Straw Bale Roof Construction

He has a wealth of experience in designing and building conventional tiny and straw bale homes.

Straw bale roof construction.

After years of building he has moved his practice entirely to consulting and teaching. A good straw bale home is significantly warmer than conventional building methods because a well packed bale is rated at r30 r35 minimum or considerably more. Straw bale home construction is about 15 more costly than traditional stick frame construction. However these precautions sometimes fail.

Building your straw bale home is a how to book for people interested in straw bale building. Straw bale building has seen a renaissance in recent years. Straw bale construction can also reduce building costs. The earliest mobile homes had r 8 or less.

One big advantage of straw bale over conventional wood frame construction is that a straw panel will be able to dry to either side compared to most homes that include an impermeable barrier of polyethylene that prevents drying to the interior during our hot humid summer months which can cause condensation and hence excessive vapor mold in the house walls. Straw bale construction is a building method that uses bales of straw commonly wheat rice rye and oats straw as structural elements building insulation or both. Depending on the sweat equity of the builder and the home s design and amenities straw homes can run from 20 to 75 a square foot. A good time to use this roof is obviously when the budget is tight or if you want a larger exposed side of the structure as in a greenhouse or in cooler climates.

This construction method is commonly used in natural building or brown construction projects. For straw bale this can pose a problem in keeping the walls free from direct moisture. Additionally the cost savings over time due to a straw bale home s energy efficiency will make up for the extra cost. It is a practical book reflecting the author s personal experience with tips and wisdom learned from his own pitfalls and.

Properly constructed straw bale homes include a high stem wall roof with large overhanging eaves and interior and exterior plaster coats to reduce moisture problems. Straw bale construction is a sustainable construction technique with straw as a renewable material that is readily available. Straw bales have good insulation properties and keep the building warm in winter and cool in summer with r values between 40 and 60 when built correctly. Today insulated homes usually have r 20 in the walls and many old homes have r 14 for insulation or considerably less.

In wet climates with blowing rain straw bale structures may become damp and may never dry out.