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Step 1
Patch damage to interior walls with more cob. Repair damage to external walls with a lime-sand plaster covering over a roughened surface. It's important to roughen the surface because the plaster won't stick otherwise, and then you just apply the plaster directly to the cob.
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Step 2
Build a strong, high foundation, especially in damp moist areas of the country. This will protect your home from water seepage and make it easier to maintain.
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Step 3
Coat walls with a mixture of pumice and cob for insulation. A very thick wall, 1 to 2 feet in depth, has excellent thermal mass, but not much insulating capacity.
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Step 4
Apply oil to the cob floors, walls and any built-ins like bookcases, which waterproofs them and keeps them smooth to the touch. Some suggest linseed oil for this purpose. Additionally, since the cob material is soft, you need to protect heavily used walk areas against dents with rugs and carpets.
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Step 5
Use passive solar heating because cob retains heat. You can also use a rocket heater made of cob. Maintaining a steady temperature by not letting the house get too cold makes good use of your cob material, which has good temperature retention properties.
