G+1 with Cob and Adobe? Yes, Here's How!

No.097 — Read old posts on Tinyfarmlab.com
Reading Time 5 minutes

Many people believe natural buildings are limited to cozy single-story huts in dry desert climates. But history and contemporary innovations prove otherwise.

So…
Can mud hold up an upper floor in high rainfall areas?

Short answer:
Yes, you can.

Rammed earth and CSEB (Compressed Stabilized Earth Blocks) have already proven their strength in multistorey buildings.

From the Auroville Earth Institute in India to Vernacular Architecture Group projects in Africa, there are countless G+1 and G+2 buildings made from these materials, even in regions with heavy rainfall.

But what about mud in its purest form —
Cob or Adobe?

Can you go vertical with walls made of just clay, sand, straw, and water?

Yes, you can.
And it's already been done.

In England, cob houses over 300 years old still stand.

Many are double-storey, and they survive the damp British weather through stone plinths, generous roofs, and lime-based renders.


Recently, Kevin McCabe built the biggest cob house, almost like a cob castle.

Working in the Himalayas, a high rainfall and seismic zone, Didi Contractor built two-storey structures using adobe, stone, bamboo, and slate.

She elevated buildings on stone plinths, used thick earthen walls, and incorporated timber tie beams to bind the structure together.

Her most prominent buildings include the Dharmalaya Institute for Compassionate Living in Bir and the Sambhaavnaa Institute of Public Policy and Politics in Kandbari for public interest lawyer Prashant Bhushan.

What she taught us:
When you detail well, mud works even in the mountains, even in the rain.

In Bangladesh, where monsoons are unforgiving, Anna Heringer built the two-storey METI school using adobe and bamboo.

The lower floor used thick earthen walls, while the upper level used a light bamboo frame. She introduced a reinforced concrete bond beam, which is minimal but crucial to tie the structure safely.

Why You Need a Bond Beam

One of the most important, and often ignored, elements in earthen G+1 structures is the bond beam.

Placed at the top of the ground floor walls, a bond beam:

• Distributes loads from the floor or roof above

• Holds walls together during earthquakes or high winds

• Prevents cracks, bulges, and out-of-plane failure
  

  You can make it in:

  • Stone or timber, like traditional builders did

  • Reinforced Brick Concrete (RBC) or reinforced concrete when wood isn’t available
    
    

  Like Anna Heringer, we believe in using concrete where it matters, just not everywhere. A well-designed hybrid system allows us to stay rooted in natural materials while meeting today’s structural needs.
  
  Today, wood is expensive and often unsustainably sourced.
  
  In its place, we use:

  • Steel tie rods or ring beams

  • Bamboo joists

  • Steel Girders

  • Concrete lintels or bond beams in limited, strategic ways.
    

  This is not a compromise, it’s neo-vernacular design.

  We aren’t recreating the past.
  We’re continuing its logic.
  
  How Do You Build the Floor Between Ground and First?
  

  This is where vernacular ingenuity meets structural necessity.
  
  Here are multiple traditional and modern options for intermediate floors in natural buildings:
  

  1. Flat Brick Arches
  

  • Arches are built between parallel steel or timber beams.

  • Common in Indo-Islamic architecture and old haveli construction.
    

  2. Madras Terrace Roof
  

  • A clever composite system: brick laid on edge, lime concrete, plastered with lime and jaggery.

  • Highly durable and water-resistant perfect for humid or coastal areas.

  • Heavy, so requires strong walls and good bonding.
    

  3. Timber or Bamboo Joists
  

  • Laid across load-bearing walls, topped with planks or woven mats, and mud plaster.

  • Light and breathable, excellent for seismic zones.

  • Timber can be costly and scarce, but bamboo is a viable alternative if treated well.
    

  4. Stone Slabs on Girders
  

  • Flat sandstone or slate slabs are placed over stone or steel girders.

  • Seen in many old buildings across Rajasthan and the Western Ghats.

  • Heavy, but long-lasting and thermally stable.
    

  Each of these systems can be chosen based on:

  • Availability of materials

  • Local craftsmanship

  • Weight the walls can bear

  • Weather and moisture protection
    
    Always good to consult your structural consultant to what material thickness would work better

    
    Building a G+1 home with natural materials is not a dream.
    
    It’s possible.
    It’s been done.
    And it’s being done again.
    

    So What Needs to Be Taken Care Of?

    Raise the Building
    

    Use a stone or lime-stabilized plinth at least 450–600mm high.
    This keeps moisture away from the base of the walls.
    

    Protect the Walls
    

    Use lime or lime-clay plasters that breathe and shed water.
    Maintain them regularly.

    
    Design the Roof Thoughtfully
    

    • High-pitched roof with deep overhangs (900mm or more).

    • Use breathable, ventilated materials like clay tiles, slate, or girders with stone labs with lime waterproofing.
      

    Add a Tie Beam or Hybrid Frame
    

    While adobe and cob walls can take compressive loads, add bamboo, wood, or steel tie beams to resist horizontal forces and improve durability, especially in seismic areas.
    

    This is what neo-vernacular means.
    
    Anna says, and we agree.:

    More earth, less concrete.
    More skill, less waste.
    More beauty, less harm.
    

    Natural buildings aren’t just for the past.
    They’re a quiet answer to the future.
    
    Love,
    Raghav and Ansh

P.S.: If you still haven’t received our free guide, you can use this link.


What you can watch - The warmth and wisdom of mud buildings | Anna Heringer

What you can listen to - Mud Talks 1: Introductions / Why Adobe? / Why Passive Solar? / Why Owner Builder?

What You Can Read - Didi Contractor: A Self-Taught Architect Who Builds In Mud, Bamboo & Stone

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