Hay Houses and Straw Buildings: Happiness is a Hay House
(Page 6 of 7)
July/August 1979
By the Mother Earth News editors
The most important consideration when erecting this type of shelter is the choice of a dry, well-drained location. If such a spot is unavailable, it'll be necessary to do some filling and grading to make sure the floor and the area outside the entrance-is higher than the surrounding ground . . . to avoid flooding.
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The frame of an 18' X 24' shed, for example, should consist of at least three rows of firmly set (sink 'em three to four feet deep!) posts . . . one group making up the front of the structure, one the back, and the third running down the "middle" of the room. The distance between rows-and between the individual poles in each group-shouldn't be more than six or eight feet. Remember, too, that the frame supports should be tall enough to provide ample headroom for both humans and animals.
When the uprights are in place, heavy girders can be set along the tops of the three rows of posts. If sufficiently sturdy poles aren't available for this application, a pair of 2" X 10" or 2" X 12" planks-set on edge side by side and bolted together-will make a satisfactory beam.
Lighter poles can serve as cross pieces from the center girder to the outside walls. If these supports are placed 1-1/2 to 2 feet apart, they'll keep most of the straw from falling through. (By covering the poles with a thick layer of plastic, you can both increase the straw's insulating abilities and help prevent leaks.)
When you use straw for a roof, keep in mind that-while flax straw and long hay tend to shed water-oat, barley, or wheat straw will absorb considerable moisture, add to the roof's weight, and tend to leak in the spring. Any straw or hay roof, however, will provide good insulation and waterproofing if it's at least two feet thick at all points . . . and built up even higher at the center. Make sure, too, that you build the roof out over the side walls ... to carry the water away from the structure.
Old railroad ties, concrete blocks, flat stones, or plastic can be used to keep the hay walls off the ground. When building with bales in extremely cold climates, consider using a double row of "blocks" for each wall. Also, be sure to stuff hay between the walls and the roof to keep heat from escaping . . . and examine the structure periodically to make sure it hasn't settled. And, of course, wire fencing must cover all exposed hay surfaces ... to keep your critters from "eating themselves out of house and home".
The size of the building's openings will be determined by the type of livestock to be housed there, but try to put all doors and windows on one side (preferably the south) to avoid excessive drafts. Cloth or plastic may be tacked over the windows in the winter and taken off when more air is needed. Usually, you'll want a tight door . . . sometimes both storm and inner doors are necessary.
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