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10/19/2003 Archived Entry: "STRAWBALE HOMES RENAISSANCE"

STRAWBALE HOMES RENAISSANCE

My Louisiana friend, Janis Gore, asked about some of the qualities of strawbale construction so I figured maybe others might want to know as well. Strawbale constructed homes have been around longer than we have and now they are making a renaissance.

My first encounter with one method of strawbale construction (there are many) was in New Mexico many years ago. A friend of my daughter's was in the business and he gave us a grand tour of several homes he was building by that method. It was so new to me at the time that I hadn't yet had time to weave through the thought processes to get where I needed to be to fully accept the ingenuity and practicality of the construction. Actually, he was working with a broken leg after falling through a ceiling and I was stuck in motion with that thought.

Q: What is a strawbale home?
A: Strawbale construction really is just building walls out of compressed strawbales and plastering over them. With the thick coat of plaster, both inside and out, you achieve super insulation with natural materials that are non-toxic and extremely fire-resistant. This method of construction can reduce your energy bills by 50% to 90%. Also, the houses become very personal as much of the construction can be done by anyone as even children help with the plastering. It's like a barn raising.

Q: How sturdy is this construction and how can a home made of straw be fire-resistant?
A: Strawbale houses are sturdy and can go through hurricanes and tornadoes. Even if it starts smoldering, it isn't going to kill you like foam or particle board. It's far superior to a wood-frame structure because it lacks oxygen to support combustion. Some homes are plastered both inside and outside, adobe-style, so you can understand how fire resistant they become.

Q: What is a "truth window"?
A: Once you plaster over all the straw there is no way to show people it is a house of straw. So, oftentimes they will install a truth window in a wall so that, when opened, reveals the straw in the walls. Of course, the walls are as thick as a bale of straw, much thicker than standard construction.

Q: What about the roof?
A: This is one place where you never want to neglect your roof maintenance. You need a good roof that sheds water away from the house.

Q: Why hasn't this form of construction "caught on"?
A: Code departments have not been brought up to speed. Financing and insurance go right along with that. Mostly, it's a lack of having the correct information.

The strawbale constructed houses in Wilson are not plastered on the inside. The interior finishes are standard sheet rock. Each one of the units has a "safe room" which is really unique and provides peace of mind for those who live in areas of high wind velocity. These rooms are a part of, but are independant from the rest of the construction....stand alone, interior, steel-lined tornado resistant rooms that are anchored to the foundation.

If you want to learn more about strawbale construction, you can check out Catherine Wanek's "The New Strawbale Home" (Gibbs Smith, $39.95).

Or, you can go over to Wilson and tap into Dave Criswell's vast storehouse of knowledge. Todd Hanzlicek is the contractor and Larry Ptacek is doing the utility work on the homes so they can also provide answers to your questions. This is just another example of the many unique things that happen in Wilson...which is one of my favorite communities in Kansas. Wilson is a community of people who collectively promote the town and make things happen. Good people. Good town.