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Thread: Strawbale VS log home.

  1. #1

    Strawbale VS log home.

    About the cost, Bales seem a lot cheaper then logs (assuming they come from a logger). You must finish the walls with limestone, no idea how expensive this is.

    Ease of construction? Compared to block and tackle, bales looks easy and fast.

    Insulation? as good or better then log homes.

    Green? Straw grows a lot faster then trees.

    Strawbale homes seems like a good alternative to log homes to get mortgage free. Maybe I am completely off tough.

    I prefer the log home look by far but still, I can't deny my interest in straw bale homes.

    what say you?



  2. #2
    LHBA Member
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    Strawbale

    One of the complaints I've heard of more than any others with Strawbale construction is moisture in the walls. When it gets in, it takes radical surgery to fix the problem. This, I assume, would have to do more with the competency of the construction and the climate the home was in. Siesmic considerations would be something I would be interested to learn about that method of construction. I have not heard of the same problem with Cobb homes, as I've been told they can mitigate moisture.

    I know that here in the PNW, B&P log home construciton has proved itself in some pretty heavy quakes.
    The ubundance of logs make it more practical too.

    -A

  3. #3
    LHBA Member rreidnauer's Avatar
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    In the right environment, I

    In the right environment, I believe a properly planned and built strawbale home is an excellent choice. I've been trying to convince a friend in TX who's been looking for land in the Western part of the state, to seriously consider strawbale. (sadly, I don't think he wants to be bothered, and will likely end up with a manufactured home)

  4. #4
    LHBA Member Timberwolf's Avatar
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    I think strawbale can work just about anywhere.

    But like with anything, proper design need apply. There are SB homes even on the wet west coast. Proper sheltering and overhangs are key (hmmm, like a proper log home) as well as a proper mortar mix (the best ones seem to be almost like the LHBA recommended chinking mix). Most new SB houses being built are hybrids, that is Post and Beam framing is used with the bales as infill. That way the roof is up before the bales are stacked. If they are kept dry during contruction until the mortar is up, there shouldn't be any problems.

    I looked long and hard at this method of building. I just can't deny my log roots and must build B&P.

    Hmmm... maybe a garage....

  5. #5

    Hey Jason, Im thinking the

    Hey Jason, Im thinking the same, maybe a garage or chicken coop.... If using timber framing , im not sure sure about my ease of construction comment. When you think about complexity, what is easier then stacking logs? Straw baling would be easier if the walls are load bearing. There is one strawbale home near me and the walls are load bearing, I would really love to talk to the owners and see how the process went.

  6. #6
    LHBA Member Timberwolf's Avatar
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    I have a full set of DVD's on

    modern strawbale building. Lemme know if you ever want to borrow them.

  7. #7

    Thank you for the offer, are

    Thank you for the offer, are they from Andrew Morrison?

  8. #8
    LHBA Member Timberwolf's Avatar
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    Roger

    that!

  9. #9

    Strawbale and moisture

    Adubar is correct! The key is to keep the bales dry. Strawbale walls are designed to breath and, as such, they must be covered in a material that breathes. There is no need for vapour barriers in the walls of a strawbale house - in fact you don't want a vapour barrier. You can't use normal paint but rather must use something like cassein paints, or a limewash, or a silicate based paint - something that breaths.

    There are 3 types of bale homes. The first is a true load-bearing (for the purists) where the straw provides the insulation and the combo of the plaster and straw (what engineers call a stress skin panel) provide the structural. The second type is a post and beam type where it provides the structural support and the straw is used as infill and insulation. Finally, there is the hybrid. This type of strawbale home has enough wood in it to support the dead load of the roof but not enough to support a snow load - that is where the stress skin panel kicks in. This is the type of house that we had built (only because our local government would not allow load-bearing - don't get me going on this). While my real love is for log houses, my wife and I choose straw for environmental reasons. A field of straw is produced each year as opposed to the decades required for a log to grow. Straw provides R-values between R30 to R50 depending upon construction quality.

  10. #10

    Thank you for the

    Thank you for the explanation Ecky I appreciate it. Do you think you saved any money VS conventional construction. I know it probably wasn't your goal but I am still curious about costs.

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