Cob Houses Are The Next Hottest Trend Amongst Tiny House Lovers

Tiny homes have swept the world, and now they’re popping up all the time as people choose to live an alternative, simple lifestyle. There’s no perfect way to construct a tiny house, techniques and materials vary from the minimal to the eccentric.

Some stick to the classic techniques such as concrete and drywall, but other builders have selected varieties of wood, even building them in hillsides sometimes. Whatever the material, with sustainability and eco-friendly living on the rise, people are constantly searching for alternative ways to construct their dream home.

While some of the common building techniques have been mentioned, perhaps one of the best methods is neither new nor trending. This unique method of building may actually be one of the oldest.

For hundreds of years, people in different regional areas have constructed their homes from the earth. No, we’re not talking about Hobbits from Lord Of The Rings! Believe it or not, dirt actually makes for one of the most flexible and strongest building materials that exist on the planet. There’s also no shortage of it!

A number of builders are catching onto this new trend called “Cob Houses,” and you can check out some of the unique finished products underneath.

While in some countries living amidst the dirt might signal poverty or a lesser way of life, we argue that living in one of these homes looks pretty appealing! In other areas of the world, these types of homes have a totally different reputation. They’re considered historical, innovative, and very beneficial for the owners and the environment.

There’s a rapidly growing dirt house movement in the U.K. as people realize that dirt is not only plentiful, but it’s very powerful when used as a material for building.

Here’s an example of another cob house that looks very picturesque while tucked away on a green hill.

This “dirty” trend that becoming more and more popular is called “cob,” and it doesn’t involve using the topsoil but rather the “subsoil” found just underneath.

After mixing the subsoil with water, it hardens into something that could be considered as tough as cement. Then a fibrous substance like weeds, wood, or straw is mixed into the cob to make the building even sturdier.

This cob method of building was much popular in the late 1800s and early 1900s, but eventually, traditional building materials such as drywall and concrete took over. Due to the growing popularity of tiny homes and sustainable living, cob is making somewhat of a comeback!

Since the materials are natural and an abundance of it can be found and built with, it’s obvious why cob homes are becoming more popular in construction. Not to mention they can look really cool!

Although the exterior looks warm and inviting, some might wonder how practical these homes are on the interior. Rest assured, they’re still very usable for the day-to-day living!

We expect to see this centuries-old building technique become an option for many more people in the next few years, and it might just be a great way to build your dream home!

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