The document outlines a teaching programme to build walls using natural materials. It consists of 7 phases: 1) preparing materials; 2) implementing safety procedures; 3) making mixes for cob walls or wattle and daub partitions; 4) constructing cob lifts; 5) making compressed earth blocks; 6) making a wattle and daub partition wall; and 7) tidying up. Skills targeted include safety, mathematics, communication, and building techniques. The training will take place on May 21st from 9am to 5pm at a municipal greenhouse and involve demonstration, hands-on practice, and instruction. Registration is required.

1. TEACHING PROGRAMME
Building a wall with natural materials :
 Building a load-bearing cob wall
 Building an inside partition wall with wattle and daub and
untreated wood
 Building an inside partition wall or a thermal mass wall with
compresses earth blocks
Association Etudes et Chantiers Bretagne Pays de Loire
03 rue Jean Lemaistre
35000 Rennes
BUILDINGAWALLWITHBUILDINGMATERIALS
SKILLS TARGETED
Identify and apply safety rules
Assess the origin of risks
Apply safety rules
Identify the personal protective equipment suitable for materials
Organize the working area
Identify the appropriate equipment
Organize one’s intervention
Identify the different areas of the working site
 Use mathematics in professional situation
Take measures
Carry out math operations
Use measurement units
Calculate volumes, surfaces and perimeters
Apply the proportionality calculations for mortar dosages in particular
 Understand and communicate orally and in writing
Understand oral instructions
Understand written instructions, technical instructions, plans
Make a site report
 Build a load-bearing wall or an inside partition wall
Protect adjacent surfaces
Mix earth and straw to obtain the desired texture
Make cob lifts taking the laws of gravity into account
Make the masonry mortar
Build with compressed earth blocks
Follow a plan to cut the timber sections
Assemble timber frame
Install the laths as the timber frame is filled with the mud mix
Filling in the timber frame with wattle and daub
Clean and tidy up the site

2. PRE-CONDITIONS
Reading a document
Teamwork
Listening and keeping to instructions
FEATURES OF THE OCCUPATIONAL ACTIVITY
Working at height
Work with power tools
Activity requiring care in handling, upgrades and plumb
ORGANIZATION
Demonstration action on May 21 mai 2014
Schedule: 9 a.m.-12.30 / 1.30 -5 p.m.
Location: Municipal greenhouses, St Juvat
Number of participants: 15
Training supervisors : Robert Junalik, Erwan Pasco, Jean-Luc Etcheto

3. SUMMARIZED PROGRAMME
Activity Training method Durati
on
Phase 1 : preparation of material
Phase 2 : Implementation of safety procedures before the intervention
- Identification of key security points to implement
- Identification of PPE required
- Implementation of security conditions
Theoretical
introduction
30 min
Phase 3 : Making the mix
To prepare the mix, we need to :
- assess quantity and prepare the materials depending on their use (cob wall or
wattle and daub partition)
- Make the different mixes depending on their use
- Adjust dosages of the components
Training site 6h30
Phase 4 : Cob lift
The mix is made with mechanized tools (a mixing machine)
- Corse screening of the building earth material– the big stones must be kept for
the mechanical properties of the wall
- Prepare the mix with a mixing machine or a large concrete mixer
- Check plumbs all throughout the lift
- Scoop up patties with fork and place on wall
- Walk on wall to ensure they are thoroughly compacted into the wall
- Trim off excess with a sharp spade when cob is firm but not hard
The mix is made with hands and feet (with no mixing machine)
- Corse screening of the building earth material– the big stones must be kept for
the mechanical properties of the wall
- Prepare the mix making patties: slightly moistened earth is superimposed with
chopped straw, then tread on the mix
- Check plumbs all throughout the lift
- Scoop up patties with fork and place on wall
- Walk on wall to ensure they are thoroughly compacted into the wall
- Trim off excess with a sharp spade when cob is firm but not hard
-
Phase 5 : Making compressed earth blocks
- Very fine screening of the earth
- Slightly moistened earth is prepared
- The pressing machine is checked
- Fill in the mould with moistened and sieved earth
- Compression of the earth with the lever of the pressing machine
- The earth block obtained is removed from the mould
- The bricks are laid on a pallet
- Bricks are let to dry before use or used wet

4. Phase 6 : making an inside partition wall with wattle and daub
- Medium screening of the earth
- Preparing the mix with the mixing machine or large concrete mixer
- Cutting wood sections
- Assembling the wood frame
- Checking plumbs when assembling the frame
- The laths are fixed as cob is filled in
- Mud balls are made with hands and then thrown into the support
- Smoothing the excess of mix with a float
Phase 7 : Tidy up site
COST AND TRAINING SUPPORT
Educational cost and materials cost supported within the Libnam European interreg project
INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION
Please register with :
Typhaine Lesselingue
06 16 40 00 76
ec.bretagne.lesselingue@orange.fr