Southern Cross Permaculture Institute

Building a Cob Oven

Our Cob Oven Building Workshop was held in May 2006. Learning the ancient craft of building a simple functional outdoor oven with a good group of people, good music excellent food shared and reasonable weather meant a great weekend for all.

Cob ovens are a low cost, low impact way of creating an alternative cooking source and provide an attractive focal point for community gatherings and family dinners. We decided to build ours in our big shed, as we are slowly turning this area into an outdoor entertaining area, and its near the kitchen. We plan to use the oven on our PDC courses, parties and to heat the shed in winter.

Thanks to all the participants who helped create the oven and to Cam Wilson and Sarah Massey for running the workshop. We hope to fire it up in October when Rick has returned from working in Indonesia. These pictures show the process.

Cam places sand on the rock and cement base, ready to lay the fire bricks.

Participants help lay the Fire Bricks.

The Dome shape is first created with sand as a mould for the Cob.

Wet Newspaper over the sand will help us remove the sand later.

The first layer of Cob is placed around the sand.

Cam and Theresa mix the mud (it was cold on the feet!!!).

Alby surveys the first layer, now scored to help bond the second layer, and with nails marking the door.

Second layer of Cob goes on.

The Chimney goes in.