The Cob Builders Handbook: You Can Hand-Sculpt Your Own Home [Paperback]

Becky Bee (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1998

Cob (an old English word for lump) is old-fashioned concrete, made out of a mixture of clay, sand, and straw. Becky Bee's manual is a friendly guide to making your own earth structure, with chapters on design, foundations, floors, windows and doors, finishes, and of course, making glorious cob.
"I believe that building with cob is a way to recreate community and experience the joy of working together while taking back the right to build our own homes and look after our Mother Earth."
She loves doing something that makes sense in a world where lots of things don't.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Becky Bee has built natural structures in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Central America, and Samoa. Her company Groundworks, has been at the forefront of the cob revival: building, teaching workshops, and hosting natural building symposiums.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Groundworks; 3rd edition (March 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0965908208
• ISBN-13: 978-0965908207
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #318,695 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lets you explore your artistic side while building!, March 29, 1998

By 

C. Taylor (Humboldt, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Cob Builders Handbook: You Can Hand-Sculpt Your Own Home (Paperback)

From advice on 'snuggling' foundation rocks together to practical explanation of creating the right mix..Becky really shows she knows how to work with earth. I began a cob bench after falling in love with photos of hers. I don't know any other way to sculpt, have fun, get dirty, and still create something useful. People might not build a whole house, but a meditation room, or garden shed, even animal house would be doable. Local cobbers I know respect her skills highly, I'd love to see more finished home and project photos. Anyone can do this, it's fun and gets you in touch with dirt!

42 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Guide, January 19, 2000

By 

Eaglefeather (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Cob Builders Handbook: You Can Hand-Sculpt Your Own Home (Paperback)

Becky Bee's Cob Builder's Handbook is well written in plain, understandable language which even the most basic beginners can clearly understand. Her illustrations are equally clear. There is no doubt that anyone who is interested in building with cob can follow the steps in this book and enjoy a reasonable degree of success. Hopefully, future editions might include more ideas for house layouts and more photos of completed projects. That would bring it up to 5 stars!

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cozy and Quiet, December 9, 2004

By 

Howie - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Cob Builders Handbook: You Can Hand-Sculpt Your Own Home (Paperback)

Well, I ordered Becky's book and started to dig a hole for the foundation on July 28th 2003, and after 9 months (with a 5 month break for the winter in the middle) I built a house! I did it all with a great deal of blind faith that you wouldn't mislead someone as to just how easy building can be, and it's true. It all worked out. It's cozy and quiet and I will never be the same. I learned so much about myself in the process, and the earth really was the teacher.
I am so grateful that Becky wrote this book, and made it possible for me to build my own house by hand. I love living in it !!!

Howie