so I am in Northern Wisconsin, if I wanted to build a 20 x 20 ft. cottage using cement block and then use the straw bales as the insulation on the inside of the house. would you need to have a gap of at least 2 to 4 inches between the inside of the cement block walls and the straw bales, or just put them flush up against the cement block?? I assume you need a small gap between the straw and cement block for the cement block and straw to sort of breathe?
@@stumeister6891 trying to build at 63 for my husband (stroke) & grandson & his wife & my great-granddaughters. We are BEYOND poor, but do own our land. Our conventional home burnt prior to his stroke. With the pandemic came 10, 1 passed, 1 born, now 5 mos old. I'm desperately in need of a cheap (now snowing FYI!) plaster to survive Maine winters (to neg40F). Any help, ideas are desperately needed & sincerely appreciated, I'm sorry to write this, it is very humiliating. Thank you
@@MsJPDowneast I do not work in construction industry, if you are building a straw bale home then there must be some helpful videos here on U tube to offer some sound advice
@@MsJPDowneast Hi Mrs Jan, asking for help takes strength of character and many of us are happy to help if we can! As a very quick note to help you research for the technics and materials on a cheap, you can do a load bearing straw bale (or strawbale) wall stacking the bales alternated and with the smallest dimensional axe vertical for stability. A vertical wall compression system, I would recommend nylon packaging straps but there are other ideas out there. A high concrete foundation with steel rod inner structure and a bed of gravel (the concrete must go bellow your ground frost line). Exterior lime plaster, steep roof with a good overhang all around the perimeter to keep the melting snow away from your wall and foundations, and a french drain along the uphill sides of the foundation (all around if it's flat). For the roof I believe the cheapest and easiest is sandwich with rockwool (much cheaper but harder and roomy) or esp type of foam. Chimney vertical from your stove and off the roof. This should give you some directions, there are plenty of channels with lots of tricks and very progress oriented. Start by figuring out who you're buying the bales from and start drawing according to the bales dimensions and order your bales as soon as possible due to socialist globalism!!! also once you start the building you need to do it all the way cause the longer the bales are exposed the higher the chances for mice to start living there and molds. Hope this will help, good luck! Best wishes.
this method of building housing using straw and mud was used thousands of years ago in Iraq and did not require a professor level but farmers and decent people without degrees used to build their own homes. I hope America in future to change the way they build their houses that can sustain for years.
Cool teacher. Teaching things that you can use in life. I wonder how they feel about putting air ventilation through out the floor to push heat through the floor from in the house on a constant recycle. would it help keep the floors warm with just the heat from the house circulating though some large diam pvc though the floor?
I have been reading and watching a lot about strawbale recently, I thought across all the different building materials where you use straw, cob, and other earthen materials it was important to have zero metal inside the walls because of condensation? Is that incorrect, or did yall do something to mitigate the issue?
It's a problem for sure but the engineers demand something of the sort, I've seen nylon packaging straps and seems to be a great long term and cheap solution.
I like everything about straw bale building but I have one concern that none of the many videos I've watched on the subject address. Growing up on a farm I know that bales come out of the baler under considerable compaction tension and are held together with just binder twine. I have often seen this twine break or one of the knots let go. If this happens to a bale in the middle of a wall the bales around it would hold it together but if it happened to a bale at the end of a wall I don't think the little bit of clay plaster covering it would be enough to contain the expansion force. Anyone have any thoughts on this ?
Generally straw bale should always be held together or compacted with an additional border other than the twine around them. Majority of the time it is wooden. This would hold together any bales that unwind. Or it should. That's why they are incorporated
If low quality twines reinforce it with wire or, even better, nylon packaging straps. Wood and metals inside the wall will inevitably cause rot and rust issues. The steel wire is such a small surface, it would dry before any rust forms, or just do the nylon straps.
There are straw bale houses from the 1800s still standing in Nebraska. The R-value of the walls exceed 33. This is an extremely durable and energy efficient way to build.
I've wondered about using synthetic rubber or a polymer maybe that is long lasting and from a more renewable source and more bioequivalent, so seal the bales as well as hold the form maybe with some contribution to structure at least externally. Then using these as a building material. The paradigm of thinking is for the straw bales to last extremely longer in more extreme conditions and was thought about in regards to building underground structures maybe a decade back in my mind. In particular, using outside of a poured underground wall structure to help waterproof and insulate that footing and walls. I was thinking once the wall is sealed and the bales are stacked, another rubber or polymer coating can be sprayed on that so to have a Radon and moisture proof barrier for centuries.
Straw clay bale house is meant to breathe in order to let vapor in and out, the house needs to be water proof, not air tight! This is very important otherwise the house might rot. A good barrier at the bottom, lime plaster on the outside (wich prevents water to penetrate but lets the `skin` breathe, and, most important, a roof with enough `overhang` so most of the wall stays dry will prevent for the construction to become too wet. And, even if it gets wet, its not a problem, it will dry because the water can evaporate. Besides, using silicons and polymers defeats the purpose of using organic materials. They arent healthy to live in eather because they release toxic substances all the time, that you breathe in. Its not the future, at least if we care for our health one bit
@@hetedeleambacht6608 I see, yes I was aware. 100% on board with the application. Mainly, was thinking in regards to the potential use of straw bales underground as insulation and securing those properties in a sealed waterproof longest lived design. Seems even if in between two walls of Ultra High Performance Concrete UHPC or stone sheets sealed at the seams extremely well to be waterproof, there is potential even in the most humid environments to have a 100's of years long lasting insulating resource that is more bioquivalent compared to the energy consumed to manufacture rockwool or fiberglass insulation. Also, still somewhat carbon fixing as well.
Based on the research that I've done apparently mice Don't like straw they like hay. hey has nutrition in it where is straw is the byproduct after all the nutrition is ripped out basically straw is the banana peel and hay is the fruit. Is sealed properly and no major gaps are left behind, pests are not a problem with straw structures
@@candacewilliams3367 What's with your alien-type utterances? (eg. Mnjkwdt). You overjoyed to find a simple, inexpensive building method (straw bale)? If so, you're excused :)
@@TheMightyGinkgo In cold and damp environments they might seek refuge in it but one can cover, at least, a lower strip of the wall as a skirt all around with a thick tarp or house wrap.
Hay, as Ginkgo referred, is mice food, for building is straw. As a roof insulation it isn't effective because it would be loose, it must be confined to a minimal space without collapsing the straws (need to keep the inner straws section for air gap). They probably used rockwool or maybe hemp fiber (much more expensive) as they are natural.
it doesnt by itself, since there is nothing in it that bacteria like, unless it gets wet, and stays wet. Which wouldnt be the case if you build well. Straw is the leftover of the nourishing hay, that feeds cattle. Not much to rot there....
As the saying goes, it's really all about the hat and the shoes. If there's a good roof and a good foundation, the walls will almost certainly be fine. I *might* be concerned in an incredibly humid climate like a jungle, but when most of the moisture is in the form of snow and rain, the straw bale walls will perform admirably and provide very respectable insulation.
This design will rot from the inside out. Running steel, or anything that can condense liquid in a breathing wall will collect moisture. A natural cordage run through is better.
Forgive my ignorance, but the metal will be the same temperature as the straw right? And the vapor condenses because of a change in temperature, not only because of the material it touches right? So the moisture level would be equal regardless?
Were, I to win the Power or Mega Jackpot That is the type of house I'll build Well have built but it will be, MUCH, MUCH bigger LARGE living/dining/kitchen. half bath. Master suite, guest suite 4 Jack and jills Office/library/Den. Home schooling a room for cats. This house will have a basement. (SOMEWHERE on large acreage in MN on a lake or stream).
@@unbeIievabIe It's pure superstition and than comes nasa saying the satellite data didn't match so they had to run corrections :D But this is nothing new, it's been going since the 50's, at least!
Well, if they see the results, maybe in the end they start to care ....all roads lead to rome? the proof is in the pudding but then you need huge shovels to remove some peoples eye shells@@buteos8632
Finally college professor teaching something practical!!!
What a great professor. He is doing great work.
I would have went to college if this was my classroom, and that was my professor.
That wrap around porch will protect the exterior finish. Nice👍🏼
I’m a mech eng - been reviewing sustainable building methods over the past few years - in our northern climate, straw bale is the best (IMO)
so I am in Northern Wisconsin, if I wanted to build a 20 x 20 ft. cottage using cement block and then use the straw bales as the insulation on the inside of the house. would you need to have a gap of at least 2 to 4 inches between the inside of the cement block walls and the straw bales, or just put them flush up against the cement block?? I assume you need a small gap between the straw and cement block for the cement block and straw to sort of breathe?
@@stumeister6891 trying to build at 63 for my husband (stroke) & grandson & his wife & my great-granddaughters. We are BEYOND poor, but do own our land. Our conventional home burnt prior to his stroke. With the pandemic came 10, 1 passed, 1 born, now 5 mos old. I'm desperately in need of a cheap (now snowing FYI!) plaster to survive Maine winters (to neg40F). Any help, ideas are desperately needed & sincerely appreciated, I'm sorry to write this, it is very humiliating. Thank you
@@MsJPDowneast I do not work in construction industry, if you are building a straw bale home then there must be some helpful videos here on U tube to offer some sound advice
@@MsJPDowneast Hi Mrs Jan, asking for help takes strength of character and many of us are happy to help if we can! As a very quick note to help you research for the technics and materials on a cheap, you can do a load bearing straw bale (or strawbale) wall stacking the bales alternated and with the smallest dimensional axe vertical for stability. A vertical wall compression system, I would recommend nylon packaging straps but there are other ideas out there. A high concrete foundation with steel rod inner structure and a bed of gravel (the concrete must go bellow your ground frost line). Exterior lime plaster, steep roof with a good overhang all around the perimeter to keep the melting snow away from your wall and foundations, and a french drain along the uphill sides of the foundation (all around if it's flat). For the roof I believe the cheapest and easiest is sandwich with rockwool (much cheaper but harder and roomy) or esp type of foam. Chimney vertical from your stove and off the roof. This should give you some directions, there are plenty of channels with lots of tricks and very progress oriented. Start by figuring out who you're buying the bales from and start drawing according to the bales dimensions and order your bales as soon as possible due to socialist globalism!!! also once you start the building you need to do it all the way cause the longer the bales are exposed the higher the chances for mice to start living there and molds. Hope this will help, good luck! Best wishes.
actually hemp is better, for a few reasons :)
this method of building housing using straw and mud was used thousands of years ago in Iraq and did not require a professor level but farmers and decent people without degrees used to build their own homes. I hope America in future to change the way they build their houses that can sustain for years.
I love the idea, I don't know if state regulations or even worse banks will approve of this construction method.
A number of states have code for straw bale building. In 2000, AZ, NM had code, more states have added code since then.
Respect y all folks!
Cool teacher. Teaching things that you can use in life. I wonder how they feel about putting air ventilation through out the floor to push heat through the floor from in the house on a constant recycle. would it help keep the floors warm with just the heat from the house circulating though some large diam pvc though the floor?
It's good to have a sawmill.
I have been reading and watching a lot about strawbale recently, I thought across all the different building materials where you use straw, cob, and other earthen materials it was important to have zero metal inside the walls because of condensation? Is that incorrect, or did yall do something to mitigate the issue?
I've heard this too and was wondering the same thing
It's a problem for sure but the engineers demand something of the sort, I've seen nylon packaging straps and seems to be a great long term and cheap solution.
Can you cover the straw bale with wood shingles without plastering?
How is its fire resistance?
I like everything about straw bale building but I have one concern that none of the many videos I've watched on the subject address. Growing up on a farm I know that bales come out of the baler under considerable compaction tension and are held together with just binder twine. I have often seen this twine break or one of the knots let go. If this happens to a bale in the middle of a wall the bales around it would hold it together but if it happened to a bale at the end of a wall I don't think the little bit of clay plaster covering it would be enough to contain the expansion force. Anyone have any thoughts on this ?
Generally straw bale should always be held together or compacted with an additional border other than the twine around them. Majority of the time it is wooden. This would hold together any bales that unwind. Or it should. That's why they are incorporated
Usually they use wire mesh over the outside too although they didn't in this construction
If low quality twines reinforce it with wire or, even better, nylon packaging straps. Wood and metals inside the wall will inevitably cause rot and rust issues. The steel wire is such a small surface, it would dry before any rust forms, or just do the nylon straps.
Reinforce in with steel wire in place of the twine
Modern synthetic twine seems to last forever, I am always cursing it when it finds its way into the fields from manure piles
I’m trying to build a greenhouse in Oklahoma using straw bales. I would like to copy your plans. Do you have the design plans?
General JellyRoll k
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The Vatican m.’q. Ram/)34’f. Hg,
How did the build go?
How many years will this house last ?
How warm would this be ? I'm in northern Ontario Canada
There are straw bale houses from the 1800s still standing in Nebraska. The R-value of the walls exceed 33. This is an extremely durable and energy efficient way to build.
@@bencarter9072 Yes, especially if the straw is in the ceiling and floor as well.
Excellent work
thank you for this
wish they had this at my college
I've wondered about using synthetic rubber or a polymer maybe that is long lasting and from a more renewable source and more bioequivalent, so seal the bales as well as hold the form maybe with some contribution to structure at least externally. Then using these as a building material. The paradigm of thinking is for the straw bales to last extremely longer in more extreme conditions and was thought about in regards to building underground structures maybe a decade back in my mind. In particular, using outside of a poured underground wall structure to help waterproof and insulate that footing and walls. I was thinking once the wall is sealed and the bales are stacked, another rubber or polymer coating can be sprayed on that so to have a Radon and moisture proof barrier for centuries.
Straw clay bale house is meant to breathe in order to let vapor in and out, the house needs to be water proof, not air tight! This is very important otherwise the house might rot. A good barrier at the bottom, lime plaster on the outside (wich prevents water to penetrate but lets the `skin` breathe, and, most important, a roof with enough `overhang` so most of the wall stays dry will prevent for the construction to become too wet. And, even if it gets wet, its not a problem, it will dry because the water can evaporate. Besides, using silicons and polymers defeats the purpose of using organic materials. They arent healthy to live in eather because they release toxic substances all the time, that you breathe in. Its not the future, at least if we care for our health one bit
@@hetedeleambacht6608 I see, yes I was aware. 100% on board with the application. Mainly, was thinking in regards to the potential use of straw bales underground as insulation and securing those properties in a sealed waterproof longest lived design. Seems even if in between two walls of Ultra High Performance Concrete UHPC or stone sheets sealed at the seams extremely well to be waterproof, there is potential even in the most humid environments to have a 100's of years long lasting insulating resource that is more bioquivalent compared to the energy consumed to manufacture rockwool or fiberglass insulation. Also, still somewhat carbon fixing as well.
Can windows be added to an existing straw bale house?
Yes, once the mud holds it firmly, you can basically create a hole anywhere (e.g. using a chainsaw).
Why don't you put used or new field fence or chicken wire over the straw to strengthen the plaster?
awesome
How much did this all cost ?
Damn, this makes me want to go to MU.
Looks like an ideal location for solar panels...
Good job!
1. Does cutting down tree to substitute cement reduce carbon foot print?
2. Straw would compost over the time and crack would appear.
It does not compost over time as it is sealed by mud and the moisture level is extremely low.
What about roofing insulation and hay?
Also, what was used on this project to insulate the ceilings?
Based on the research that I've done apparently mice Don't like straw they like hay. hey has nutrition in it where is straw is the byproduct after all the nutrition is ripped out basically straw is the banana peel and hay is the fruit. Is sealed properly and no major gaps are left behind, pests are not a problem with straw structures
Mnjkwdt
@@candacewilliams3367 What's with your alien-type utterances? (eg. Mnjkwdt). You overjoyed to find a simple, inexpensive building method (straw bale)? If so, you're excused :)
@@TheMightyGinkgo In cold and damp environments they might seek refuge in it but one can cover, at least, a lower strip of the wall as a skirt all around with a thick tarp or house wrap.
Hay, as Ginkgo referred, is mice food, for building is straw. As a roof insulation it isn't effective because it would be loose, it must be confined to a minimal space without collapsing the straws (need to keep the inner straws section for air gap). They probably used rockwool or maybe hemp fiber (much more expensive) as they are natural.
Thats cool
So, what happens when the straw decomposes?
If well plastered (with lime) and with a higher foundation and bigger roof overhangs for rainy climates lasts for over a 100 years, it's just fibber!
it doesnt by itself, since there is nothing in it that bacteria like, unless it gets wet, and stays wet. Which wouldnt be the case if you build well. Straw is the leftover of the nourishing hay, that feeds cattle. Not much to rot there....
Is the house fire proof ?
As much as clay! Not the wooden structures of course, but clay/lime exterior wall plaster is the 1rst barrier from an outside fire.
it seems its much more fire proof then regular buildings
Are straw-bale homes suitable for Michigan's wet climate?
As the saying goes, it's really all about the hat and the shoes. If there's a good roof and a good foundation, the walls will almost certainly be fine. I *might* be concerned in an incredibly humid climate like a jungle, but when most of the moisture is in the form of snow and rain, the straw bale walls will perform admirably and provide very respectable insulation.
👍
You building a straw house from 3 little pigs?
Baling machines were invented in the 1930s. I think New Holland.
Go blue
This design will rot from the inside out. Running steel, or anything that can condense liquid in a breathing wall will collect moisture. A natural cordage run through is better.
i dont understand what do u mean its better for the cordage run through
I've been seeing packaging nylon straps, that we can progressively tighten along until plastering.
Forgive my ignorance, but the metal will be the same temperature as the straw right? And the vapor condenses because of a change in temperature, not only because of the material it touches right? So the moisture level would be equal regardless?
This is so cool!
I. No. Rgxyc
Who cares about "carbon footprint"? Straw bale homes are excellent because they are cheap to build and cheap to heat and cool.
Probably liberals
Plants care man...it's fertilizer so actually while we go green forests go brown! ;)
Why do you hate people?
It's an extra bonus
Carbon is the food for all plants.
Were, I to win the Power or Mega Jackpot That is the type of house I'll build Well have built but it will be, MUCH, MUCH bigger
LARGE living/dining/kitchen.
half bath.
Master suite,
guest suite
4 Jack and jills
Office/library/Den.
Home schooling
a room for cats.
This house will have a basement.
(SOMEWHERE on large acreage in MN on a lake or stream).
До средний азий далеко Вам
lost me at concrete :/
41 secs and a carbon foot print statement lol
Speaking Scientism - Carbon Foot Print, COVID, Global Warming, Climate Change
Using scientist amulets - computer, internet, websites, electricity. With true religion you don't need these.
It's amazing what professors won't do for funding right? "Because we care" sure...
@@unbeIievabIe It's pure superstition and than comes nasa saying the satellite data didn't match so they had to run corrections :D But this is nothing new, it's been going since the 50's, at least!
Well, if they see the results, maybe in the end they start to care ....all roads lead to rome? the proof is in the pudding but then you need huge shovels to remove some peoples eye shells@@buteos8632
Im in west Michigan..can you all buld me a home like this
Not worried about rodents??…..after a few years it will be the greatest varmint incubator in the neighborhood, 🫣just my option…..70 year old farmer