Interest in straw bale construction continues grow in the US, especially among owner-builders. A completed straw bale house looks a lot as an adobe house in the Southwest, with thick walls, somewhat rounded corners, and stucco finish. From an eco standpoint, this building system includes a good deal opting for it. The thick walls insulate extremely well, and also the primary raw material is definitely an agricultural waste product.
Straw may be the dried stems that remain after harvesting grain, for example wheat, barley, oats, or rice. It does not make sense to plow all of the straw back to the soil, since the microorganisms necessary to break it down rob nitrogen in the soil, and therefore more fertilizers need to become added.
Until recently, straw was usually burned in fields after harvesting the grain. Traffic accidents brought on by burning straw during shifting winds have resulted in bans on burning in some areas, and pollution-control and safety regulations have greatly curtailed the practice. Using straw like a building material is a good method to make utilization of this waste product.
The thought of using baled straw like a building material dates back towards the late 1800s, soon after baling machines came to be. You will find strawbale houses in Nebraska that have organized well for more than the usual century. Some people resurrected this building system in the 1960s and '70s, also it began really increasing in popularity in the '90s.
There's two basic kinds of strawbale houses. With load-bearing strawbale construction, stacked bales function as the structural wall system, supporting the rooftop. With infill strawbale construction, a post-and-beam frame can serve as the structural system, and bales are utilized as infill, non-structural walls.
The load-bearing approach is more resource-efficient, but care needs to be come to ensure that the walls are sturdy enough. Usually, the bale walls are pre-compressed, using cables or threaded rod, before building the rooftop, so that they will not settle later and make the plaster to hack or roof to warp.
Load-bearing strawbale houses are usually restricted to just one story, along with a hip roof is generally required, since the weight of the roof is better distributed on the four walls. There are several building code jurisdictions in the Southwest in which load-bearing strawbale houses are actually accepted ought to be course.
Building officials are usually more open to infill strawbale construction. Using the infill system, there's more flexibility in house design and wall height, since the strawbale walls don't carry the load of the roof.
Another huge advantage in wetter climates is that the rooftop could be completed before the bales are stacked; when the roof has a reasonable overhang, the walls could be kept dry even when it rains during construction. Bales shouldn't be permitted to get wet during construction, because mold growth can ensue, causing indoor quality of air problems in the finished house. A whole lot worse, wet bales can rot as well as catch fire in the heat generated by the decay process.
With either approach, once the bale walls are completed, wire mesh is secured on sides. Plaster or stucco is then applied in layers; this can help to bolster the walls, keeps out rodents and insects, and offers exceptional fire resistance. If you are looking at a strawbale house, keep in mind that although strawbale walls might have to go upright, there's a lot of labor involved in plastering them. If you are contracting the work, plastering can be quite expensive.
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