Cob Additions The walls of of La Escuelita were actually completed BEFORE the framing for the windows, doors, and roof, which were added after the fact (usually they are set into the cob as the structure is being built). Now, it’s necessary to go back and fill in the gaps. One of the great things about cob is that you can go back and add to it or take away from it as much as you want. Here’s something of the process:  Wet the surface  And rough it up. We stuffed the space with paper, then added nails to the wood, to give the cob addition further strength and integrity; the extra surface area provides a key for the next layer to hold onto.  Smush and sew the cob into the gap and itself. The fill in the gaps between the open windows and their shutters: We cut the edge open, roughing it up in the process(the lime wash needs to be taken away first anyway), wet the surface, coated it with clay slip, then staked lengths of clay-slipped bamboo - to provide the additional clay something to hold onto. After the cob is dry, you can take your specially cut cob Saw... And straighten your line. Natural Building: Abroad Tuesday, January 22, 2008