So, one of my quirks is that I love alternative housing options, I want to try everything I can think of! My dream is having a strawbale/rammed earth house, I’ve had a plan for one for years now, just need life to fall in the right places to make it so. I have hinted at the next big project most likely being a container house that James and I are talking through right now. But there is cob still, I NEED to try cob. So I have been thinking… Denny may need a ‘little’ cob dog house just so I can get my hands in the dirt and try it! I have been collecting some ideas. Do you have any ideas you can share? I have just barely started this thought so any helpful info you would want to pass on to me would be greatly appreciated!
Hi Terry!
I have and my ultimate house is a straw-bale one, I think for a dog house it will take up too much space with the thickness of the bales, and in winter he will be snuggled up on the couch! 🙂
cool a mini version to get your hands dirty. Hey what do you think about the wood chord houses ..they remind me of cob houses…. I like container idea….someone wrote a really good perspective about it on Loyd’s blog I think a while back. they wrote some things about it which was cool because it was a different perspective like i.e. about the roofs leak etc…
I love wood chord houses, I think they look awesome, I have concerns about bugs though in most areas… The way that bugs by nature eat away at dead wood sets it up for a very permiated wall I think, they tend to go strait up the grain and could get through very easily… If it was sealed and you were sure there were no bugs already in the wood to begin with I think it would be great! I have heard so many stories though of people cutting down trees and building furniture or whatever out of it, years later bugs start coming out… eggs can sit in the wood for a while so that side creeps me out! Looks pretty though!
I will have to run check out that post on Loyd’s site, thanks for the comment!
You found all the ones I was going to suggest! haha
I can’t wait to see what you do! Have you looked into earth-integrated houses? They are very similar to the very first picture you have up there, except 3/4 of the dwelling is within a hillside, or rock face, or some other large amount of earthy mass. The temperatures of these places can maintain around 60 degrees all year- regardless of weather.
I have, I have always called them berm buildings though, your terms seems much more legit! I will definitely be digging the house down at least a foot or two into the ground whichever way I go for exactly that reason! I love your input! Thanks for the suggestion!
Happy to hear in the winter Denny will be snuggling on the couch with you. Dogs are very social animals and I always feel sorry for dogs stuck outside when they would be happier in the house with their masters. Would it be possible to take a saw and cut down straw bales so they are not as thick, maybe cut down to 10 inch slabs? This would provide summer cooling insulation but reduce the bulk and provide a new technique for you to experiment with. Adore Denny. Have fun with him!
That is a GREAT idea, it just gave me another one too!
Denny man will definitely be with me as much as possible, I have noticed he’s just independent enough to like his own time too. it will just be a house available to him, it will never be ‘needed, he’s got a permanent spot in my home! 🙂
I am looking forward to seeing what you create for Denny’s outside abode. As a dog lover and owner of an adorable Aussie named Chloe, I am happy that you are sharing this adventure with us.
A cob doghouse sounds like a wonderful idea! Our’s would have to be fairly big, just to get the dogs to go in it. We love our strawbale house and cob extras, and building with bales and cob is the cat’s pajamas (sorry dogs!). You should definitely go for it, and have fun. 🙂
Where’d you find the digging dog doghouse? One of my dogs would LOVE that! I think a cob doghouse would be adorable!
Actually, fitting enough it is at Miller Pet Products (fitting because I am a Miller 🙂 ). http://www.millerpet.com/faq.html
the cone cob dog house http://handcraftedtravellers.com/build-your-own-cob-dog-house/
I like that one a lot, it would have to be ‘prettied up’ to meet my design standards but I love the functionality of it!
What about a miniature replica of your house?
but i’ve already made one of those! I want to try new techniques! 🙂
I love cob!!! But for your winters have you considered strawbale? Same look, more insulation . . .
Terry
Hi Terry!
I have and my ultimate house is a straw-bale one, I think for a dog house it will take up too much space with the thickness of the bales, and in winter he will be snuggled up on the couch! 🙂
cool a mini version to get your hands dirty. Hey what do you think about the wood chord houses ..they remind me of cob houses…. I like container idea….someone wrote a really good perspective about it on Loyd’s blog I think a while back. they wrote some things about it which was cool because it was a different perspective like i.e. about the roofs leak etc…
I love wood chord houses, I think they look awesome, I have concerns about bugs though in most areas… The way that bugs by nature eat away at dead wood sets it up for a very permiated wall I think, they tend to go strait up the grain and could get through very easily… If it was sealed and you were sure there were no bugs already in the wood to begin with I think it would be great! I have heard so many stories though of people cutting down trees and building furniture or whatever out of it, years later bugs start coming out… eggs can sit in the wood for a while so that side creeps me out! Looks pretty though!
I will have to run check out that post on Loyd’s site, thanks for the comment!
You found all the ones I was going to suggest! haha
I can’t wait to see what you do! Have you looked into earth-integrated houses? They are very similar to the very first picture you have up there, except 3/4 of the dwelling is within a hillside, or rock face, or some other large amount of earthy mass. The temperatures of these places can maintain around 60 degrees all year- regardless of weather.
I have, I have always called them berm buildings though, your terms seems much more legit! I will definitely be digging the house down at least a foot or two into the ground whichever way I go for exactly that reason! I love your input! Thanks for the suggestion!
Happy to hear in the winter Denny will be snuggling on the couch with you. Dogs are very social animals and I always feel sorry for dogs stuck outside when they would be happier in the house with their masters. Would it be possible to take a saw and cut down straw bales so they are not as thick, maybe cut down to 10 inch slabs? This would provide summer cooling insulation but reduce the bulk and provide a new technique for you to experiment with. Adore Denny. Have fun with him!
That is a GREAT idea, it just gave me another one too!
Denny man will definitely be with me as much as possible, I have noticed he’s just independent enough to like his own time too. it will just be a house available to him, it will never be ‘needed, he’s got a permanent spot in my home! 🙂
I am looking forward to seeing what you create for Denny’s outside abode. As a dog lover and owner of an adorable Aussie named Chloe, I am happy that you are sharing this adventure with us.
I’m sure you’ve seen the book Barkitecture – lots of fun (and outlandish!) ideas – not sure if there were any cob ones in there though.
I have never seen it! I’m looking it up though! That’s right up my alley! 🙂 Thanks for the comment!
A cob doghouse sounds like a wonderful idea! Our’s would have to be fairly big, just to get the dogs to go in it. We love our strawbale house and cob extras, and building with bales and cob is the cat’s pajamas (sorry dogs!). You should definitely go for it, and have fun. 🙂
Ohhh! I am going to dig into your blog, thank you for posting, you seem like a good contact to have as I get into this further!! 🙂