[Greenbuilding] building a wall (not a building) out of strawbales

Frank Tettemer frank at livingsol.com
Thu Oct 9 06:39:39 CDT 2014


Sam's Straw Bale mantra is true for all buildings, of course. Also true 
for straw bale and cob walls.

Here in Ontario, Canada, the climate, as such, is too frequently rainy 
for long-term life of an exposed straw bale wall, in my opinion.  
Arizona would elicit a different response.

I've attached a photo of what may be a successfully sustainable straw 
bale wall, here in Ontario. Time will tell us more. The owners have 
built this only this year.

The first question, really: What's your climate like, Reuben?

Frank Tettemer
Living Sol ~ Building and Design
www.livingsol.com
613 756 3884

On Oct 9, 2014 4:49 AM, Sam Ewbank wrote:
The mantra of the strawbale builder I know is "hat and boots".
Get the bales up off the ground and and big enough roof overhangs to 
protect the wall.
A lime plaster finish or add some horse pucky for strength.

Sam

On Oct 9, 2014 12:42 AM, "Reuben Deumling" <9watts at gmail.com 
<mailto:9watts at gmail.com>> wrote:
I'm not a member of any strawbale forum so I'll pose my question here 
since we used to talk about strawbale construction quite a bit here on 
the greenbuilding list and some of you surely know enough to set me 
straight.

  I'm considering surrounding a large garden with a wall to keep the 
deer out. Since strawbales are plentiful and cheap around these parts I 
thought of them first. To keep the wall from disintegrating (assuming 
the plan to use straw bales for the purpose has merit) I'm expecting to 
seal up the wall with plaster or some equivalent layer. Is this 
difficult? Foolish? Necessary? Will I need a roof over the top of the 
wall or can I plaster the top as well as the sides?

-- 

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