Adobe plaster

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Newbri

A Gabonese Prepper-ish woman
Neighbor
Joined
May 27, 2021
Messages
388
Location
Libreville, Gabon
I'm looking at many options for building a tiny house/cabin, and one I came across was cob. We have a very clay-rich soil in some parts of the country, and it looks more and more interesting to me.

I still have to do research on it for tropical climates but the very little I've found out about it so far, suggests that cob houses might not be a great idea because of the wall thickness and thermal mass.
Not just that but it may not fare well during the heavy rainy seasons. But again, I still have to look into.

Then I came across adobe bricks, which are slimmer and might work better, then adobe plaster.

I was wondering if anyone has any experience using this plaster on wood or cement bricks? Will it hold or crack and fall off?

If it is possible, what do you suggest for some kind of bonding agent if necessary?

Is there anything that can be added to the mix to ensure durability and protection from rain)?
 
I grew up in a house with a stucco exterior, wood framed house with an outer sheathing with wire mesh attached to it and stucco applied over the top of the wire. The wire held it to the wall. Similar to this (which I borrowed from Wikipedia). I have seen adobe houses with stucco applied over the exterior using chicken wire support.
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Ran a search and found this... It seems important for your considerations....

https://www.doityourself.com/stry/pros-and-cons-of-stucco-homes
Disadvantages of Stucco Homes
One of the major drawbacks of having a stucco exterior is its high price tag in comparison to other types of siding, such as cement fiber or vinyl siding. A large portion of your expense will be spent on labor since stucco requires several layers of installation

Stucco can tolerate moisture and expansion but only up to a certain point. It is not as good as a brick veneer or vinyl siding for keeping water out of the exterior walls of your house during periods of heavy rain. It will repel water well in average climates, but it may not be recommended in extremely rainy areas. Overall, it seems to work out better in dry, sunny climates.


I would run searches on places with climates similar to yours. No point in trying to re-invent the wheel. I think you'll find building techniques suited to tropical climates with heavy rains. The locals have been building in that climate for hundreds if not thousands of years. They know what does or doesn't work.

Adobe, there is a reason no one sees adobe houses on beach front property in Tahiti. Adobe is better suited for dry climates, not monsoon rains right off the ocean.

I'd start by compiling a list of locations with a climate just like yours... then find out about their various building techniques.
 
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To add... I remembered a resource I've used before with success. Finding a local contractor or builder to share how they build things might be difficult. Professionals are far to busy earning a living.

It's been my experience that college professors greatly enjoy telling people how much they know. Find universities or colleges in area's with climates like yours. Most schools list staff email addresses. Send emails to architects, designers, "cad" instructors in computer sciences, anything related to building and design, you get the idea.

Send out dozens of emails... if an individual can't help you they might know someone who can...
 
For stucco I'd wonder about wood eating insects in your area. A cursory look on the net suggests that you get around 3,000MM of rain in two wet seasons. A wide eave and rain gutters can help minimise rain damage to the walls and provide shade to keep your walls cooler. If you decide on adobe, or anything els for that matter, a brick or tile facia can be added eventually. I ran across that in Spain and it was beautiful.

With the rain you get a cistern for water catchment would be a great prep. 20,000 liters would give you a good basic system.
 
To add... I remembered a resource I've used before with success. Finding a local contractor or builder to share how they build things might be difficult. Professionals are far to busy earning a living.

It's been my experience that college professors greatly enjoy telling people how much they know. Find universities or colleges in area's with climates like yours. Most schools list staff email addresses. Send emails to architects, designers, "cad" instructors in computer sciences, anything related to building and design, you get the idea.

Send out dozens of emails... if an individual can't help you they might know someone who can...

I did watch a video last night from a channel called This Cob House and they had gone down to Costa Rica to build one there. The guy in the video did say that it was possible but some adjustments may have be made, from his perspective. So I'll continue looking into it.

Then I asked my mother. She grew up in a village until she was a teenager and she told me that her father's house was made of "terre battue" in French (some have used terracotta too). Which was what I was talking about; the soil already has clay in it. Funnily enough to her she just refered to it as dirt and you add water to it. She told me his house had a wooden skeleton, then they applied the mixture, let it harden and then apply a cement plaster over it. I haven't been to her village since I was a kid but apparently, the house still stands.
I'll definitely ask a contractor and my father as well.

The environment does play a part in it. I know that her village is up north and it is cooler and drier there.
 
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For stucco I'd wonder about wood eating insects in your area. A cursory look on the net suggests that you get around 3,000MM of rain in two wet seasons. A wide eave and rain gutters can help minimise rain damage to the walls and provide shade to keep your walls cooler. If you decide on adobe, or anything els for that matter, a brick or tile facia can be added eventually. I ran across that in Spain and it was beautiful.

With the rain you get a cistern for water catchment would be a great prep. 20,000 liters would give you a good basic system.
Yes, a wide eave was mentioned in the video I watched.
 

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