Here’s a great tip for framing a post and beam structure where the framing will be buried in the bale walls. This is something my crews figured out a couple years ago and I’ve been trying to find the best way to explain it: video, drawings, teaching people at workshops, etc. Finally, I’ve decided that I just need to write about it and give you a hand drawn sketch to get the ball rolling. I’ve been teaching it at workshops for years, but have not had time to make a video about it. So, here it is:
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There are so many options for anchor bolts these days that it is hard to know what to use. I believe I have found the best option for most straw bale projects. Keep in mind that with both interior and exterior toe ups, there are a LOT of anchor bolts in a bale house. Because of this, expense has to be considered; however, it should not be the main factor.
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When people consider building with straw bales, they most often find their top concern is how to protect the bales from rain. All too often, snow is not considered a threat to the structure. In most cases, this is true; however, in areas where large snow drifts are the norm, the impact of snow cannot be overlooked without consequence. It is typical that climates with a lot of snow, especially powdery snow, will eventually blow hard enough to create drifts. Those drifts will pile up on whatever interrupts their path, even if it happens to be your front door!
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My mother in Law is currently having a barn built for her horses. I have been very impressed with the speed in which the structure has gone up. Three to four men have been working on the site for a bout a day and a half and the entire frame is up and most of the 2×6 interior wall boards are laid. This has lead me to think about the use of metal “kit” buildings with straw bales as the wall insulation.
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Where welded wire mesh is used as the structural shear of a building, it is very important that temporary braces be used to secure the building before the mesh is applied. This is a common practice with conventional construction as well. 2×4 braces are used to support the walls and maintain a plumb line until the plywood is added. In a bale house, the system is a bit harder to deal with.
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I have spoken before about the use of these easy application products and I want to once again speak in favor of them. The products are engineered and thus easily accepted by almost any building official. Their installation is relatively simple and speeds the construction of the home considerably. Be sure you know exactly where they will go in the house before you pour your foundation because the anchor bolts need to be placed in the exact spot in the concrete so they will properly line up with the panels during the framing stage. That said, it is possible to omit the bolts during the pour and drill them in later with the use of a rotary hammer drill and some rated epoxy. Some building officials may not feel as secure with this option; however, most companies that offer shear panels will accept this as a suitable installation of the panels.

Although manufactured trusses are more expensive than stick frame roofs when it comes to materials, the labor savings are significant. In addition, if you have a flat ceiling in the home, you can install the ceiling joists and the rafters at the same time, again cutting back on labor. The advantage of stick frame roofs shows up when the roof gets more complex. For example, a roof with dormers or a roof with a lot of valleys and hips may be easier to frame as a stick built roof. In any home, there are a lot of choices and decisions to make. This is just one and something that needs to be decided during the design phase as the details of the framing plan will need to be completed for the plan review. In addition, the engineering of the home will be impacted by the roof design so any changes to the trusses or framing plan need to be run through the building department or other plan review offices.

I posted this exact message as a response to a question on the Podcast blog entry. For those of you who read it there, sorry for the duplication. After receiving a couple more questions about how to bale with exposed posts and beams I thought it was worth publishing this under its own heading.
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