"A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in."
"A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in."
Chris Ingham wrote:Alright Mate
Thanks for the welcome!
I here there are a few self sustained communities in Wales. If I get the chance I'll head over to CAT.
I'm in my first year of building Surveying BSc so I'm looking to learn as much as possible. Theres an eco conference down in London this March. Free tickets at ecobuild.co.uk if your interested. I;m gonna head down if I'm free.
Sam are you studying a full degree..... if so what stage are you at? If you dont mind me asking.
Like I said. Anyone working on any big projects and after labour give me a shout. I'll be checking regularly and it'd be good to exchange current and new ideas in the future.
Speak soon
Chris
"A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in."
"A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in."
Chris Ingham wrote:Hey Katy
I'm from Bradford studying in Leeds. How far north are you?
Katy Whitby-last wrote:
Chris Ingham wrote:Hey Katy
I'm from Bradford studying in Leeds. How far north are you?
I'm a very long way northAberdeenshire.
We need to replace a stable that lost its roof in the recent winds and I'd like to do something with a wood frame and straw bales but I'm not sure how it would work on our soil.
"A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in."
Sam White wrote:
Katy Whitby-last wrote:
Chris Ingham wrote:Hey Katy
I'm from Bradford studying in Leeds. How far north are you?
I'm a very long way northAberdeenshire.
We need to replace a stable that lost its roof in the recent winds and I'd like to do something with a wood frame and straw bales but I'm not sure how it would work on our soil.
I have family fairly close to you then Katy... They live near Dundee. Actually, they keep horses (and sheep) too.
In regards to timber/straw buildings you don't really need to worry about the soil apart from how deep it is. The beauty of timber frame buildings is that they don't require massive foundations like conventional brick built buildings - generally all you need is a number of piers to rest posts on and the piers rest upon the bedrock. The fact that you're talking about building a stable might complicate matters slightly as timber buildings are typically raised a little off the ground. I suppose you could incorporate a ramp of some description to facilitate entry/exit. There may be other solutions that you could consider.
One major consideration for straw bale buildings, especially in temperate regions where rain is prevalent, is keeping the straw dry from both the rain and splashing (from water running off the roof/rain hitting the ground). I have seen straw buildings built on plinths made with dry stone and a more conventional way would be with brick or breeze-blocks (might need some light foundations laid). Numerous people have talked about using large overhanging roofs to direct runoff away from the base of the building to avoid splashing water hitting the walls. You'd probably want to clad the outside of the building with timber rather than use a clay render (or similar) if you're thinking of using natural/sustainable materials.
Oh, as for keeping the roof on, have you though of using a green roof? You might have to adapt/strengthen the structure/foundations to get one on I guess but it would be heavier. That might help keep it on in future. I'm no expert on building design though or green roofs though![]()
Hope that helps.
Katy Whitby-last wrote:That's really useful thanks.
Our soil issue is one of wetness. We are on heavy clay in an area of high rainfall so we would need to have some sort of foundation.
Why would timber cladding be better than clay render?
A green roof is definitely on my wish list but it is taking me some time to research plants that are both okay for green roofs and safe for horses as one of ours is a Clydesdale who can reach very high![]()
"A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in."
Chris Ingham wrote:Sam. What drew me to the earthship was the discreteness, and how the wall of windows would create a chilled living environment and I love the idea of the sun warming it an the earth insulating it. I hear what your saying about the high volume of concrete but theres a few different designs out there to get round that. Like the walls being made out of recycled tyres rammed with earth. Once the earth is packed into them they're solid building blocks. Thick and quite water resistant..... rubber.... before any extra dpm is added. then theres the wooden roof. A glass wall, leaving just the floor. I've been thinkin about different designs but only briefly..... like a raised stone floor on stilts with hot air from a chimney passing beneath the floor, like the romans. Undoubtedly the easiest would be to pour a concrete insulated raft foundation, still a fair bit of concrete but alot less than a modern house. Any ideas welcome.
Chris Ingham wrote:What your doing with your land sounds pretty epic. 6 acres? I imagine back breaking graft has got to go into that!
Chris Ingham wrote:I also like the sound of straw bales and timber construction. I bet the look, atmosphere, feel and warmth are all real gems. Have seen one already constructed? Do they smell a bit funky?
"A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in."
"A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in."
Empowerment, not just protest. My aim is to get as many folk as poss growing non-hybrid/patented food freely everywhere! There are more of us on bottom of pyramid, so we have the power!
Empowerment, not just protest. My aim is to get as many folk as poss growing non-hybrid/patented food freely everywhere! There are more of us on bottom of pyramid, so we have the power!
Empowerment, not just protest. My aim is to get as many folk as poss growing non-hybrid/patented food freely everywhere! There are more of us on bottom of pyramid, so we have the power!
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Wenderlynn Bagnall wrote: Maybe the moderator of this thread can assist in getting a UK string going.
How permies.com works
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"A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in."
Sam White wrote:Hi Ray, welcome to the forum! Could you tell us a little more about your work?
Sam
"A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in."
Sam White wrote:Hi again Ray,
It sounds like you're up to some very interesting things! I'd offer to help out but my knowledge of microbiology is basically zero. However, I might know someone who'd, at the very least, be very interested in your work and may be willing/able to assist you. Will point him in your direction!
Sam
Humans and their filthy friendship brings nothing but trouble. My only solace is this tiny ad:
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