Comments on: Why build with Straw Bales?

By: Heidi from HomeEnergy

Heidi from HomeEnergy — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 01:36:46 +0000

Excellent post. I’ve just posted a video on my site about a community in Colorado that is know for their strawbale homes. One of the advantages that they mentioned was that farmers typically have an excess of straw, and it ends up getting burned in order to get rid of it. Another great reason to use straw in a positive way.

By: Mark

Mark — Sat, 24 May 2008 01:43:25 +0000

Actually some straw bale houses have been built over 200 years ago and are still in excellent condition. From what I understand it is important that the straw bales are dry and that the straw bale walls are properly rendered.
If you get the rendering right, which is not that hard from what I have read, your straw bale walls will also have the same or better fire rating in bush fires than your normal brick veneer homes and no pests such as mice and bugs will be able to life in the straw bales.

By: journeyer

journeyer — Fri, 23 May 2008 11:24:22 +0000

I’m really enjoying your posts Mark. Interesting stuff. I’m curious though. Does the straw decompose at all?