What Is Straw Bale Construction?
Straw bale construction is an environmentally friendly way to use natural materials to create buildings, such as houses and barns. The bales are usually composed of dried barley, wheat or rice that would otherwise be discarded or used as bedding or pulverized into landscape material. Buildings that are created using straw bale construction are sturdy, relatively inexpensive to build, and can be completed in less time than structures that are built using traditional methods. While straw bale construction is considered a staple of green living today, the concept is not new. Building a straw house was a relatively common approach in many areas where wood and other building materials were difficult to obtain. When covered with stucco, the homes were able to withstand even harsh weather conditions with relative ease. While the idea of straw bale construction fell out of favor in the early part of the 20th century, the renewed interest in sustainable living in the 21st century has led many p
-A sustainable construction and earth friendly type of building that has been around for a long time. Straw is the dead stalk material that is left after wheat, oats, rye or other grains are harvested. It is used mainly for bedding for livestock, mulch for gardens, or allowed to rot back into the soil. -There are two types of straw bale construction, load bearing and non-load bearing. The latter is the most popular type of building project and the easiest to finance and get permits for. Basically in a non-load bearing construction, a post and beam frame is erected and the straw bales are used as infilling material to create walls. The weight of the structure is supported by the post and beam framework and this means a very sturdy, long lasting building. Once the bales are in place the walls must be sealed with stucco or plaster. Once the house is up and stucco applied it is much like any other home or building The Benefits of Straw Bale Construction -It is a sustainable material, which
Straw bale building construction is a very sustainable, earth friendly type of building that has been around for a long time. It was popular in the plains states in the 1800 and 1900s because it utilized an available material and was easily done. Straw is the dead stalk material that is left after wheat, oats, rye or other grains are harvested. It is used mainly for bedding for livestock, mulch for gardens, or allowed to rot back into the soil. It is not at all like hay, is not a living product and can not be used interchangeably with hay. There are two types of straw bale construction, load bearing and nonloadbearing. the latter is the most popular type of building project and the easiest to finance and get permits for. Basically in a nonloadbearing construction a post and beam frame is erected and the straw bales are used as infilling material to create walls. All of the weight of the structure is supported by the post/beam framework and this means a very sturdy, long lasting buildin
