Sam Bulman

John C Daley wrote:Sam, your idea will work.
As for the technical bits there are good publications which will give you details too hard to explain here.

The part I'm most unsure about is bracing and getting the bales compressed.
Has anyone got experience/pictures using this method or is there a reason I can't find any examples haha..?

In some cases compression is not even done, but it does cause issues with the wall plastering.
If you have trouble finding the books, get back and I will list some.

Cheers for the reply, I've found these 2.

Straw Bale Building Details CASPA
Building_with_Straw_Bales_A_Practical_Guide_for_the_UK_the_Ireland_by_Barbara_Jones

Any others that specifically cover the compression for this method?

Hi,

I haven't seen this done before, but I'm planning a timber portal frame building wrapped externally with straw bales.
This would result in the timber frame being fully visible on the inside (plastered sections in between portal frames).
Seems like a simple way to me, as it avoids notching and cutting bales as much as possible.
All bracing must be achieved by the portal frame or by adding shear walls.
External face would be completely plastered with no timber showing.

Would go something like this:

Poor slab - wide footings to allow for walls to be stacked outside posts.
Stand the portal frames (sized for full bales)
Roof
Fix welded wire mesh around the entire external face of building (this will form the internal face of the walls.
Fix window and door frames to the outside face of portal frames and wire mesh (can cut out wire mesh later).
Stack bales (minimal notching and cutting if windows/door frames are sized correctly).
Compress bales - Maybe with a box beam fixed to the top external face of portal frames and strapped to the toe?
welded wire mesh again to form the external face of the wall.

The part I'm most unsure about is bracing and getting the bales compressed.
Has anyone got experience/pictures using this method or is there a reason I can't find any examples haha..?

Thanks!