Historians tell us that mankind began to build houses very early on. Apparently as soon as people looked for housing other than caves, straw bale house builders lived in Africa. Immigrants to America continued this craft in the mid-west, building one-story homes from baled stalks left after the grain harvest. Today, people who want affordable, durable, practical, and attractive housing are doing it again.
Straw makes great building material. It's better than hay, which has intrinsic value (it can be used or sold for animal feed), entices animals to chew on straw-based buildings, and can harbor insects. Stalks of grain when mature have the food value in the seed heads; the rest of the stalk is dry and lifeless. Even insects (including termites) don't bother with it.
A tightly-bound bale is a great insulator from heat and cold and also from sound. This means that this kind of home is superbly energy-efficient. The thick walls deaden sound so much that it's a problem during construction; those inside can't communicate with those on the other side of the wall unless they insert PVC pipes between bales for speaking tubes.
Another thing that attracts many to this ancient craft is the fact that anyone can build using bales. A one-story unit with simple lines can use bales as load-bearing walls. It's easy to stabilize the bales with iron rods or wood framing. Stucco outside and plaster within protects the material from the elements and daily wear, just like the ancient peoples did in buildings that lasted for centuries. The structures are more fire-resistant than wooden buildings.
Today there are workshops, blogs, informational books and websites, videos, and lots of how-to tips for people who want to build an affordable house of their very own. Using bales in construction results in savings on the initial costs of construction and even more impressive savings in energy and maintenance costs over the years. A basic one-story home with a slab foundation, stuccoed and plastered walls with reinforcing rods or framing, and a standard roof is a great DIY project.
It's a little different if you want a larger home. Authorities say that it's best to build up - a multi-story house - rather than out, since the greatest expense is in the foundation and the roof. Simple lines are best; any peaks or projections increase the chance of potential problems down the road. Steel reinforcing rods or conventional framing may be required for more these complex floor plans.
This type of structure works best in drier climates, but people are successfully living in straw-bale homes in the Pacific Northwest and in New England, where rain and snow are plentiful. All it takes is careful planning and over-hanging roofs. Thick walls mean that the apertures for doors and windows are deep, which gives old-world charm to interior rooms. Many floor plans are available to show how homeowners and contractors work with bales to make affordable but comfortable and beautiful housing.
Check out the photo galleries online to see homes of all sizes. Some are perfect for a homestead, while others fit right into any modern setting. In recent years, building codes have become friendlier to this kind of construction, and banks are more likely to extend financing to well-planned projects.
Straw makes great building material. It's better than hay, which has intrinsic value (it can be used or sold for animal feed), entices animals to chew on straw-based buildings, and can harbor insects. Stalks of grain when mature have the food value in the seed heads; the rest of the stalk is dry and lifeless. Even insects (including termites) don't bother with it.
A tightly-bound bale is a great insulator from heat and cold and also from sound. This means that this kind of home is superbly energy-efficient. The thick walls deaden sound so much that it's a problem during construction; those inside can't communicate with those on the other side of the wall unless they insert PVC pipes between bales for speaking tubes.
Another thing that attracts many to this ancient craft is the fact that anyone can build using bales. A one-story unit with simple lines can use bales as load-bearing walls. It's easy to stabilize the bales with iron rods or wood framing. Stucco outside and plaster within protects the material from the elements and daily wear, just like the ancient peoples did in buildings that lasted for centuries. The structures are more fire-resistant than wooden buildings.
Today there are workshops, blogs, informational books and websites, videos, and lots of how-to tips for people who want to build an affordable house of their very own. Using bales in construction results in savings on the initial costs of construction and even more impressive savings in energy and maintenance costs over the years. A basic one-story home with a slab foundation, stuccoed and plastered walls with reinforcing rods or framing, and a standard roof is a great DIY project.
It's a little different if you want a larger home. Authorities say that it's best to build up - a multi-story house - rather than out, since the greatest expense is in the foundation and the roof. Simple lines are best; any peaks or projections increase the chance of potential problems down the road. Steel reinforcing rods or conventional framing may be required for more these complex floor plans.
This type of structure works best in drier climates, but people are successfully living in straw-bale homes in the Pacific Northwest and in New England, where rain and snow are plentiful. All it takes is careful planning and over-hanging roofs. Thick walls mean that the apertures for doors and windows are deep, which gives old-world charm to interior rooms. Many floor plans are available to show how homeowners and contractors work with bales to make affordable but comfortable and beautiful housing.
Check out the photo galleries online to see homes of all sizes. Some are perfect for a homestead, while others fit right into any modern setting. In recent years, building codes have become friendlier to this kind of construction, and banks are more likely to extend financing to well-planned projects.
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