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Poured and puddled adobe (puddled clay, piled earth), today called cob, is made by placing soft adobe in layers, rather than by making individual dried bricks or using a form. "Puddle" is a general term for a clay or clay and sand-based material worked into a dense, plastic state. [ 21 ]
These sun dried mudbricks, also known as adobe or just mudbrick, were made from a mixture of sand, clay, water and frequently tempered (e.g. chopped straw and chaff branches), and were the most common method/material for constructing earthen buildings throughout the ancient Near East for millennia.
Adobe and clay can be sculpted into built-in forms and structures, such as seats and shelving, and fired with the rest of the house. Adding oxides and different types of sand and clay can create different finishes. The most important mineral oxide in glazing is silica (which makes glass). Low fired glazes are preferable for houses.
Wall murals show that adobe production techniques were highly advanced in Egypt by 2500 BC. [11] Adobe construction is common throughout much of Africa today. [31] Adobe bricks are traditionally made from sand and clay mixed with water to a plastic consistency, with straw or grass as a binder.
It can be used to create artistic and sculptural forms, and its use has been revived in recent years by the natural building and sustainability movements. In technical building and engineering documents, such as the Uniform Building Code of the western USA, cob may be referred to as "unburned clay masonry," when used in a structural context.
Adobe colored with clay and polished with natural oil makes an attractive and resilient floor. [4] To protect the walls and reduce maintenance, adobe buildings usually have large overhanging eaves and sizeable foundations. Adobe can be plastered over with cob or lime-based mixes for both appearance and protection.
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Adobe bricks used around the world are generally only sun dried but grasses, straw and other materials are added to the clay for the same basic reasons. [ 3 ] The ancient brick-making process can still be seen on Egyptian tomb paintings and models.