Janos Cserkuti

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

Sand.

Masonry sand: http://samedayaggregates.com/what-exactly-is-masonry-sand/ (Masonry sand can be thought of as a finer version of concrete sand. While the rock composition of masonry sand is often similar to concrete sand, its smaller grains make it quite a bit more attractive when used in construction. Masonry sand is usually washed as well.)

From The Hand Sculpted House (pg 123 - attached).

And a source from Youtube:  

From these sources what I understood is that Masonry sand is not a good choice for Cob and I should have ordered a sharp/coarse sand. Is this correct?

If I understand what you're saying is that the masonry sand is good which somewhat contradicts the sources I consulted.

I'm not saying you are wrong or they are, I'm honestly trying to get the correct material for the job.

Humidity issue.

I'm a bit worried about the humidity as well so I plan to install a fan in the wall near the ceiling to be used during the warmer months to ventilate. For the cooler months and winter it's downright dry so I'm worried as much about that.

Roof overhang

Noted. Overhang has been planned from the beginning.

Wall Thicness

North, east and west are 18 inches thick, south is 12 inches.

Cold months and insulation

I was thinking of using a wood stove for those periods and just hoping that's enough to keep it warm. I think that having the cement foundation already done I'm a bit too far into look into adding straw bales on the north wall or something like that. Considering this is a proof of concept I'm hoping to get my "feet wet" in building with cob and move up to building a small home in the 5 year plan.

I am hoping to build a small (10x20 foot) greenhouse with cob. At this size I'm not bound by the construction code.

Last summer I built a concrete pad with 1 foot high walls with the intention of adding cob walls to it, but the end of the hot season came faster than I expected and I only got one shoddy mix of cob done before I gave up.

I made a mistake when ordering sand and got masonry sand instead of concrete sand, so I wonder if adding gravel to the mixture will help get the ratio to where it should be.

If anyone near me has cob experience and is willing to help, I'll provide the beer and food.

Tim Fox wrote:I also bought some acreage in Southwest NB.

There is very little red tape to get around. None as far as I know if. That link you posted seems to conflict with this one:

https://stcroixcourier.ca/building-the-southwest-new-brunswick-service-commission-reminds-residents-you-likely-need-a-permit/

It needs to be in a rural area, and it will be classified as a camp. You just build it to 625 sqft. Camps don't need to meet any building codes. You can build it however you please.

The permit is just to make sure you aren't building it anywhere that would put wetlands in danger or where you aren't running afoul of any provincial regulations when it comes to land use.

This is one of the most relaxed areas in Canada I have heard of when it comes to permitting and codes. They seem to encourage alternative living

Thanks for the info Tim, I will check it out and reference this site when I talk to the planning department.

Hi everyone. I'm wondering if there is anyone here from Canada and possibly New Brunswick.
I recently moved to a 1/2 acre rural lot with lots of room and I want to start small with a cob gazebo. I'm currently reading The Hand-Sculpted House: A Practical and Philosophical Guide to Building a Cob Cottage and I have a strong desire to build with earthen materials.
I checked with my local municipality and they require plans, etc in order to secure a building permit.
I'm hoping someone else in my area has already gone through this process and can help me out with the red tape before I start planning.


I found some information here saying that a structure in rural NB that is less than 215 sq. feet doesn't have to follow the construction code. But my municipal government still requires drawings (BeauBassin Construction Permits.

So anyone here from NB already got through this stuff and have some tips?