We all know the sayings and stories... houses should be built on the rock, not the sand, and the wolf was able to blow away the straw house very simply...
But, for a lot of good reasons, Mark and Tam are going against the prefab grain and building their dream (?) house out of straw.
That's Tam below, showing off her stuffing skills.
The majority of the building is somewhat normal - stud walls inside, typical basement, etc... its actually will have electricity and running water, plumbing etc... and, straw walls. R50 for those who care. 18 inches of the yellow stuff.
Here you can see the depth of the window wells. I believe they plan to tile them. You can imagine them full of plants - or cats, dogs, etc...
Speaking of dawgs, that's Mark below, who together with Tam, has built most of this tall two story building. He looks the part, don't you reckon?
One of the supposed benefits of straw bale building is that unskilled labour can help out. Cherie, Tam's sister, was out from Saskatchewan helping out with the raising of the walls. Not that I'm calling her unskilled - its just that the skills you use - shaping bales with electric chainsaws and angle grinders, or tying them to length with a giant bale needle, are the sorts of thing that most people can say they are skilled in.
However, true to the rumours, you learn quickly, and the more hands you have, the quicker everything progresses.
Gratuitious shot of Jasper. This lad is so full of life is nearly scary. Not scary, exhilderating!
Piper loves going to the house. There are two large dogs on the place, and Piper has taken to acting that she is the puppy of these two dogs. So here, she's cuddling up with her 'owner'.
At this stage, the house is about to get wrapped in and out with stucco wire. This wire has to be sewed back and forth through the bales to tighten it, and then it gets stuccoed.
What's pretty amazing is that there's no moisture barrier between the bales and the elements. Which means that in winter, those 18 inches of straw have to handle upt a 65 degree celcius difference. Unlike wood, straw is not meant to absorb water, so whatever water gets in should be able to evaporate out in spring.
Working on the place at times feels more like a barn than a house.
For the detail oriented, here's a closer look at how the studs, window well, and electrical conduits all live together.
Its pretty fun to be able to work on a project like this. Its demystified some of the aspects of working with straw, and stiffened by resolve to build a load-bearing straw bale granny flat in Gembrook. It is a lot of work though!
Hopefully, we'll get to see this place when the stucco is on. Windows and doors went in last weekend, and hopefully most of the wire goes up tomorrow.
But, for a lot of good reasons, Mark and Tam are going against the prefab grain and building their dream (?) house out of straw.
That's Tam below, showing off her stuffing skills.
The majority of the building is somewhat normal - stud walls inside, typical basement, etc... its actually will have electricity and running water, plumbing etc... and, straw walls. R50 for those who care. 18 inches of the yellow stuff.
Here you can see the depth of the window wells. I believe they plan to tile them. You can imagine them full of plants - or cats, dogs, etc...Speaking of dawgs, that's Mark below, who together with Tam, has built most of this tall two story building. He looks the part, don't you reckon?
One of the supposed benefits of straw bale building is that unskilled labour can help out. Cherie, Tam's sister, was out from Saskatchewan helping out with the raising of the walls. Not that I'm calling her unskilled - its just that the skills you use - shaping bales with electric chainsaws and angle grinders, or tying them to length with a giant bale needle, are the sorts of thing that most people can say they are skilled in.
However, true to the rumours, you learn quickly, and the more hands you have, the quicker everything progresses.
Gratuitious shot of Jasper. This lad is so full of life is nearly scary. Not scary, exhilderating!
Piper loves going to the house. There are two large dogs on the place, and Piper has taken to acting that she is the puppy of these two dogs. So here, she's cuddling up with her 'owner'.
At this stage, the house is about to get wrapped in and out with stucco wire. This wire has to be sewed back and forth through the bales to tighten it, and then it gets stuccoed.
What's pretty amazing is that there's no moisture barrier between the bales and the elements. Which means that in winter, those 18 inches of straw have to handle upt a 65 degree celcius difference. Unlike wood, straw is not meant to absorb water, so whatever water gets in should be able to evaporate out in spring.
Working on the place at times feels more like a barn than a house.
For the detail oriented, here's a closer look at how the studs, window well, and electrical conduits all live together.
Its pretty fun to be able to work on a project like this. Its demystified some of the aspects of working with straw, and stiffened by resolve to build a load-bearing straw bale granny flat in Gembrook. It is a lot of work though!
Hopefully, we'll get to see this place when the stucco is on. Windows and doors went in last weekend, and hopefully most of the wire goes up tomorrow.
1 comment:
Cool post Gord. At at 2 in the morning no less. :)
You'd better post pictures of your strawbale Granny house so we can see that go up ...
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