Building a Staw Bale House

(Page 9 of 10)

December/January 1995
By Athena and Bill Steen 
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FOR MORE INFORMATION

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Construction Sequence for Load-Bearing and In-fill Straw Bale Buiilding General Guidelines

STEP 1 DESIGN and SITING CONSIDERATIONS

Keep it small and simple to reduce financial and ecological costs. Incorporate passive solar principles to take full advantage of the super-insulated bale walls. Orient long axis of building east to west for maximum solar gain and incorporate regionally appropriate amounts of glazing and thermal mass. Select building materials that are energy efficient, have low embodied energy, have been recycled or salvaged, are nontoxic, safe, and beautiful. Site building appropriate to its function, aesthetics, the land, and environment. Build as much as you can with family, friends, and those wanting to learn.

STEP 2 SELECTION AND STORAGE OF BALES

Select only dry, compact bales and purchase as close to the time of the wall-raising as possible. Average the size of the bales for height, length, and width. Store the bales off the ground in small, multiple, crowned stacks. Cover with good quality tarps that are securely fastened.

STEP 3 FOUNDATION

Make the foundation as wide as the bales and elevate it at least six inches above grade and four inches above the finished floor level. Bales can be used as formwork for foundation. If a tie-down system for the roof plate will pass through the foundation, provisions such as PVC pipe need to be placed. Set any anchor bolts or eyebolts needed. Place rebar pins for impaling the first course of bales. Moisture-proof the top of the foundation.

LOAD-BEARING BALE WALLS

Steps 4 through 7 are different for load-bearing and in-fill

STEP 4 WINDOW AND DOOR BUCKS

Fabricate window and door bucks Attach door bucks to the foundation.

STEP 5 WALLRAISING

Install braces at corners. If using all-thread, screw on 3-ft. length sections to anchor bolts in the foundation, adding sections with coupling nuts as needed. Stack bales (laid flat), overlapping the joints, starting at corners and door bucks. Never force bales into place. Staple or tie together corners at each course. Install window frames as walls go up. Level and adjust walls. Pin bale walls at 4th, 5th, and 7th courses with 5-ft. long rebar or bamboo pins, two per bale. Moisture-proof tops of window sills with plastic of black paper.

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