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Chopped Straw for Plaster and Cob
Karen

Created by

Karen

11. October 2026SE
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Chopped Straw for Plaster and Cob

Straw gives clay plasters, cob and mud bricks tensile strength: its fibres hold the clay together as it shrinks and stop cracks. Natural builders cut it short for plaster, about 6 to 25 mm, and longer for structural cob, about 25 to 75 mm. Dry, clean wheat or rye straw is best.
Beginner
1 hour per sack

Instructions

1

Choose the length

Plaster: 6–25 mm. Cob: 25–75 mm. Decide before you start.

Tools needed:

Tape MeasureTape Measure
2

Chop on a block

Lay a handful of straw across a log end and chop it into lengths with the machete or billhook, feeding the bundle forward a length at a time.

Materials for this step:

StrawStraw5 kg

Tools needed:

MacheteMachete
BillhookBillhook
Leather Work GlovesLeather Work Gloves
Safety GlassesSafety Glasses
3

Sieve for plaster

For plaster, shake the chopped straw over a coarse wire sieve: what passes is plaster straw, what stays goes to cob or back to the block.

Tools needed:

Coarse Wire Mesh SieveCoarse Wire Mesh Sieve
Large Plastic Tub 100LLarge Plastic Tub 100L
Dust MaskDust Mask
4

Bag it dry

Store in sacks somewhere dry; damp straw goes mouldy.

Tools needed:

Burlap Storage SackBurlap Storage Sack

Materials

1
  • 2
    Straw
    5 kg
    Placeholder

Tools Required

9

CC0 Public Domain

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