Straw Bale Construction Materials

Straw bale construction is a green building method that uses whole or partial bales of straw as a major part of a home s walls.

Straw bale construction materials. Some builders construct frames around the bales and use the bales for insulation while others eliminate the framing altogether. Straw bales can be made from a range of plant fibers not only grass family species like wheat rye barley blue grass and rice but also flax hemp etc. The straw is the stalk of the grain without the grain head. These need to remain dry less than 20 moisture content and tightly bound to prevent moist air including fog getting in before plastering.

Bales of recycled materials like paper pasteboard waxed cardboard crushed plastics whole tires and used carpeting have also all been used or are currently being explored for building. Ultra green attempted to eliminate the mold problem first by giving away the bales of straw after shutting down operations then by burning the material. 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. Straw bale construction has many advantages including the carbon sequestration of the material low cost availability fire resistance and insulation values.

Historical uses have included roofing thatch substrates for plasters bio aggregates to clay and lime plasters and as loose floor covering. Straw is from harvested grain stalks never use bales of grass. Straw bale walls need to be kept dry as moisture is detrimental to not only straw but to many building materials. This construction method is commonly used in natural building or brown construction projects.

Reportedly the company stopped burning the waste after receiving complaints that the burn was uncontrolled and therefore potentially hazardous. Straw bale walls are very well insulated when built correctly can have an r value between 40 and 60 depending on the thickness of the wall there are many great resources out there that discuss the insulation characteristics of straw bale. 3 4 2 straw bales as a construction material straw has probably been used for construction since the dawn of agricultural societies. Straw bale construction uses baled straw from wheat oats barley rye rice and others in walls covered by earthen or lime stucco some use cement stucco but we typically don t suggest it.

Make straw bale walls not using hay but using straw. Research has shown that straw bale construction is a sustainable method for building from the standpoint of both materials and energy needed for heating and cooling. Straw bale construction is a building method that commonly uses straw from wheat rice rye and oats as building insulation.