Plastered

Straw Bale
Construction
Super Energy Efficient and Economical

"The basics of this technique can

be learned in a few days. A two
week practical training is sufficient
to teach all intricacies related to this
construction method.
These factors make it a well
suited self-help building method for
people with limited resources"
The Canada Mortgage and
Housing Corporation

David Bainbridge
with Athena and Bill Steen
The Canelo Project
HCR Box 324
Canelo, AZ 85611
(602)455-5548

For all those who have

wished for a simple, inexpensive, and
comfortable home.

The Canelo Project, the authors, and the designers who have
suggested these details make no statement, representation,
claim or warranty either expressed or implied with respect to
these building details and plans. Neither will they assume any
liability for damages, losses, or injuries that may arise from use
of this publication.

The information and details presented here are based on the

current state of knowledge-- but experience and detailed
research is limited and this information may not be appropriate
for all soil conditions, hay and straw types, and climatic
regions. We suggest that you consult a local engineer familiar
with the soils, climate, and local building codes.

Photos by David Bainbridge, Bill and Athena Steen,

Matts Myhrman (p. 15, parts of collage), and Dexter Johnson (p. 33).

FRONT COVER: Custom plastered straw bale house near Santa Fe, N.M. 1991. Straw bale advisor - Matts
Myhrman: designer- Ken Figueredo: Builder- Warner Johnson and crew: bank financing: county approved.

REAR COVER: Pilgrim Holiness Church, Arthur, Nebraska 1928

© 1989, 1990, 1992 David A. Bainbridge All rights reserved.

Text and illustrations may be reproduced in reviews of the book and short
articles if full credit is given, all other uses require permission from the authors.

1
Contents

2

Preface
I started working on energy efficient
housing in the early 1970's under the tutelage
of an old Master--Tod Neubauer, one of the
great solar pioneers of the 1940's and _1950's.
In the beginning, I spent most of my time
applying what Tod had disco~ered _more than
20 years earlier--that go?d on~ntatiOn ~d
predominantly south facmg wmdows will
save energy and money, and make a home
much more comfortable.
This work included providing data and
implementation workshops for the city of
Davis, California where we developed a
climatically oriented ~uilding ~ode: It was
revolutionary for the time and IS still much
more appropriate than most government
energy standards. During this period I was
fortunate to meet and work with many
leaders of the solar movement, including
Jon Hammond, Marshall Hunt, Ken
Haggard, Phil Niles, Polly Coop~r, ?~nny
Long, Mike and Judy Cor?ett, Vrrg~ma
Thigpen, Bruce Maeda, Bill Shurchff, and
Peter van Dresser.
My work on energy efficient housing
continued at Mike and Judy Corbett's
Village Homes Development where more
than 200 contemporary homes, many
designed by John Hofacre, demon~trated
how well simple passive solar desi_gns
work. The virtues of these otherwise
normal looking houses have made this one
of the favored (and now expensive) places
to live in Davis.
At this time, energy efficient house
design in more extreme climates
emphasized solar gain through large south
facing windows and attached greenhouses.
While this works well with proper
ventilation and adequate thermal storage
from massive building materials or water
walls, it is expensive to develop operable
insulated shades and shutters to cover large
window areas. Large windows are also
more likely to leak in severe st?rms and .
tilted glass (which I turned against early m
my career) is very difficult to shade
properly.
3
Imitators of this solar brutal style,
without proper appreciation of the need for
thermal mass, natural ventilation, and
summer shading built many ugly solar
"ovens" which turned people away from
solar homes.
Gradually, the design comm~:mity began
to appreciate the value of much _mcreased
insulation and better, smaller wmdows.
The benefits of super-insulation were first
recognized in Canada and Alaska, .
matching my experience in the mountams
around Lake Tahoe. I traveled widely to
talk with builders and owners of super-
insulated homes. I discovered the major
problem with most super-ins~lated _h?~ses
was the complexity and the higher Imtial
cost of double stud walls with spacers,
truss walls and other methods of building
an R 40-60 wall. Even with these high
initial cost the life-cycle costs of these
super -insulated home are much lower and
the comfort and the energy saving are well
worth the cost. However, when few people
can afford a house of any kind (16 million
Americans now live in mobile homes)
these added up front costs a~·e prohibitive in
a Society that ignores life-cycle costs.
I was so frustrated by this problem that
I gradually eased out of solar ~esign an~
returned to my roots in ecological planmng
and development. But I remained
interested in "affordable housing" and kept
up with innovations in alternative building
materials. I maintained a small file on
straw bale building which I had frrst see~
described in an article by Roger Welsch m
the book, Shelter.
While working on a sustainable
agriculture research project I was
introduced to the growing problem of straw
disposal. I was shocked to ~earn that straw
burning created more pollution _(carbon
monoxide) than all of the electric power
generating facilities in California!
cw
Chapter 1
Introduction
MARTIN-MONHART HOUSE ARTHUR
NEBRASKA, 1925
Plastered sn·aw bales are one of the best
building matetials known . Straw bale
building is economically and environ-
mentally sound and can provide
comfortable and durable housing for
million while reducing global warming
and helping to save the old growth forests.
The most difficult thing about plastered
straw bale buildings may be overcoming
the prejudice people have when they hear
about it the first time. Much of this
problem can be n·aced back to the
children's tale of the three little pigs and the
wolf (see the revised version in the back of
this book). Anyone who has visited or
helped build a sn·aw bale house no longer
has these concerns, whether it is one of the
old Nebraska houses (still in excellent
condition and use after 60 years) or a brand
new house in New Mexico. It is obvious to
the eye and the other senses that these are
uniquely comfortable and durable houses.
Sn·aw bale construction developed in
the late 1800's in the Nebraska Sandhills, a
vast grassland area with few n·ees. There
6
was little timber and the sandy soil made
poor sod for building sod houses. There
was plenty of hay and plastered bale
building proved to be durable and more
comfortable than either wood frame or sod
houses.
Straw bales have been used to build
houses, apartments, farm buildings,
schools, hotels, government buildings, and
churches. Many of these buildings are still
being used. Straw bale construction could
replace much more expensive conventional
building matetials when construction
specifications and code approvals become
easier.
In the hands of owner-builders,
building with straw bales has already
proved itself. Initial tests of frre safety,
strength and building technology sponsored
by the Canada Mortgage and Housing
Corporation have been very positive, but
much remains to be done. Further studies
will be needed to facilitate code approval
and use of bales in commercial buildings
and schools.
 When it is first suggested that it is
possible to build a house out of straw,
people who have not grown up in the
country and built forts and playhouses out
of straw bales find it difficult to take the
idea seriously. Yet hefting a few solid and
heavy bales in a building workshop dispels
any notion that these are flimsy materials.
The people who are most concerned about
straw bales often look at modern building
methods and materials as the epitome of
safety, dur ability, and good taste. Yet in
reality these materials are often poorly
made, difficult to maintain, produced at
high environmental cost, highly flammable
and produce toxic gasses when burned.
These modern matetials also tend to be
mass produced, difficult to assemble and
modify, and inflexible, stifling individual
creativity. As a result most new buildings
throughout the country end up looking
virtually identical. There is an illusion of
permanence, but most modem buildings
require massive energy inputs to remain
comf01t able and tend to deteriorate
quickly. They are often toxic to the builder
and inhabitants, have little aesthetic appeal,
and generate significant amounts of waste
and pollution when they are maintained or
demolished. Moreover, these matelials
require a large bank account to purchase,
expensive tools, and a high degree of skill
to install or modify. As a result, many
men, women, and children are immediately
excluded from the process of creating a
personal home which grows with the
family over time.
Building walls with straw bales is much
less labor intensive than using either adobe,
brick or stone; less damaging to the forests
than using wood; easier to work with than
wood, steel, btick or concrete; and bales
can provide better insulation than any of
these at lower cost. Bale building is
flexible, forgiving, and encourages
individual creativity. It also makes it much
easier to build structures that are
climatically adapted. They offer the
average person or family a chance to build
their own house.
Many people have a great deal of fear
and anxiety about building a home of
wood, adobe, or concrete blocks. They
7
fear the complexity, the hard work, and the
cost. In contrast, straw bale construction
can make it enjoyable and possible for even
the inexperienced person to build a durable
and comfortable home.
The simplicity and economy of straw
bale building is attractive for both rural and
suburban areas of the developed and
developing countlies. Little skill is
required to build homes and buildings and
they can be completed quickly and
economically. The Canada Mortgage and
Housing Corporation concluded,
"The basics of this technique can be
learned in a few days. A two week
practical training is sufficient to teach all
intricacies related to this construction
method. These factors make it a well suited
self-help building method for people with
limited resources".
Straw bale construction can be very
time efficient compared to building with
other matelials. The walls of an entire
house can easily be put up in a single day.
It could well be the key to affordable
housing for people around the world,
including many Amelicans.
Although straw bales are rarely free,
they can be very inexpensive. Bales can be
purchased direct from the producer or
through feed and farm supply stores. Costs
for larger quantities have run about $3.50
per bale (delivered) in Southern Arizona
and California. Prices can drop to less than
$0.60 per bale in rural areas.
The Canada M01tgage and Housing
Corporation tests showed that even with a
relatively complicated method of bale
building the cost was less than half that for
a conventional brick veneer wall and four
fifths that of a stucco wall which provided
only one-third as much insulation. The
cost of a bale wall is about one fourth the
cost of a comparable super-insulated wall
built with conventional materials.
Material costs represent less than a fifth
of the cost of the wall system so owner-
builders can realize even greater savings by
providing the labor. Bale houses recently
constructed in New Mexico and California
have been owner-built for less than $10 per
square foot.
 Bale building may enable the nmmal
American family, who otherwise have little
chance of ever living in a comfortable
home, to build a house that would be better
insulated, more comfortable and fire
resistant, and require less maintenance than
a conventional house costing more than
five times as much ($5-20* per square foot
vs $50-150 psf}
Bale construction will make it possible
to build more economical, energy efficient,
and comfortable government facilities,
schools, and hospitals. In the United
States, straw bale building may find its first
use in rural areas where building codes are
more flexible and farming and rudimentary
building skills are common.
Bale building is well suited for utility
buildings and animal shelters. Recent
construction in the Nmthern Plains has
been largely confined to these uses.
Farmers and their animals can enjoy
comfortable conditions inside a bale
building rather than suffering in open metal
roofed shelters or uninsulated bams.
DIE STEVE MACDONALD HOUSE,
GILA, NEW MEXICO
OWNER BUILT FOR LESS THAN $10 PER
SQUARE FOOT
8
Unplastered bale sheds, which are
economical to build and provide excellent
protection from the weather, have proved
to be very popular in the U.S., Canada, and
Great Britain. Bale buildings up to 26,000
square feet have been used in Alberta,
Canada. Temporary bale buildings are
increasingly being used for winter lambing
shelters in Britain. Winter lambing enables
growers to realize higher profits on lambs,
but efficient and economical shelter is
essential. Larger landholders with big
multi-purpose buildings often create
lambing shelters within these large
buildings using unplastered straw bale
partitions. After lambing the straw can be
used for compost or erosion control.
Starting with fresh bales each season
reduces the risk of transmitting or
harbming diseases.
With all the positive qualities of straw
bales they are not the only responsible or
ecologically sound building matetial.
Adobe, rammed earth, stone, cordwood,
and super-insulated houses built of wood,
concrete, or metal can also be efficient and
durable and may be more appropriate in
some areas.
*the savings on the wall system must be
augmented by cost conserving strategies
for floors, foundations, utilities, and
finishing to drop costs below $5-10 psf.
Chapter 2
Strength and durability
The longevity and excellent condition
of plastered straw bale buildings in
Nebraska, Wyoming, and Canada is
perhaps the best testimonial to the strength
and durability of this method of
construction. Even houses that have been
abandoned have held up far better than
expected.
Yet this practical knowledge is not
always sufficient, and more detailed tests
of strength and durability are needed.
Fmt unately, the Canada Mortgage and
Housing Corporation sponsored
preliminary tests of the strength of
plastered straw bale construction. These
demonstrated that plastered bales can
easily meet building code requirements.
A 12 foot long, 8 foot high wall did
not fail when loaded with 18,000 pounds
of compressive load and 719 pounds of
transverse force. The structural
consultants felt this method would be
adequate for the following loads:
live loads due to use
and occupancy 45lbs/ft2
snow loads 60 lbs/ft2
wind load 16lbs/ft2
dead load 48lbs/ft2
Bales are commonly stored in stacks
that are 12-16 feet tall, but 3-wire bales
are stacked to 25 feet. We have found
references to three story tall bale
buildings, but we have only found and
evaluated two story structures. Initial tests
by Matts Myhrman and Hamid
Saadamanesh found the bursting strength
of bales laid flat was about 30 times the
load of a standard wall. This response to
high compression loads is very
encouraging, but like many building
materials deflection may be as important
as ultimate failure. Tests by A.C.E. in
Canada found that an unconstrained oat
bale (9 .2 lb/cu ft) compressed 6% with a
40 lb psf load and 9.2% at 222lb psf.
Less compact bales are weaker.
9
Straw bales laid on their side are less
stable and have been less satisfactory.
They do take up less room for a wall and
can be used in a frame structure.
A straw bale building in Wyoming
rode through a modest earthquake (5+)
with no damage and it appears likely that
straw bale building will be of special value
in areas where earthquakes are common.
Conventional buildings of earth, adobe
or stone (8 of 10 of the world's homes) are
extremely hazardous in earthquakes and
costly to reinforce. For example, in a
Peruvian earthquake ninety percent of the
earthen houses and sixty percent of the
adobe houses were seriously damaged or
destroyed.
In contrast, straw bales have a good
width to height ratio and can be easily and
effectively reinforced with wooden or
metal pins. The wire reinforced plastered
walls also add considerable strength to
these buildings. In areas of very high
seismic activity a concrete bond beam can
be used at the top of the wall.
These plastered bale structures are also
very durable. Upkeep can be minimal if
plaster and stucco are applied properly and
a permanent roof with appropriate
overhang is used. Integral color stucco
can be used.
Many of the houses built in Nebraska
in the early 1900's are still in use and bales
were well enough preserved in one 50-
year-old bale building for cows to relish
the bales (full of now rare prairie grasses)
when it was demolished. The bales in a
house in northern New Mexico looked just
like new bales when a wall was taken
apart for remodeling after many years.
Unplastered bales in temporary
buildings may last for many years, and
un~l~~tered baled straw potato storage
facilities commonly last up to 25 years in
the dry western states. A four year old
uncoated bale wall in northern New
Mexico looked as good as new, but
livestock can make quick work of an
unplastered wall.
Chapter 4
Energy Efficiency
Straw bale buildings are very
thermally efficient and energy conserving,
with R -values 2-10 times better than
conventional construction depending on
the type of straw and the wall thickness.
They can provide much improved comfort
and dramatic energy savings compared to
much more expensive, conventional
building systems.
Bale building should prove of special
value in severe environments where
energy is expensive. Energy savings can
be very dramatic with these super-
insulated and economical homes. The
excellent insulation allows a much smaller
furnace to be used, or if a wood stove is
used, much less wood to be burned.
To get the most benefit from a bale
building it should include a well insulated
attic, insulated windows and doors, and
proper sealing to minimize drafts. (see
Chapter 13) The super-insulation and
mass will allow the owner to keep the
windows open much of the year--
providing much healthier air inside.
Strav
bale
40
2" X 6"
30 with
fiberglass 2" X 4 ..
with
20
10
R-value of valls built vith common materials
11
Bale construction will also benefit
rural people in many parts of the world.
The traditional designs of homes in these
areas often optimize solar gain for heating
and climate resource use for cooling but
are hampered by the lack of insulation.
The traditional Chinese rural homes, for
example, are oriented with the long axis
running east-west and have most of the
windows on the south side, an ideal
configuration for solar heating and natural
cooling. Unfortunately, the poor thermal
properties of the brick walls negate most
of the advantages of this excellent
traditional design. Straw bale building
would enable these home builders to
achieve thetmal comfort without costly
fuel consumption.
The excellent insulation value of straw
bales also makes passive cooling systems,
such as the cool pool or downdraft cooling
towers, more practical for homeowners in
very hot, arid areas.
A one-horse pull-type hay press ready for usc.
10"
log 8"
block
Chapter 5
Fire Safety
The National Research Council of
Canada carried out fire safety tests of
plastered straw bales and found them to be
better than most conventional building
materials. The mortar-encased bales
passed the small scale fire test with a
maximum temperature rise of only llQOF
over four hours, twice the requirement.
The plaster surface coating withstood
temperatures of up to 185QOF for two
hours before a small crack developed.
Carefully finished bale buildings with
metal roofs , metal soffits, and fire
resistant window shutters might prove of
great value in areas where brush fires are a
major threat.
For building code approval in the
United States the best approach is
probably to treat the straw bale wall as a
1-2" thick wire-reinforced concrete or
plaster fire wall (ignore the value of the
compact and air movement resisting straw
bale). Although the real fire safety is
probably .muc~ better than this proving it
to the satisfactiOn of the "authorities" may
be difficult until additional tests are run.
Fire safety in a straw bale house will
requ~e normal attention to wiring
practices and codes and careful detailing
of electric box mounting and sealing.

"The straw bales/mortar structure wall

has proven to be exceptionally resistance
to fi re. The straw bales hold enough air to
provide good insulation value but because
they are compacted firmly they don't hold
enough air to permit combustion".

Canada Mortgage and

Housing Corporation

Plastered straw bale houses, like other

r~ral. homes,burned when struck by
hg.htmg or started by fierce-burning
chu~ney fires. Fires were commonly
carried from the roof and/or ceiling down to
th~ wall. A fire break at the top of the wall
will help prevent this type of fue in a straw
bale wall. The relatively air tight and
compact walls burned very slowly but were
hard to put out in the days before
pressurized water systems and chemical fire
extinguishers.

12
Global warming and straw bales
Straw bale construction can be very
useful in the effort to control global
warming and the deterioration of the
global atmosphere. First, the current
buming of millions of tons of straw could
be largely eliminated. This would
immediately reduce production of carbon
monoxide and nitrous oxides by many
thousands of tons. In areas where rice
straw is removed from the fields for use in
bale buildings, there would also be a
substantial reduction in methane emissions
from microbial decomposition, another
impmtant factor in global warming.
The use of straw bales would enable
homeowners and building managers to
realize substantial savings in energy
consumption for heating and cooling. The
energy efficiency of these structures can
easily be double or triple that of
conventional construction. The plaster--
stucco construction will also reduce the
need for maintenance and the use of paints
that release solvents that adversely impact
the atmosphere and human health.
Reducing pressure on the existing
forest resources would also be beneficial.
Leaving the existing tall forests in peak
health would reduce carbon dioxide
release.
These are not hypothetical problems--
this is a very real crisis that must be
addressed!
The ozone hole in the Antarctic reached alnw st 9
million square miles this year (1992). This is up
15% from last year and 3 times the area of the U.S.
Methane emissions ha ve been increasing 0.8% per
year and methane could swpass carbon dioxide as
the major global warming gas in the next century.
The decomposition of wet rice stems in water
saturated fi elds is a major contributor to this
problem. Thi s rice straw is excellent f or buildings.
Coolan t leaks of CFCs are a major ozone
destroyer. Better buildings and design can often
eliminate air conditioning demand.
14
Chapter 7
S ustainability
Straw bales are perhaps the only
building material that can be grown in one
year in a completely sustainable
production system with positive
environmental impacts. Organic and/or
synthetic fertilizers and minerals may be
required to maintain the soil if large crops
of straw are removed every year, but if
perennial straw crops are used there can be
minimal erosion and runoff.
FI·arning is still needed for the roof,
but this can be provided with metal, pole
or bamboo trusses in areas where wood
framing is expensive or unavailable.
Straw bale building could be of special
value in areas of the world where timber is
in short supply. The steppes of Russia and
the plains of northem China are perfect
examples. Here straw can be plentiful, the
climate is severe, and wood is in short
supply and expensive.
Straw bale construction would also be
ideal for many desert areas where timber
is unavailable. Desert grasses can be
grown and baled to provide super-efficient
homes in the heat of the desert.
In other areas where forests have been
burned, cut, or destroyed by overuse bales
may be a useful construction material. For
example, Brokensha and Reilly, found
that home builders in Kenya were now
using 37 species of plants to meet their
need for construction material, because,
"many of the trees most favored for
building purposes are scarce, inaccessible
or have virtually disappeared".
Straw building can reduce the pressure
on trees and make reforestation easier.
Thatched roofs, an energy efficient
and durable roofing system, are well
suited for bale buildings. Many of the
~etter straws for bale building, e.g. rye,
nee, barley, and wheat, are suitable for
thatching; but reeds (P hragamites or
Arundo) can provide a more durable roof
with a working-life of 50-70 years.
@
 Load bearing walls
Using the bales as load bearing
walls is the simplest and most
economical method of construction.
Mo t of the Nebraska Sandhill houses
used fairly soft hay bales stacked like
giant bricks for the load bearing walls.
Some used cement or mud mortar
between the bales and others simply
placed one bale directly on the others.
This is much easier with the compact
and strong bales available today.
One of the most important
considerations in building a load
bearing wall is selecting bales which
are compact, dense, strong and dry (see
also Chapter 9 : More about straw).
Three wire bales are often more dense
and compact than two wire bales.
These should be laid flat rather than on
edge.
Lay dzy bales in staggered courses
Pin with hardwood dowel or rebar
Me1B.l headeiS of angle iron
Wood frames
Wire mesh
Plaster outside
Pla.s ter i.n.sid e
pressure treated
plate or bond beamr~......,,
stucco
wire ties
(i.n.side 10 outside mesh)
16
The structure built with dry, hard
bales will be more stable during the
construction phase and will settle very
little when the weight of the roof is
added.
Although this option may prove to
be the simplest of all those listed, it
may be the most difficult for local
building code approval until further
technical backup is available. In
Tucson increasing approval has been
possible as experience with utility
buildings has been very positive.
It is probably desirable to use
mortar between the bales when soft
bales must be used.
If you are uncertain about the
strength required for foundations,
headers, beams, and/or detailing
consult with an architect or a structural
engineer.
vindov set to
outside
concrete foundation
exp. metal. lath come IS
&.nd vindov surrounds
Assembling a bale wall
The fastest and easiest way to
assemble a straw bale wall is simply
stacking the bales like bricks with
staggered joints (a running bond). One
or two pieces of rebar per bale, set
approximately the height of a bale, can
be placed in the foundation to anchor
the bales in the fust course.
Then three to five foot hardwood
(1/2") dowels or rebar pins are used to
tie the rest of the wall together as it is
laid up. Pins should be placed at angles
to increase the strength of the wall.
Vertical pins in the comers and at doors
are also recommended. This was often
done even in the Nebraska houses
which used mortar between the bales.
Everything from rebar to hardwood and
willow stakes have been used for
pinning bales. Hardwood pins can be
sharpened in a dowel sharpener and
driven with a mallet. Wood pins make
remodeling much easier--simply saw
out a new window or door where you
need it.
It is easy for a first timer (especially
with a group of friends) to get carried
away with the speed of construction
and end up with irregular walls which
are difficult to plaster. In the long run,
it is better to carefully align the bales,
keeping the wall vertical and even.
Comer braces help keep the walls
aligned and the structure stable until the
roof is in place.
CORNER BRACE.
17
Windows and doors
Window and door headers and sills
should be designed to keep moisture
out of the wall. Windows and doors are
usually set to the outer edge of the wall.
For ease of construction and passive
solar performance, a south window-
wall can be super-insulated wood
frame, 2x8, 2x10, or truss.
Wood framing has been used for
doors and windows in most bale
buildings. Half inch hardwood dowels
can be used to anchor wood window
and door frames to the straw bales.
Metal headers over openings can be
made by welding cross straps between
two lengths of angle iron. These fit
into the wall system more easily than
wood headers. Concrete frames, either
poured in place or cast, are another
alternative. BEAfJ.J t--
~.JI P~T€
\/2"~~£
L-- ~~~
I...MPS
The window and door frames can
be beveled to permit more light to enter
through the thick walls.
OUTS lt>t-
~ltJ_D&~6~.:_S:::..3.._ _ __
/,j .S l t> t'
Reinforced concrete window sills
can be poured in a fiberglass mold for
an indestructible and low maintenance
window system. Sills can also be
poured and sculpted in place. The
edges of the wire reinforcing can be left
free to tie into the wall coating. A drip
edge will provide moisture protection.
In the original Nebraska houses, the
walls (built with mushy bales) were
allowed to settle before the windows
were installed.
 Straw bale matrix
In the early 1980's, the Housing
Technology Incentives Program of the
Canada Mortgage and Housing
Corporation sponsored tests of a load
bearing system with mortared bales
developed by Louis Gagne in Quebec.
Gagne used soft straw bales with
mortar between the layers of bales and
plaster inside and out. This system was
tested thoroughly and the results
confirmed that these mortared straw
bale walls met residential construction
requirements even with soft bales.
This system resembles a cellular
sandwich in which the mortar joints
form the frame and the straw bales
serve as filler. Bales were placed on a
foundation one inch apart and the space
between them was filled with a joint
mortar consisting of two parts cement
18
to one part lime blended with sand in
the ratio of one to three. This mixture
was thickened with straw to prevent the
mortar from dripping down the sides of
the bales. A similar amount of mortar
was then spread on top of the bales for
the next course. In this system, the
joints of the bales were aligned instead
of staggered.
The walls were then plastered, with
the top plate made out of wood with
protruding nails embedded in the final
layer of mortar. The doors and
windows were double framed with
protruding nails to anchor in the mortar
joints. Lintels were used over frames
when it was necessary to distribute
loads.
 Straw bale insulation for pole,
frame and truss buildings
A number of houses in Arizona
New Mexico. Canada, and California
have used timber or pole frames with
straw bale infill. Some were done this
way because it proved to be the easiest
way to meet building codes and others
were done this way because the builder
felt more comfortable with a timber
frame. Pole, timber frame, or metal
bu ilding~ c~n be structurally approved
under ex1stmg code requirements with
the bales being treated as non-structural
components.
STRAW BALE TIMBER FRAME
P RINCE EDWARD ISLAND, CANADA
19
The bales can be used as a curtain
wall outside the frame, accentuating the
beauty of the timber frame. Or the
bales can be cut and fit around the
frame using a straw knife or chainsaw.
This is time consuming and load
bearing bales make more sense.
A metal frame using pipe corners
and braces with roof trusses can be
engineered easily. If the supports are
placed in corners they can be covered
by coving.
{
Chapter 9
More about straw and straw bales
In general, the less valuable a straw
is for other purposes the better it is for
construction. The stability and lack of
weathering that make some straws a
problem for farmers make them good
candidates for bale building. Straws
regarded as especially good for bale
buildings include: rice, rye, and flax
straw. Wheat, barley, and many other
straws have also been used successfully.
Many of the early houses, schools,
and commercial buildings were built
with meadow hay but straw is
preferred. Hay includes the seed heads
and is usually finer stemmed grasses
while straw is the thicker stems left
after grain is harvested. Straw is also
considerably cheaper. Waste materials,
including tumbleweeds, can also be
baled and used to build structures.
Widely detested weeds such as Johnson
grass may end up being excellent
building material.
Bales should be kept dry before,
during, and after construction if
possible. The fall harvest of dry straw
is best for building. If buying directly
from the baler both full and half bales
can be ordered. Moisture should be
kept below 14% in storage (see box on
page 22) and for use.
In wetter areas it may be necessary
to build and roof the structure and let
the bales dry before plastering. If the
bales are soft and mushy it may be
nece ssary to let the bales settle before
plastering, just as log houses are
allowed to settle. But compact, hard
bales are much easier to use and may
settle less than half an inch.
Not all straw burning can be
eliminated as in some cases field
buming aids in pest and weed
management or helps maintain and
improve soil fettility. However, even a
small percentage of the estimated 200
million tons of straw available
nationwide would be sufficient to build
several hundred thousand houses.
21
In areas where straw is not
available it can be grown specifically
for buildings. Economists estimate that
half of the land now farmed in Europe
will be available as farm subsidies are
eliminated. Similar problems may
develop in the U.S. These lands could
be used to grow special building straw
-- providing income for farmers and
maintaining the rural "vistas" that
everyone in the city seems to want.
Straw can also be grown on saline
or low quality land to provide
economic return or needed building
materials. For example, Tall
wheatgrass, Agropyron elongatum, is
long-stemmed and durable, and
productive in soils with high water
tables, high salinity, and alkalinity.
It is possible that straw bales for
buildings can be made with halophytes
(salt loving plants) grown with sea
water. However, straw with a high salt
content may be hygroscopic (good at
taking up and retaining moisture), and
may require special attention to water-
proofing. Tests of these straws are
needed to evaluate the best procedures.
Baling Straw
Baling straw or hay is not difficult
but adjusting a baler can be very
frustrating for a beginner. It is best
learned from an expert who can teach
you how to set tension and how to
judge the best time to cut, rake, and
bale. The best book on the subject is
Hay and Forage Harvesting, 1983, by
the John Deere Service Training
Department, available from Dept. F,
John Deere Road, Moline, Illinois
61265. This book also provides
information on straw harvesting
systems and recommendations for
equipment combinations.
Hay can be baled by animal
powered balers or by hand if need be.
*NOTE: Damp or wet bales should be
stored in rows rather than compact piles
to speed drying and prevent problems
with spontaneous combustion. The
bales provide sufficient insulation in a
large square stack for high temperatures
to develop as a result of microbial
activity in the core of a cubical stack.
Bale moisture meters are available from
several sources including: Modern
Farm, 1825 Big Horn Avenue, Cody,
Wyoming 82414.
Bale sizes and types
A number of different bale sizes are
encountered across the U.S. and
Canada. These range from small two-
wire bales, to larger three-wire bales,
and massive cubical and round bales
that can only be moved with special
equipment. All of these have been
successfully used for building but the
small to medium three-wire bales are
prefened. A typical medium size three
wire bale may be: 23x16x42 and weigh
Amish set the standard in this regard)
are excellent.
A small tractor with a front bucket
would speed construction work on a
larger bale projects.
Bale modification
Half bales and other odd sized bales
are often needed during construction.
These can be ordered from the baler if
you work directly with the producer.
Full sized bales can also be cut and
retied to any necessary size. A metal or
wood needle 18-24" long can be
threaded through the bale with twine or
wire to retie a shorter bale. The
original wit·e or twine can then be cut.
For large production operations a
compression jig should be set up to
ensure uniform size. Bales can also be
cut lengthwise or notched with a
chain saw or handsaw. It is possible to
find old hay saws in antique stores
which will cut bales much easier than a
regular handsaw. 9t?iloT W'l .TIG-
c""'~ WT. , ,-SiEf'
• ll'll'O

weigh closer to 59 !'

7 5-85 lbs. The smaller bales, which are
easier to handle are often 18x16x36 and
Bale composition

A ax
Rye
Crude fiber
percent

43
38.5
Digestible
protein

-0.8
Bru·ley 38 0.8
Millet 37.4 1.0
Handling Bales Oat 37 1.9
Wheat 36.9 0.8
Straw bales are relatively easy to Wheatgrass 36.6 4.3
move around and stack. Gloves and Rice 31.9 1.2
hay hooks are helpful. Straw bales can Prait·ie hay 32
be abrasive and long-sleeved shitts and
pants are advisable, leather cuffs or (Ensminger/}ohnson)
aprons can be helpful.
The secret to lifting and throwing Rice straw has a very high silica
bales is using momentum and body content. This makes it very resistant to
weight rather than muscling them weathering but also makes it harder on
around. Loading a truck of bales by equipment than other straws.
hand will demonstute why most larger Many of these straws have also been
baling operations are now mechanized. used for thatching.
Workshops or working patties (the
22
Chapter 10
Additional details
Foundations
Concrete footings and foundations
are commonly used in straw bale
construction. The foundation should be
reinforced to help prevent cracks and
sealed on top with concrete sealer,
asphalt, aluminum foil and/or plastic to
prevent moisture from wicking up into
the bales. The top of the footing should
be sufficiently high off the ground level
(minimum 6 inches) to provide
moisture protection for the bales.
Reinforcing wire mesh (stucco
mesh, chicken wire--1 ", 18 gauge,
or .. .) can be cast into the foundation
and then tied into the wall for greater
strength. This can be done with 2x2 or
2x4 form additions. Exterior grade
foam insulation can also be added to
the outside of the footing for added
insulation.
Bale walls have been used in
basements in both the U.S. and Canada.
The concrete outside the bales should
be well sealed and drainage should be
good.
Rock foundations and footings have
also been used. Low cost options that
may prove suitable include asphalt
stabilized rammed earth (used in
Australia on solid ground), stone
footings with a concrete cap, or a
rubble trench (gravel like a freeway
base) with a concrete cap.
Straw bale buildings can also be
built on conventional concrete footings,
pole footings, or wood floors . A
pressure treated wood foundation
would also be suitable.
Bale walls are often set on rebar
pins or spikes placed in the foundation
or footing. These can be made more
effective by using allthread and
connecting subsequent lengths of
allthread to the plate at the top of the
wall.
23
The wall can also be secured to the
footing by setting L shaped rebar pins
into the footing so they will be flush
with the inside wall. After the wall is
assembled this rebar can be run up to
the plate and wired into the stucco wire.
Once the plaster sets this system will be
quite strong.
Rebar can be set plumb in the inside
comers before the walls are built. The
comer can then be coved when the
plaster is applied, leaving a reinforced
column in the comer.
Reinforcing mesh can also be tied
to, or run over the plate to give a solid
tie between the footing, the wall, and
the roof. In areas where high winds
and roof uplift is a recognized problem,
allthread to the foundation. Heavy wire
or metal strap ties from the plate to the
foundation can also be used.
Reinforcing mesh
Stucco and plaster are usually
reinforced with wire mesh. The
reinforcing wire can be attached to the
bales in a variety of ways. It can be
nailed to wooden stakes which have
been pounded into the bales, or cross
wired to the reinforcing wire on the
opposite side of the bale by threading a
piece of wire between the bales with a
big needle (coathanger wire will
suffice). Wire ties can also be inserted
in the wall during construction and then
used to secure the reinforcing wire on
both sides of the bale. Squiggly pins
made of stiff wire can be pushed into
the bales, pinning the reinforcing wire
to the bale. All methods may be used
in different areas of a house.
Cracks between bales should be
filled with straw or an earth/straw mix
before attaching the wire mesh.
 Most stacked straw bale buildings
have used wire mesh to reinforce a
finish coat of stucco or plaster,
although chopped polyfiber reinforcing
may suffice. Expanded metal lath at
corners and around windows and doors
provides additional strength and is
easier to plaster.
Bale buildings have also been built
without reinforcing wire--by leaving
the fuzzy side of the bales out to hold
the plaster. Temporary buildings can
be left uncoated, but a plaster or mud
coating provides protection from fire,
weather, insects, and requires less
maintenance.
Roof systems
The hipped roof is one of the better
roof configurations for straw bale
buildings. It permits all walls to be of
the same height and uniformly tied
together with a common plate or bond
beam to evenly distribute tension and
stress. This eliminates the need for
cutting and fitting bales where the
square edges of the bales meet the slope
of a roof. If a gable roof is desired it is
possible to frame the gable ends instead
of using straw bales.
Most recent owner-builders have
used simple shed or sloped roofs for
ease of construction and economy. One
recent design extended the bales on the
end walls up to the roof and sand-
wiched them between the rafters to add
stability. The bales were then cut to
match the top side of the rafter with a
chain saw.
24
Although a rot resistant or pressure-
treated wood plate attached to the bales
will generally suffice a fire break is
desirable. This can be made by
attaching the plate to a mortar bed or
bond beam on the top of the bales by
setting many nails in the bottom and
laying it in a wet beam or mortar bed.
Current experiments with drilling
holes into the wall and setting the plate
bolts in concrete may be equally
effective and faster. Concrete bond
beams, poured on the top of the wall,
can be used when greater strength is
needed.
Trusses or roof framing can then be
set on either the wood plate or the
concrete bond beam. A raised-heel
truss will make it easier to add
sufficient ceiling insulation, R-40-60.
It may be cheaper to use a wider than
normal truss instead of a custom raised-
heel truss. If walls are built higher than
10 feet a dropped heel truss can be
used. For a cathedral ceiling, a scissors
truss can be used.
Designs should include wide eaves,
gutters, and downspouts and detailing
(as with many houses) to help keep rain
off the walls.
 Many different processes have been
developed for making rice hull cement.
The basic steps include, careful mixing
of dry lime and rice hull ashes, heating,
and regtinding. The Intermediate
Technology Development Group
inexpensive. It has proven to be very
strong and resistant to weathering.
Bale walls can also be finished by
placing a form against the wall (1-2"
away) and pouring a wet concrete mix
into the form. This method was used

carries a 48-page book on Rice husk
ash cement: progress in development
and application by R. Smith. This can
be ordered from ITDG, Suite 9A, 777
United Nations Plaza, New York, New
York 10017 [$12.25 ppd].
For more infmmation on rice hull
cement contact:
Central Building Research Institute
Roorkee
Uttar Pradesh, India
CBRI
Regional Research Lab
Jorhat 6
Assam, India
Ali
on some of the old Nebraska houses
and provides a flat, square cornered
wall. <1>i«<le-
~ttij
Wood sleepers (1x4 with angled
sides) can be run from the plate to the
footing before plastering where a point
to attach cabinets is needed Gringo
blocks or wood stakes can also be
placed between or into bales for
mounting fixtures.

Regional Centre for Technology

Transfer
Bangalore, India

Prof. P.C. Kapur

Dept. of Metallurgical Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology
Kanpur, 208 016, India

What is the best finish?

A detailed evaluation of alternative A plywood plate with a metal or wood
coatings is needed. Sprayed stabilized end piece could be used for heavier
items and furniture.
mud may be very successful. When
cement mmtar was not available the <iLv< 1\oJD S<.<e~
. --------
1
Nebraska pioneers used a mix of 2 parts
soil and 1 part sand. More carefully
developed earth mixes with ~~~ ~
approximately 15% clay can be
stabilized or waterproofed with the
~PIN(l:>
addition of pmtland cement (2%) or BAte
asphalt (2-6% ).
Asphalt stabilized mud plaster is
very easy to work with, can be applied
thickly enough to compensate for the
irregular su·aw bale wall surface, is
undemanding if dllty, and can be very

26
 Floors
Concrete slab floors are often used
in bale houses. These floors are
inexpensive, easy to maintain, and can
be colored and stamped to look like
tile, brick, or stone. A concrete floor
also makes an excellent base for tile.
Reinforcing is desirable if tile will be
used. The concrete should be poured
over a pea gravel base with a plastic
moisture barrier.
A lightweight concrete (40 to 60
pounds per cubic foot) can also be
used. A variety of lightweight
concretes can be made with
vermiculite, perlite, pumice, and
expanded shale. A mix used by
Christopher Alexander of the Center for
En ironmental Structure is 1 part
cement, 2 parts kylite, and 3 parts
verrniculi te.
Other floors that should be
considered include: poured adobe, sand
set tile, and thin concrete.
Although most people outside the
Southwest have never heard of it a
poured or puddled adobe floor these are
very comfortable, warm to the touch,
inexpensive and easily installed. These
are excellent choices for semi-public
and ptivate living spaces.
Adobe is much softer and more
pleasant than concrete. Ideally, an
adobe floor should have a maximum
clay content of 35% or less than 15% if
stabilizers such as asphalt emulsion (2-
6%) are used. The color of the floor
can changed by using a different
colored clay mix for the finish coat or
by adding pigments. The surface of the
flo or can be hardened considerably by
applying a number of product, i.e.
linseed oil, sealers, or floor hardeners.
Sand-set tile or brick commonly
used for patios is another option for
inexpensive floors. Peter van Dresser
used this system on his 1948 Solar
House in New Mexico. This method
makes repairing plumbing simple and
provides flexibility for installing and
repairing subfloor solar air heating.
27
These floors are not as flat and tidy as
concrete but they are adequate and
inexpensive. Masonry wall toppers can
also be used to make a very low cost
tile type floor.
Concrete, adobe, or brick on sand
floors are well suited for backup
heating using the traditional Korean
ondol system. Flues from the cooking
and heating stoves in these traditional
systems run under the floor of the
house to a chimney on the opposite side
of the house to provide radiant heating
through the floor. Flues should be very
carefully constructed to prevent any
smoke or carbon monoxide leaks.
This traditional system appears
well-suited for use with a straw bale
stmcture but further research would be
needed to satisfy building code
requirements. The ondol could be
backed up with a solar hot air system in
the winter and natural cooling in the
summer. Straw bales houses can also
be built with conventional wood frame
floors.
OSU STRAW FORMED FLOOR
A method for building a suspended
concrete slab floor using straw was
developed at Oklahoma State
University. Loose round bales are lined
up side-by-side on the ground where
the floor will be laid. The depressions
between the bales become the joists.
The bales are sprayed with ammonium
nitrate to speed decomposition, covered
with kraft paper or builder's felt, and
then covered with concrete. Rebar is
placed in the depressions to reinforce
the joists. Wire mesh could be added to
further reinforce the slab. As the straw
decomposes a space opens up between
the slab and the ground. A slab built
with this method supp01ted loaded
concrete trucks.
 Utilities
Wiring and plumbing can be done
as they are in cement block or adobe
buildings. Utilities can be laid up in the
walls as they are built, placed after
building, or run in moldings, under the
flo or, or in the attic.
Conduit* or romex type wire can be
laid in the joints between the bales after
the walls are built and before they are
plastered. A chain saw can be used to
cut grooves for wire and pipe runs. Sculpted walls
Holes can also be drilled through bales
with a wood auger or hole saw welded Bales can be bent to create curved
to a pipe. walls and rounded forms. If the wall
Electrical boxes and recessed light will be extensively curved it may be
fixtures should be solidly mounted with better to lay the bales on edge -- they
adequate clearance to combustibles. bend better that way.
These are usually screwed to a wooden Loose straw can also be coated with
stake or gringo block. Draft proof a thin coat of moist clay and packed
plastic polypans (Lessco, 990 Mink into forms to create a variety of
Lane, Campbellsport, WI 53010) are different shapes. This traditional
recommended but alas, still hard to German building method is known as
find. Leichtlehbau. (Contact Pliny Fisk at
A sprayed cement solution or fire the Center for Maximum Potential
resistant paint (Ocean Coatings, 5364 Building Systems, Austin, Texas.)
Pan Am Freeway NE, Albuquerque, The adobe finish on walls can also
NM 87109) could probably be applied be sculpted. This can provide dazzling
behind junction boxes, lights, and other walls and beautiful spaces.
heat sources if deemed necessary by a
building inspector.

*Note: Conduit apparently suppresses

electro-magnetic emissions and may be
desirable for that reason.

Maximum Insulation
In very cold areas the bales can be
laid perpendicular to the wall for much
greater insulation values, R 52-80. Bales are interesting candidates for
This provides a wall thickness bales and vaults. The nubian arch (an
comparable to many of the larger adobe inverted catenary) may be relatively
buildings of early California and New easy to build with bales, using long
Mexico. rebar pins to stabilize the bales until the
Circular and rectangular bales have plaster is applied.
also been used for structures, with R
values up to 160. The large rectangular
bales would be good candidates for
refrigerated space.
28
Chapter 11
What about the building code
Straw bale buildings have the same
problems with the building code as many
other ecologically sound, proven methods
of construction like rammed earth and
adobe.
Building inspection provides many
benefits to the ignorant and unsuspecting
buyer but it also drives prices up and
stifles innovation. In many areas of the
country the building code process is
flexible and will be able to provide
support and assistance for the straw bale
builder based on data now available from
Canada and from studies of components of
the wall systems (i.e. fire safety of
reinforced concrete).
If you are not fortunate enough to live
in one of these areas (or in an area with no
building codes) you may have to struggle
to build a house with load bearing straw
bale walls. You can probably manage to
build a straw bale house with a timber-
frame, pole frame, or truss walls if you
can find a sympathetic engineer who is
willing to calculate loads, stresses, etc. and
stamp off on your plans. More complex
plans in urban areas may require more
detailed technical information on strength,
compression, fire safety, etc.
What we need is a central
clearinghouse for data on straw bale
testing and engineering data so the code
system can be educated and approvals can
be made easier (See chapter 15).
Often the best approach is to start with
a test or demonstration wall or building for
non-residential use. This could be a
garage or utility shed. Code approval is
usually much more relaxed for these
structures. After you have built one of
these you can show it to inspectors and
engineers, let them bash it with a
sledgehammer and hold a blow-torch to it.
Then, if they are good inspectors they may
allow a test "residential" use.
Once several buildings are up and
everyone can see that they are solid,
durable, and safe it is usually possible to
page 29
develop a new standard for evaluating
straw bale plans and permits.
Education for architects, building
inspectors and engineers is needed. In
most parts of the country the process can
be started by showing slides, videos, and
built examples.
Getting approval can be the most time-
consuming part of the building process. It
is a sad state of affairs -- but real.
Many of the straw bale houses now in
use were built before building codes were
adopted or were built outside the approval
process. The speed of building and the
low cost make it possible to do this but we
cannot condone it. Fight for approval--not
just for your house but so that others can
enjoy these wonderful houses in the
future.
Contact the major builders and
information sources in the bibliography to
find out more information on engineering,
test data, and code approval processes. A
sympathetic advisor can save time and
trouble.
You can also help (even if you don't
want to build a house right now) by
supporting the research activities now
underway, writing your elected officials,
and asking for more research and support
for straw bale buildings.
If log houses hadn't been built from the
earliest days of the U.S . they would not be
allowed either. Education and lobbying
will make it as easy to build a straw bale
house as it is to build a regular house.
And the energy codes are no problem.
If we had more environmentally
miented building codes (if we have codes
they should be useful) then it would be
impossible to build an energy wasting,
hard to maintain conventional house--not a
straw bale house.
Chapter 12
What about Pests,
Rot, and Termites?
One of the common concerns with
bale buildings is pests (rats, bugs, etc.), rot
and termites. The experience in Nebraska
has showed this is an unfounded concern
even with plastered hay bales, which still
have the grain heads on the grasses.
The straw bales provide fewer spaces
and havens for pests than conventional
wood framing and the concrete and plaster
effectively eliminate any chance of access
for even small bugs.
There are few termites that like straw
(compared to many that like wood). The
wood in one old bale house was eaten
while the straw was untouched. But to be
safe it is still best to protect both the wood
and straw with the normal separation from
the ground. Some of the early houses
were built without even a foundation and
lasted a long time (some still standing).
Termite shields, sand barriers,
diatomaceous earth (insect control not
pool filter grade) or borate can be used to
provide added protection against termites
in areas where they ru·e a setious problem
for conventional housing.
The bales should be laid up dry and
kept dry to protect the bales. A Canadian
study (in damp Quebec) showed that the
bales continued to dry out after the wall
was built and plastered.
The material chosen for plastering the
exterior wall should be porous enough for
interior moisture to escape during warmer
months. In colder areas, the inside of the
wall can be sealed with a vapor batTier
paint, although Canadian studies found the
moisture content of tested bales stayed
sufficiently low to offer good thermal
resistance (without danger of rotting) even
without a separate air/vapor banier.
page 30
Chapter 13
The Basics of
Solar Design
A well-built house should have a
lifetime of hundreds of yeru·s. During its
lifetime the cost of energy will far exceed
the initial cost. Careful design and
construction can dramatically reduce the
energy use of the house -- while making it
more comfortable and healthier to live in.
ORIENTATION
Solar design requires a basic under-
standing of how the sun moves in the sky
over the year. In the summer, the sun is
high overhead at noon and rises and sets
nmth of the east-west line. In the winter
the sun is much lower at noon and rises
and sets further south. These changes
make it possible to build a house that is
naturally cool in the summer and warm in
the winter.
The key to solar design is proper solar
olientation -- which is usually free. A
house should face due south (true south
not magnetic south) with most windows
on the south, less on the nmth, and even
less on the east and west (consistent with
safety, ventilation, and views).
A rectangle that is longer East-West
than N-S is prefened. With an overhang
over the south windows to keep the high
summer sun out, this house will be
warmer in winter and cooler in the
summer than any other shape. A house
with good orientation can save money and
will be much more comfortable.
Early solar· designs used many lru·ge
south facing windows and without
adequate thermal mass and shade, these
often became solar ovens in the summer.
Experience led to houses with modest
window area and much better insulation.
A rough rule of thumb is to have south
facing windows equal to 5-8% of the floor
area. For a fifteen hundred square foot
house this would be 75-120 square feet.

INSULATION
Orientation is the first step in any
proper design, but without insulation it is
difficult to save the heat from a sunny
winter day for the cold night. Many
traditional rural house designs use peliect
solar orientation but are crippled because
they have no insulation to prevent
conductive heat loss.
Straw bale buildings are very well
insulated. Insulation in other elements of
the house is usually inexpensive to build
in (but more expensive to retrofit) and
should be stressed in the attic (R-40+),
doors (R-7+) , and foundation (R-10+).
Windows are more challenging.
Double pane is the minimal acceptable
level (R-2), with insulated shutters or
curtains inside. Special heat saving
windows with energy control films (such
as Heat minor™) and special gas filled
windows are available--but expensive.
Use them if you can.
Double pane windows can be made by
doubling up inexpensive single pane
windows. A one-to-two inch gap between
these windows is sufficient. Storm
windows will improve window
peliormance on the north, east, and west
in the winter. Skylights are energy costly
and should generally be minimized. South
facing clerestory windows are an easy way
to get sunlight and solar heat into north
rooms.
WEATHERIZATION
Heat is also lost by air flow. This may
account for half of the heat loss in a well
insulated, but leaky house. Weather-
stripping doors and windows, caulking,
and sealing can dramatically reduce this
unwanted heat loss. The goal is controlled
air flow--when and where it is wanted.
Super-insulation and a snug house make
for superb comfort. In most areas, this
page 31
type of house works so well that open
windows can be used to provide fresh air
all year. In very cold climates where the
windows must be kept closed, an air-to-air
heat exchanger should be used to provide
fresh air without losing precious warmth.
BAtJC.O
THERMAL MASS
Heat from a sunny winter day can be
saved for the night with thermal mass
inside the insulated shell. The plastered
straw bales provide considerable mass but
this can be augmented with an exposed
concrete floor, adobe bancos, masonry, or
water tanks that act as thermal batteries.
These also help save the coolness of a
summer night for the hot day. The more
thermal mass a house has the more stable
the temperature will be.
SHADING
The key to keeping a house cool in the
summer is orientation and shading. An
overhang and/or arbor will keep the high
summer sun out but will let in the low
winter sun. Windows on the east and west
are more difficult to shade properly.
Shadescreen is a step in the right direction,
and is good for retrofit. Arbors, vertical
fins, or trees can also be used to shade
these windows.
A ton of air conditioning is required to
offset the blisteting heat from just 55
square feet of west windows. Two
kilowatts of peak generating capacity
costing more than $5,000 will be needed
to run this machine.
\\
 VENTILATION
Capturing cooling breezes in the
summer requires careful window
placement and intetior design. Providing
privacy and good air flow is possible.
Insulated screened vents can be more
economical than movable windows.
Interior air flow can be provided with
doors cut 1 - 2" above the floor with vents
and windows above doors
SITE MODIFICATION
Selecting a good site is important. The
house should sit where it will have good
winter sun, summer shade, summer
breezes, and protection from severe winter
winds. If a less than ideal site is used it
can be improved by landscaping. Big
shade trees to the E and W are most
important. Windbreaks can be used to
block severe winds and channel cooling
breezes.
Porches were a standard feature on old
houses and provide many benefits for
summer cooling and winter heating. With
stmm windows they also become an
effective buffer space in winter and good
storage and workspace.
5VI'VII\16 L
l'o~ctt
w1 £.
0 HousE- ~ from a cool area in the yard are other
R options for low energy use cooling.
,.1
l
[w,~~
5 The importance of using safe materials
PORCHES
A shaded courtyard can be very
delightful in the hot summer. A two story
courtyard is easier to shade and will
ventilate better, but a one story courtyard
with a full arbor, vented shadecloth, or
large shade tree can be very pleasant. A
large unshaded courtyard will be very hot
in the summer.
page 32
BACKUP SYSTEMS
Heating
A super-insulated house will have little
need for backup heating and cooling. A
catalytic airtight wood stove with an
outside air intake is much better than a
fireplace--which can lose more heat than it
provides to the house. However, the air
pollution from wood burning may make a
small gas or electric heater a better choice
in all but rural areas.
A very energy efficient house can
often be heated with a small fan coil run
off the water heater.
European style tile ovens are very
efficient sources of radiant heat and burn
very small amounts of wood compared to
other wood stoves.
Cooling
The Environmental Research Lab
(Univ. of Arizona) in Tucson has
developed passive downdraft cooling
towers which work very well. Indirect
evaporative cooling is possible in areas
where a "swamp" cooler will not work.
These indirect evaporative coolers were
once used on many large commercial
buildings.
Water trickling down the chimney, (a
method supposedly used by Frank Lloyd
Wright on one of his homes), a cool pool
or roof pond, or a cool tube drawing air
INDOOR AIR QUALITY
cannot be over-emphasized. Wood,
plaster, rock, cement and natural products
are best. Plastic flooring, pressed wood,
and other rutificial products give off toxic
gasses. Ventilating a new house with
these materials before moving in can
reduce the hazard but it is best to avoid
them altogether. Safe paints ru·e available
now and are well worth the added cost.
Electric heaters and stoves are cleanest but
well vented gas appliances are acceptable.
 Bibliography
RECOMJ\.1ENDED *
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properties and agricultural applications of
ferrocement using hexagonal chicken wire
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Towards Progressive Agriculture. Serdang,
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Andersen, B.H. 1989. The Danish solution to
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Andersen, B.H. and Homegaard, P. 1987. Hytter
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tents for alternative pig husbandry) 5 Nov.
Statens Byggesforskingstnst (POB 119 2970,
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Anon. 1960. Straw bale church in Alberta.
Grassland News. New Holland Farm
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Anon. 1992. Nu bygger man huse af halm.
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Argue, R. 1980. The Well Tempered Home.
Renewable Energy in Canada, Toronto,
Ontario.
Aronovsky, S.L. 1947. Collection and quality of
straw for straw board. Agricultural Engineering
28 (July):309-10
Aronovsky, S.K. and Younger, J.O. 1945. The
physical evaluation of straw and other residue
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Journal. 120(19, May 10):43-5 ..
Arthur County Historical Society Book Committee.
1989?. Arthur County's 75 Years of History,
Homesteaders, and Homemakers. ACHS,
Arthur, NE 597p.
Bainbridge, D.A. 1986. High performance low cost
buildings of straw. Agriculture, Ecosystems,
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Bainbridge, D.A. 1986. Straw bale construction.
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Bainbridge, D .A . 1987. Straw bale construction.
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Bainb1idge, D.A. 1987. Straw bale construction.
Working paper No.5. Dry Lands Research
Institute, University of California, Riverside,
California 12p.
Bainbridge, D.A. 1987. Better homes with gardens. Extension Agriculture Engineer. 1943. Straw barn
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bale building systems. Solar World Congress,
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Barre, H.J. and Sammett, L.L. 1950. Farm
Structures. John Wiley & Sons, New York p.
614
Best, D. 1990. Nontoxic alternative to CCA
(sodium borate as preservative). Journal of
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Briggs, P. 1991. Mortars and Finishes. Old House
Journall9(4):35-37.
Brown, P.L. 1991. Houses the cows would love to
nosh on. New York Times, The Living Arts.
Thursday Dec. 12: Bl ,5
Brown, P.L. 1991. House the cows would love to
eat. New York Times , HOME. Thursday Dec.
12: Cl ,6
Buckingham, F. 1990. Round bales and hay
quality. Grainews, May 22. (Box 6600,
Winnipeg, MB. R3C 3A7)
Butterfield, B. 1985. The Straw Manual. E. &
F.N. Spon, London, England 212p.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
Housing Technology Incentives Program.
1984. An innovative straw bale/mortar
building system. Ottawa, Ontario 3p. *
Doolittle, B. 1973. A round house of straw bales.
Mother Earth News 19:52-57.
Cleland, S.B. 1942 [1941]. Straw sheds. Univ. of
Minnesota, Extension Bulletin 227, St. Paul,
MN.
Dice, J.R. 1947. Some effects of type of shelter on
dairy cattle, ND Agric. Exp. Sta. Bull. 344,
(NDSU, Fargo, ND 58102), April.
Doughty, T. (editor). 1990. Bales form emergency
bunker. The Dakota Farmer, p. 31, April 7
Douglas, R.J. and Langford, L.H. 1954.
Inexpensive winter shelter for hogs. Bi-
Monthly Bulletin. ND Agric. Exp. Sta., 16:4
(Mar-Apr.):139-40.
Ensminger and Olentine. 1978. Feeds and
CA.
Extension Agricultural Engineer. 1930. Straw barn
for sheep or cattle, 24' X 90', Endwall door,
Plan# ND B-711, NDSU, Fargo, ND.
Extension Agricultural Engineer. 1930. Straw Barn
for Cattle, 20'28', Endwall Door, Plan# ND B-
712, NDSU, Fargo, ND.
Extension Agricultural Engineer. 1934. Straw barn
for poultry, 20'X20', Endwall Door, Plan# ND
B-713 , NDSU, Fargo, ND.
Extension Agricultural Engineer. 1924. Straw shed
demountable roof frame, 19'X23', Plank and
Wire, Plan# ND B-8-1-1 , NDSU, Fargo, ND.
framing 28'X32', Postbeam & Wire Plan# ND
725-3-1 , NDSU, Fargo, ND.
Extension Agriculture Engineer. 1943. Special
Circular A-54, Straw shed for cattle and sheep.
4p, Extension Service, ND Agric. College,
Fargo, ND .
Extension Agriculture Engineer. 1943. Special
Circular A-55, Straw shed for poultry, 4p,
Extension Service, ND Agric. College, Fargo
ND.
Faller, T., Nudell, D., Olson, R. , and Stecher, D.
1990. A shed made from straw used for a
sheep shelter, 31st Annual Western Dakota
Sheep Day Report, NDSU, February. Hettinger
Res./Ext. Center. (POB 507 , Hettinger, ND
58639)
Faunterloy, G. 1991. A house of straw. Sante Fe
NM SUN. July , 3(9):8
Findlay, W .M. 1956. Oats. Oliver and Boyd,
London, England.
Fish , C. 1988. Straw bale house. Sustainable
Living in Dry Lands. 2:2.
Fowler. 1900. Nebraska School Buildings and
Grounds. State Superintendent of Schools.
Fuller, C. 1992. Say hay! This house is made of
straw. National Enquirer July 7.
Gagne, L. 1986. A Straw Bales/Mortar House
Demonstration Project. Canada Mortgage and
Housing Corporation, Housing Technology
Incentives Program. Ottawa, Ontario 42p. *
Gergen, B. 1987. Low-cost calving shed made
from straw bales. Farm Show 11 :6 (POB
1029, Lakeville, MN, 55044)
Gilwick, T. 1991. Blazing farms under fire in
Northwest. Los Angeles Times 110(Teus. Sept.
17)A5, col. I.
Graham , D. 1989. The world's only baled straw
church. Arthur County Historical Society,
Arthur, NE 691216p (for another church see
ANON. 1960. also still in good condition)
Grist, D.H. 1986. Rice. Longman, London, 599p.
Hammond, J. 1979. Straw bale house. Winds of
Change, Winter(Feb/Mar):8 (Winters, CA)
Hammond, W.E. 1950. A survey of the present and
potential industrial uses of straw with special
reference to Nebraska. Nebraska Exp. Sta.
Bull. No. 401 , U. of Neb., Lincoln, NE, Dec.
Hiles, H. (circa 1930). Hiles Circular Hanger.
Gothenburg, Nebraska
Hughes, K. 1987. Gunite retaining wall. Fine
Homebuilding #40 (June/July):60-63 .
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Forage Harvesting. John Deere, Moline,
Illinois.
Johnson, D.W. 1990. Straw bales make cheap
buildings. Grainews. July:25,42-3 , (POB 660,
Winnipeg, MB , Rc3 3A7),
page 36
Johnson , D.W. 1990. Build yourself a low-cost
straw bale barn. Farm Show 14:2 (POB 1029,
Lakeville, MN, 55044)
Johnson , D.W. 1990. Farm buildings using
rectangular or round baled roughage. American
Society of Agricultural Engineers paper
#904550, Presented at the 1990 Winter
Meeting. ASAE St. Joseph, MI 49085 lOp.*
Johnson, D.W. 1990. Old tricks work with new
bale shapes. The Dakota Farmer 108:4(Feb
17):34-5 (7900 International Dr., Minneapolis,
MN. 55425)
Johnson, H. (editor). 1984. Straw bale grain bins.
Farm Show. 8:1-7 (POB 1029, Lakeville, MN
55044)
Johnson, H. (editor). 1987. Round bale shed. Farm
Show. 11:6,
Johnson, H. (editor). 1982. Straw provides low
cost shelter for livestock. Farm Show, 6:1
Kay, J. , D. Anthone, and R. Kay. 1990. Nebraska
Historic Building Survey of Arthur County.
Nebraska State Historical Society. Lincoln,
Nebraska.
Lathrop, E.C. 1947. Economics of straw
utilization. Agricultural Engineering
28(July):308-10. (ASAE, 2950 Niles Rd., St.
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Leonard, W.H. & J.H. Martin. 1963. Cereal
Crops. MacMillan and Co, New York, 824p.
Lipscomb, J. 1992. Plastered straw bale
construction. Eco-Homes, Helena, MT ($20).
Lofton, R.E. 1930. The physical structure of
cornstalks and wheat straw. Paper Trade
Journal. 91(July):39-44, TAPPI Section
Long, J.T., Taylor, W.D. , & Berry, T.W. 1978.
Hay harvesting costs in Texas. Texas
Agricultural Extension Service Publication B-
1171. College Station, Texas 15p.
MacDonald, S. & 0 . 1991. A Straw Bale Primer.
PO Box 58, Gila, NM 88038 ($10ppd).
McElderry, W. and C. 1979. Happiness is a hay
house. Mother Earth News 58:40-43.
Means , R.E. & Parcher, J.V. 1958. Foundations
for small houses in Oklahoma. Engineering
Experiment Station Publication 99. Oklahoma
State University, pp. 54,55.
Mishler, C. (editor), Rural Builder. 24(1 ,
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Morrison, F.B. 1957. Feeds and Feeding. 22nd
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Mhyrman, M. 1989. We just sort of stood the
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Amaterra 3p
NEIGHBORHOOD, SOLAR AND SUPER-
INSULATED DESIGN
Bainbridge, D.A. 1978. The First Passive Solar
Catalog. Passive Solar Institute, Davis,
California 92p.
Bainbridge, D.A. 1980. The Second Passive Solar
Catalog. Passive Solar Institute, Davis, CA
102p.
Bainbridge, D.A., Corbett, J., and Hofacre, J. 1978.
Village Homes Solar House Designs. Rodale
Press, Emmaus, P A
Bainbridge, D.A. 1990. Development doesn't have
to be a dirty word. Los Angeles Times 12/26
pB7
Nisson, J.D. and Dutt, G. 1985. The Super-
insulated Home Book. John Wiley, NY 316p.
Shurcliff, W. 1982. Super-insulated Houses.
Brickhouse, Andover, MA lOOp.
References were collected from personal files
and papers, many citations were incomplete or
illegible. Corrections and additions are
welcome.
RESOURCE PEOPLE:
send a self-addressed stamped envelope and some
money to assist these pioneers.
Matts Myhrman, Out on Bale, (Un) Ltd.
1037 E. Linden St., Tucson, AZ 85719
VIDEOS-
SB Construction- Escott and Kemble,
$29 + $4 s&h
SB Shelter- $18 ppd
PRINTED MATTER
SB Primer-S. & 0. MacDonald $10 ppd
Myhrman notes/details+ MacDonald Primer $16
ppd (recommended!)
The Last Straw--newsletter $18 yr
Also consultations and workhops
Steve MacDonald, PO Box 58, Gila, NM 88038
Bill and Athena Steen, Canelo Project, HCR 324,
Elgin, AZ 85611
Pliny Fisk III, Center for Maximum Potential
Building Systems, 8604 Webberville Road, Austin
TX78724
Helen and Jorg Ostrowski, A.C.E. , Varsity
Execucenter, 1700 Varsity Estates Drive N.W.,
Calgary, Alberta T3B 2W9
Ken Haggard and Polly Cooper, Star Route Box
238, Santa Margarita, CA 93453
page 38
Jim Peterson, Resourceful Nest, 715 W. Lewis,
Livingston, MT 59047
Eco-Homes, PO Box 1019, Helena, MT 59624
VIDEO and PRIMER
Greg Allen, PE, 33 Madison Avenue, Toronto,
ONTM5R2S2
FARM BUILDINGS
Dexter Johnson, Agricultural Engineer, 1237 N 3rd
Street, Fargo, ND 58102
A TRIBUTE TO TOD NEUBAUER
A lifetime of contribution.
with J.D. Long. 1946. Adobe Construction.
University of California Ag Experiment Station
Bulletin 472. 63p.
with G.J. Everson and R.B . Deering. 1955.
Environmental influence on orientation and house
design. Jrnl Home Economics 46(3):161-167
with R.D. Cramer. 1959. Solar radiant gains
through directional glass exposure. ASHRAE
Transactions 65:499
with R.D. Cramer. 1959. Summer heat control
for small houses. Transactions ASAE 2(1):102-
105.
with F.A. Brooks and C.F. Kelly. 1960.
Principles and parameters of solar energy
collection and use. ASAE Paper #60-818. 7p.
1964. Using adobe brick or rammed earth for
homes. University of California, Manuall9. 35p.
with R.D. Cramer and M. Laraway. 1964.
Temperature control of solar radiation on roof
surfaces. Trans. ASAE 7(4):532-534.
with R.D. Cramer. 1965. Diurnal radiant
exchange with the sky dome. Solar Energy
9(2):95 -103
1972. Optimum alleviation of solar stress on
model buildings. Trans . .ASAE 15(1):129-132
1972. Orientation and insulation (southermation):
model v/s prototype. Trans. ASAE 15(4):707-709
with J. Hammond, M. Hunt, R.D. Cramer. 1975.
A Strategy for Energy Conservation. Living
Systems, Winters, CA. 52p.
THE THREE LITTLE PIGS:
A PARABLE FOR OUR TIMES
David A. Bainbridge
There once was a very charming pig (a
single mother like Murphy Brown) who had
three piglets. But Ms. Pig had little money
(yet another victim of the great recession)
and when her children grew up she couldn't
help them buy their own houses.
The first little pig to leave home got a
job working for the county farm bureau.
After a few years of saving money he found
a log cabin he could afford. The rustic log
home appealed to him and after a long
negotiation his Realtor managed to arrange a
loan from the bank. All was fine until the
cold winter came and the pretty log cabin
just wouldn't stay warm (with R-10 walls
and many leaks) even with a big heater on
all day and night.
The high utility bills soon exhausted his
bank account and a fierce wolf with many
tattoos, chains, studs, and a black leather
jacket came to the door and demanded,
"Little pig, little pig, pay up your bills." To
which the pig answered, "No, no, no by the
hair on my chinny chin chin." (Because he
couldn't afford it and didn't like the look of
the collection agent's long sharp teeth).
The wolf then growled louder, "Then
I'll huff and I'll puff and in no time at all
our lawyers will repossess your house."
And so they did. And the now poor piggy
was lucky to sneak home at night to his
mother's small house.
The second little piggy left home and
found a job helping a farmer control the
weeds in his crops. This enabled him to
save his money and soon he was married.
His wife met a gracious Realtor, who sold
them on the wisdom of owning a solid brick
house just like his grandmother owned
(before the big earthquake).
And this was truly a beautiful and
delightful house (with R-6 walls) until the
very cold days of winter arrived. Then, no
matter how long he left the heater on his
wife and baby piglets were never warm.
The utility bill was outrageously high, far
more than they could afford, and before
long the big gray wolf from the collection
company was at their door, "Little pig, little
pig, pay your bills." To which the pig
answered, "No, no, no -- not by the hair on
my chinny chin chin. (Because he had
already spent all his savings on food and
baby clothes for 10 piglets and his high
heating bills).
The wolf growled louder and louder,
"Then I'll huff and I'll puff and in no time
at all our lawyers will repossess your
house." And they did. Imagine Ms. Pig's
surprise (and horror) when her second son
and his big family returned home.
The third little pig, who was the wisest
of all, found a little lot in the country and
bought it for a song. (She was quite a good
singer!) Then she built a plastered straw
bale house (with R-40 walls) set just right
so the sunshine kept it warm all winter and
shade trees kept it cool all summer.
Eventually, the fox who checked the
energy meters for the utility company came
to the door and said, "Little pig, little pig,
let me in. Your utility meter must be broken
and we have to change it." (Because her
utility bills were so low.) Eventually she
had to--but after they changed the meter the
bills were even lower. The red fox hired a
crafty old weasel to fmd out how the pig
used so little energy. But try though he
might, the weasel could find nothing
wrong.
The red fox finally came back to the
door and said, "Little pig, little pig, let me
know what you've done-- I'd like a house
as comfortable as yours. But please oh
please don't tell anyone else what you've
done." And soon the foxes lived in a
comfortable and energy efficient straw bale
house of their own.
The smartest little pig felt sorry for her
mother, with the two boys and all the
piglets at home again. So with the money
she had saved on energy bills she helped
them buy a lot nearby and together they
built a cozy little straw bale duplex for the
boys (and their families) with a warm and
sunny little straw bale studio out back for
her mother.
And they all lived ever so comfmtably
and happily forever after. Every time the
wolf came down the street to collect
overdue bills on other properties all the little
piggies would gathered by the sturdy
plastered straw bale walls around their
gardens and squealed with delight.
The Canelo Project, Inc. was established
in 1990 to develop and publicize methods
for sustainable development.
About the Authors
David Bainbridge received his
undergraduate degree in Earth Sciences
from the University of California San
Diego and his Masters degree in Ecology
from U.C. Davis. He has worked on
energy efficient housing, resource
management, and development for more
than twenty years.
He has written several books on
energy efficient planning and building and
received a special commendation from the
California Energy Commission for his
work on the passive solar tax credit
regulations. The University of California
recently printed his 196 page book on
Sustainable Agriculture: A Guide to
Information.
. His specia! interests are super-
msulated passive solar buildings, multi-
purpose tree crops for arid zones and the
restoration of damaged arid land~. His
rese~ch ha.s included resource manage-
~ent m .Chma and Mexico. He currently
IS an adJunct professor and restoration
ecologist for San Diego State University
and a member of Groundworks
International, an international research and
education group for sustainable
development.
Athena Swentzell Steen comes from a
well known family of potters and artists
from Santa Clara Pueblo, New Mexico.
She has carlied on this family tradition
thr~ ugh her own art, plimarily in the
design and construction of adobe
structures and public spaces. She has also
worked with adobe sculpture and taught
adobe oven building.
In addition to this artistic influence
her work reflects an approach which '
utilizes simple common sense passive
solar !echnolo.gies and a willingness to
expen~ent with a wide variety of
alt~r~atlve and ecologically sound
bmlding technologies. Her sensitivity to
and knowledge of the Pueblo world has
given h~r an ability to create living spaces
and envrronments which facilitate social
interaction and communication between
people.
She has ~xplored vernacular building
methods ~h~ch ~ncourage community and
group partiCipatiOn, especially with
women and children. It is probably this
facet of her work which fascinates her the
m~st .--deve~opi~g a timeless way of
building which IS within reach of all
members of the community and is in itself
a means of "building" people and social
cohesiveness. For the past two years she
has been working with her husband on a
variety of projects in southeastern
Arizona.
Bill Steen is a native Arizonan of
Hispanic and Anglo descent whose work
has focused on facilitating inter-cultural
comm~nication, developing human
potentia~, and encouraging appreciation
for the nchness of traditional cultures. For
over twenty years he has served as a
consultant and administrator in
organizational and community develop-
ment ~or ?oth profit and non-profit
organ1zat10ns.
He ~as spet;tt t~e last seven years
consultln~, desigrung, researching,
~o~umentmg, and teaching sustainable
livmg practices for dryland environments.
Much of his work has been in the
southwestern United States and Mexico.
He has photographed traditional Maya
resource management practices for the
University of California and his
photographs will be an integral part of a
forthcoming book on the ethnobotany of
the Yaquis. His photographs have also
appeared in publications such as World
fv!onitor and Gardening. He is a founding
director of the Canelo Project.
The Canelo Project
Financial contributions to the Canelo
Project for education and research
activities are welcome and are tax
deductible (a 501C3 non-profit
institution).
Get Started
Just do it.--no sniveling, whimpering,
or whining. Laughing, smiling, and
grinning-- make it a house building party.
Getting started is intimidating -- but
there are some very useful books and
methods to overcome this inertia.
Scher, L. 1974. Finding and Buying Your
Place in the Country. Collier
Wing, C. and J. Cole. 1976. From the
Ground Up. Cornerstone Builders.
Roskind, R. 1983. Before Your Build.
Ten Speed Press.
Grandjean, E. 197 4. Ergonomics of the
Home. Halstead Press.
Kern, K. 1975. The Owner Built Home.
with B. Kern. 1977. The Owner Built
Homestead. both publ. by Chas.
Scribners, NY.
with T. Kogan and R. Thallon. 1976.
The Owner Builder and the Code. publ.
by Owner Builder Publications.
Box 817, North Fork, CA 93643
NAVPERS. 1972. Basic Construc6on
Techniques. Dover reprint.
For more innovative foundations,
developed initially in Scandinavia, see:
Eich, R. 1990. Shallow foundations.
Journal of Light Construction 8(6):29-30
Monis, R.A. 1989?. Protected Shallow
Founda6ons. National Association of
Home Builders, National Research
Council. $15.
For inspiration
Bernard Rudofsy. 1964. Architecture
without Architects. UNM Press.
Christopher Williams. 1974. Craftsmen
of Necessity. Vantage.
The healthy house
As a person (DB) with a wide range of
environmental allergies, including many
building materials and solvents, I would
recommend:
Dadd, D.L. 1986. The Non-toxic House.
J.P. Carter.
Good, C. and D.L. Dadd. 1988. Healthy
Houses. Guarantee Press.
Pearson, D. 1986. The Natural House
Book. Simon and Schuster.
Hands-on experience
Workshops on building in general and
bale building in pruticular can be an
excellent investment. Seeing a house built
and handling the materials and tools can
give you the confidence to build -- or the
incentive to hire a builder.
Hiring an expelienced helper or
supervisor can be worthwhile. Some of
the super - low cost bale houses we have
seen could have benefited with help on
building details. They would have cost no
more to build but would require less
maintenance.
Magazines
The Last Straw is the straw bale building
newsletter. Includes building techniques,
important bale buildings (new and
historic) and info on workshops and
literature. $18 (check payable to Out on
Bale (un) Ltd. 1037 E. Linden Street,
Tucson, AZ 85719
Fine Homebuilding features excellent
writing, superb photos and illustrations,
often on cost-no-object custom homes.
Better newsstands. $29. Subscribe.
The Journal of Light Construction is on
newsprint, with equally good writing and
clear sketches. This is the magazine
builders read -- tips on doing the job well,
economically, and efficiently. My
favorite. $32.50 (1-800-345-8112)
Plastered Straw Bale Construction
Re-order Form
Please send additional copies of
"Plastered Straw Bale Construction"
to: please print neatly
Name_________________________
Address _______________________
City__________________________
State._______________Zip _______
agAccess
Po Box 2008
Davis, CA 95617
mail order, phone and credit card
(916) 756-7177
Please enclose $10.00 for each copy
(plus $2 shipping and handling).
California residents add sales tax. Make
checks payable to agAccess.
International orders, typical shipping and
handling:
air mail $10
surface mail $6
(discount for large orders -- call)
Total enclosed._________________
The preeminent agricultural book store,
excellent international and sustainable
agriculture coverage. Worth a visit to the
store if you are near Davis.
agAccess
603 4th Street
Davis
Also available from:
The Canelo Project
HCR Box 324
Canelo, AZ 85611
$12 ppd add Arizona tax,
allow two to four weeks for delivery
The Canelo Project will be publishing
additional booklets on the following
subjects. Please check those for which
you wish to receive further information.
_____Buried Clay Pot Irrigation -
David Bainbridge, Athena & Bill Steen.
-,------,---,Thoughts on Pueblo Culture,
Art, and Architecture --
A collection of essays from a Pueblo
Indian perspective by Rina Swentzell.
Out On Bale (un) Ltd.
1037 E. Linden
Tucson, AZ 85719
(602) 624-1673
The straw bale resource center. Video,
seminars, workshops, information packet,
and primer. Send self-addressed, stamped
envelope for current listings.
$12 ppd, add Arizona tax,
allow two to four weeks for delivery
Sien·a Nature Ptints
1600 Mount Hermon Rd.
Santa Cruz, CA 95066
mail order only ($12 ppd add Calif. tax)
Greeting cards featuring native plants,
trees, cones, etc. Coloring book on tree
crops, acorn use, dryland agriculture book,
native plant inf01mation, etc.