pollinator

Posts: 396

163

I like...

posted 1 year ago

Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

H Toni, Welcome to Permies!! Congratulations on your first post.

Joy to You

R Scott

pollinator

Posts: 4182

Location: Tennessee 7b

338

posted 1 year ago

2
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

Try it. Buy a bag of sand and make a few loaves at different percentages. Set them in a windowsill to speed drying.

"You must be the change you want to see in the world." "First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win." --Mahatma Gandhi
"Preach the Gospel always, and if necessary, use words." --Francis of Assisi.
"Family farms work when the whole family works the farm." -- Adam Klaus

Glenn Herbert

Rocket Scientist

Posts: 4705

Location: Upstate NY, zone 5

659

posted 1 year ago

2
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

And with these test loaves, make marks 10" apart while wet, and measure the distance after they dry. This is an easy way to get an accurate percent shrinkage measurement.

John C Daley

pollinator

Posts: 5824

Location: Bendigo , Australia

520

I like...

posted 1 year ago

Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

Testing clay for its suitability has been well covered here and elsewhere.
Have you done any research for more information?

John Daley Bendigo, Australia The Enemy of progress is the hope of a perfect plan
Benefits of rainfall collection https://permies.com/t/88043/benefits-rainfall-collection
GOOD DEBT/ BAD DEBT https://permies.com/t/179218/mortgages-good-debt-bad-debt

Does this tiny ad smell okay to you?

The new permaculture playing cards kickstarter is now live!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/paulwheaton/garden-cards