{"id":37,"date":"2015-02-08T03:24:44","date_gmt":"2015-02-08T03:24:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/appliedecology.com.au\/coboven\/?page_id=37"},"modified":"2016-01-03T05:54:42","modified_gmt":"2016-01-03T05:54:42","slug":"step-6-next-layers","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/appliedecology.com.au\/coboven\/how-to-build\/step-6-next-layers\/","title":{"rendered":"Step 7. Next layers"},"content":{"rendered":"

The next stages take time. \u00a0Building up the cob oven layer by layer. \u00a0 These layers have straw added to the mixture. \u00a0The straw adds strength and insulation to the cob and is very important to add. \u00a0 The amount is hard to say except that it’s a few good handfuls. \u00a0You can see from the texture about what we did. \u00a0 \u00a0After each layer we let it dry as much as possible before adding the next layer. \u00a0 We often created a “slip” – a very wet soup like mixture from clay and water – to put on the dry layer prior to adding the next layer to act like a glue.<\/p>\n

You will start seeing cracks as it drys – these should be filled as you go along. \u00a0The cracks that form mean you have potentially too much clay so it’s cracking and shrinking as it dries. \u00a0But it’s all ok. \u00a0Just keep adding layers.<\/p>\n

Slowly build up your cob over your arch and chimney – adding your chimney towards the end. \u00a0– The final shape is up to you – but we ended up putting about 5 or 6 layers on – each about 2 inches or more thick.<\/p>\n

Here a bunch of photos to show you how we went adding layer upon layer. \u00a0– This took a few weeks – (we took our time!).<\/p>\n

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