My Ideas on a Natural Plinth Wall

Triangulating Bales

Currently Straw bale buildings can only be applied to the level of the eaves, and cannot fill Gable ends due to their shape. 

But I am sure this is possible? 

I am going to test this theory on a couple of my own bales.  

Being able to build the bales up into gable ends will not only create a consistent building material, but will also make sure the insulation and air tightness is consistent throughout the wall, leaving no gaps.

Wish me luck.....

Sketchings out on site

Sketching/Doodling... the best way to remember is not to forget....

on site sketches

on site sketches

Alternative options for making the base and top ladders out of the Branches and Timbers I have at home on site.

Using a timber frame with mortise and tenon joints with pegs to hold the bales in compression.

This will eliminate the need for wires and lorry straps and can make a very aesthetically pleasing feature to the finished building.

For temporary structures like the one I will be erecting, Tyre foundations are useful if you have them lying around like we do.  They are easy to ram with earth and also have a bit of give from concrete foundation rigidity. 

Principles of Bale Design and Layout.

Clients should be able to design their own straw bale houses very easily, as it follows common sense principles.

Points which I have come across that are of great help:

• Know the dimensions of your bales before you draw up your final plan, I know mine are 350mm Width, 300mm high, 950mm long.  As this is the John deere Baler which we have on the farm.

The best thing to do is just confirm dimensions of bales from the source of your bales, as they vary a lot.

• Whole bales are much easier to deal with, and a great deal faster, so these should be used where possible, half bales are best, and no bales of less than half width should be used in openings, as they are weaker.  
• Another point with openings is to make sure that they do not occur any less than one bale away from corners (especially in load bearing).  
• It also makes construction a lot easier if the openings are dimensions of bales!

our window was half a bale wide and 3 bales high.  

• Remember when building loading (Nebraska) bearing that the bales will compress more than we will compress using the lorry straps due to the weight of the roof.  On average you should allow 10mm per bale. We have to make sure we consider this when we make window frames if they butt up to the top ladder.

With straw bale building, from everyone I have spoken to, it is more a case of common sense and practical experience, than engineering laboratory tests, that are put into practice here.  Tried and tested methods prevail.

I will now start my own testing using purely what I have on site.

 Home Grown House.