Randy Richey

Thanks for the replies!

I did at one point want to do straw bale construction but I can't find any straw bales that were not grown with pesticides and insecticides - I am highly chemical sensitive.  I was then set on doing hempcrete (cob using hemp instead of straw) but they pushed back the vote to legalize growing it here in Virginia until next year with the earliest legal time to grow is 1 July 2018.  Hempcrete would be perfect because of the R value (about 1.5/inch) and it has thermal mass - best of both worlds.

Unlike Andrew, I am in a very humid climate, so I do have to watch vapor flow.  William, you might be right about rock wool, and by itself it seems toxic free but they apply, so I understand, fire retardant on it and that wouldn't work for me. Dan, saw your site - looking nice!  I took a few courses in straw bale construction with lime stucco on the exterior and how this system allows the walls to breath.  I have 48 acres mostly wooded and a sawmill, so other than work, lap siding is economical for me and I do take great care on selecting which trees to use.  I will be putting tung oil on the inside of the lap siding but I am still worried how, in the long term, it will hold up to the moisture.  

It is always fun trying to figure things out!  

Heya Tim,

Fermenting could mean a few things - what I do with fermenting is sauerkraut and beer!

What you describe sounds sorta like making tea or a tincture.

If you are looking for alcohol - make sure there is yeast and sugar.  I do herb beer, low ABC where I can brew with grain and in the boil, at the very end, add a cheese cloth bag full of herbs.  I just have to be careful of the temps!  Is this what you are trying to do?

HTH, Randy

Heya,

I am getting ready to build a 16x16 structure in an hybrid fashion.  I am wondering if anyone else has done anything like this before.... and with success!  

Imagine a 'normal' 2x6 stick construction all the way around.  Infill with formaldehyde free fiber glass insulation.  Without any vapor barrier, adding wood lap siding to the exterior.  Then on the inside, a 4" (properly secured to the stick framing) layer of earthen plaster with a final layer of Natural American Clay.

The concept is to have thermal mass on the inside of the insulation to absorb the wood stove heat in the Winter versus burning me out. Also to have R19 insulation but without vapor barrier so that the earthen layer can breath moisture in and out and won't get too trapped (slight worried about the lap siding but I might not caulk it to allow vapor movement.

This room with be connected to a 12x16 room with Hvac.  So any excessive moisture coming inside during the hot humid months of central Virginia will be moved around with fans and removed by a ductless HVAC in the 12x16 room.

So do you all think this will work?