(Satisfied after today’s good progress – See the new cob at the top of the wall there?)

With help from my most enjoyable new work exchangers Dan and Danielle, I am inching closer and closer to the roof of my cob house. Today marked the completion of one of the few remaining and more challenging elements before that happens, though — installing joists for a wide shelf positioned above the (future) cob bed.

Yesterday, we built a joist rig with some 2×4s that could be buried in the cob: three 38? long joists attached to one long 2×4 banged out with lots of nails. This whole thing was placed on the cob wall and leveled, joists braced, and then cobbed in place. Hopefully the joists will be strong, as they are buired in all 16? of the cob wall. The shelf will be 22? wide and 7.5? long and will mostly be for storage.

Time will tell whether or not the joists are buried in enough wall to support the weight of potential clutter on the shelf. I am hopeful!