FAQ: Design & Building Issues
How are the walls finished?
The surfaces of straw bales offer an excellent mechanical bond to various types of render. Cement, Lime, Earth and combinations of these are common finishes both inside and outside of the walls. The type of render to use depends on many factors including climate, micro-climate, the design of the building, material and skills availability and cost.
Render can be applied by hand, and this is where owner builders and their friends can really contribute and save. Alternatively, a pump can be hired and the process will take much less time, although cost more.
How do bale walls carry loads?
Both load-bearing and non-load-bearing straw bale houses have been built in Australia, NZ and around the world. Currently most builders use the conventional timber post-and-beam system that carries vertical loads and use the bales as in-fills (this is a non-load-bearing system). Lateral loads, such as wind loads and earthquake loads are carried by means such as diagonal steel straps. Also the rendered straw bale walls act as an additional structural system which makes them more resilient and flexible than the conventional brick/veneer homes. As the saying goes “nature will break what doesn’t bend”.
Load-bearing walls are constructed with pre-compressed straw bales carrying the load of the roof. These homes have special requirements in regards to maximum height, size and locations of openings, etc. Your straw bale builder can advise you of these.
How do you attach things to the walls?
There are many approaches to this. Tapered stakes can be driven into the walls and items can be secured to these. This will hold electrical boxes and typical shelving.
For extra-heavy loads, bolts can be run through the wall to oversized washers on the opposite side. When, for example, securing window and door jambs in openings, wooden dowels can be driven through pre-drilled holes in the wood and perpendicular to the "grain" of the straws.
How do you incorporate plumbing and electrical?
There are many approaches to this. Many builders use the precaution of installing pipes which could sweat or leak inside continuous sleeves within bale walls. Electrical boxes can be screwed to tapered stakes driven flush with the back of recesses cut into the straw, or use surface-mounted boxes. Conduits can be chased into the walls, or skirting ducts are a good option.
Workshops and Information sessions
Nothing prepares you for building your own home like hands on experience backed with theory which is based on research and current practice. There are several professional groups throughout Australia that are providing this experience for owner builders, professionals, and those who are just looking to be part of an old fashion barn raising. Dates for up coming events can be found on the AUSBALE calendar.
A workshop will give you a sense about the construction process and whether you should take on your own home. It provides a realistic idea of time to construct and render, and the opportunity to ask the questions that you have not thought of yet.
The options then are: to build yourself or employ someone to build it for you. You could employ a builder to do areas such as earthworks, slabs & footings, plumbing, frames, roofing etc; with the walls maybe sub-contracted by owner, or other experienced people who know how to raise straw bale walls.In terms of ease of construction and practicability, building with straw is very forgiving. Those who have attended workshops testify that the process of raising walls is great fun. Preparation for wall finishing and rendering/plastering is the longest part of a wall raising exercise.
Be weary of the friendly soles that have built one and become an instant expert.
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OoopsExperimental round building 'workshops' Brisbane
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 Comments
 Luke on October 18 2009 06:42:29
Would the Durra panels (the pressed strawpanels) be an option? They both look nice and insulate at the same time.
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Tan on August 22 2009 22:04:47
I built a steel portal frame straw bale house with a loft and lined the ceiling with b-grade plywood and polyester insulation. What we did was to s...
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Jeff on January 20 2009 18:58:00
We are also looking to use portal frames, and had looked at using fridge panel covered with coverbond steel, or a product like Corrolink from APS V...
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jessicarivett on October 20 2008 20:42:36
Hi, would be very interested to attend this workshop. Will keep checking for dates.
Cheers Chris
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