Straw Bale Construction
 Straw bale construction techniques were developed and honed in the central states of America in the late 19th early 20th century. Many examples of houses from that period are still in existence, and in some cases, use.
These building techniques have recently enjoyed a renaissance, being applied to domestic and commercial buildings with equal success in the modern day.
Straw is the dry stalk left in the earth after harvest and is traditionally considered a waste product, burned or baled and sold for animal use. It is a natural, non-toxic building material with low environmental impact and excellent insulation properties which exhibits great flexibility of design and ease of construction.
Straw bale houses usually use baled straw from wheat, barley or oat plants to create walls finished and coated with cement stucco or earth-based plaster, sealing the straw from the elements and giving long-lasting protection with little maintenance.
There are two basic methods of construction used in straw bale houses:
structural straw bale construction
With many buildings, the weight of the roof can be supported the bales themselves. This means a more simple build, with total uniformity of walls giving consistant thermal properties.
post and beam construction
A timber framework can be fabricated to support the basic structure of the building, with straw bales filling the spaces. The timber frame provides more support than bales alone, with minimum impact on the wall internally.
Straw bale walls may be load-bearing, but more often they incorporate a post-and-beam frame. Much of the building is constructed in a similar to a conventional wood framed house, however the straw bale components give superior insulation and natural character.
 Straw as a building material gives unique scope for design, with the materials themselves often incorporated into the concept; areas of wall interior exposed through glass or polycarbonate, etc.
With an increasing number of designers and architects working with straw bale construction techniques, the benefits of this method of building are becoming more accessible to home builders.
Please contact Bruce Fraser for further information:
Office: 03 445 0547
Mobile: 027 434 8138
Email: bruce@strawbaleconstruction.co.nz
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