Best Time to Start a Cob Building?

No.103 — Read old posts on Tinyfarmlab.com
Reading Time 5 minutes

When is the right time to start building a house of mud?

Cob is timeless.
People have been sculpting shelters with earth for centuries.

But like farming, timing matters.

Begin too late, and the rains arrive before your roof.
The secret to a joyful, durable build is to follow the rhythm of the seasons.

July - August – September: Begin with Design

In India, usually this is monsoon time.
We suggest to our clients that this is the ideal time to begin the design process.

This window gives space for:

• Site visits before winter sets in

• Observe how rainwater flows through the site

• Iterations in design and layout

• Planning spaces around light, wind, and terrain

• Estimating material needs

By the time winter arrives,
your dream is sketched,
your vision is clear,
and your project has a roadmap.

October – November: Site Preparation & Material Gathering

Winter is approaching, and there is a nip in the air.

This is when we:

• Start site leveling work

• Stockpile earth, straw, and sand

• Salvage doors and windows

• Get wooden frames ready for openings

• Make smaller, drier cob mixes for testing

• Build retaining walls if required

• Source materials for the roof

• Line out the building and begin excavation works

  
  

December - February

Winter is slow, quiet, but essential phase.
The shorter days and slower drying times make it perfect for laying the foundation and doing the plinth work.
This is when we:

• Begin rubble trench foundations

• Build the stone stem walls

• Erect the door frames

• Start building the cob walls

This season is about patience.
The house is being born and rising from the ground.

The walls dry slowly as days are shorter and the temperatures are low.

It makes sense to create drier mixes by adding more sand and less water, allowing the walls to dry faster.

February–April: The Wall-Raising Season

Spring brings longer days, pleasant weather, and faster drying. This is the engine of cob building.

• Walls rise faster through collective hands and feet

• Mixes dry evenly without cracking

• Community energy flows, it’s the season of workshops and gathering

• You can lay the subfloor

• Raise the walls and make them ready for the roof

May–June: Putting on the hat

The goal during this season is clear: get a roof overhead before the monsoon arrives.

This is the most decisive stage in cob construction, when the earthen body of the house finally receives its hat.

• Timber beams and rafters are placed over the cob walls

• Sheathing and insulation are layered

• Waterproofing membranes are laid

• Roof coverings —tiles, slate, etc., are fixed in place

• Essential services (electrical conduits, plumbing lines) are embedded

• Early coats of plastering can begin under the shelter of the new roof

Once the hat is on, the house can breathe a sigh of relief. Even if the monsoon arrives early, the walls are safe. The roof becomes a sanctuary under which finishing works can continue uninterrupted.

Monsoon & Beyond

By the time the rains arrive, your cob home is protected. Work doesn’t stop; it simply shifts focus, unless the site is in a remote area that loses access. With the roof in place, you can continue:

• Plastering interiors with clay and lime

• Sculpting niches, shelves, and seating

• Finishing floors

• Lime washes, detailing, and artistic touches

Above is an ideal timeline for building with cob.
Even if one is not able to finish the walls and put the roof overhead, it’s ok.
We’ve successfully protected fresh cob walls with tarps during monsoons, it works fine.



That is the beauty of building with earth:
you don’t force it.

You move with the rhythm of the sun,
the rains, and the soil beneath your feet.

If you’ve been carrying the idea of a mud house in your heart, this season is the perfect moment to begin. Reach out to us at Tiny Farm Lab, if you are looking for some hand-holding.

 
Love,
Raghav and Ansh

P.S.: If you are on LinkedIn, let’s connect. You can read our latest post here.


What you can watch - Cob Mahal Chapter 1: Good Boots - The Rubble Trench Foundation

Check out the building videos of the wonderful cob palace by Mike and Nalini.

What you can listen to - That Roundhouse with Tony Wrench on Building Sustainability Podcast

What You Can Read - From cob to concept is rural mod

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