Comments on: Landscape Walls and Rubble Trench Foundations http://www.strawbale.com/landscape-walls The World's Leader in Straw Bale Education Thu, 11 Mar 2010 22:26:36 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Andrew http://www.strawbale.com/landscape-walls/comment-page-1#comment-8390 Andrew Fri, 30 Jan 2009 17:22:22 +0000 http://www.strawbale.com/?p=584#comment-8390 Eric, Thanks for pointing that out. You are correct and I was a bit hasty in using the illustration. This is actually an illustration from Wikipdeia that I used mainly to show the deep trench with the drain at the bottom for the purposes of giving people an idea of what a rubble trench looks like. I see now that I was somewhat inappropriately blind to the rest of the picture. I see your point now that I have stepped back to look at it. No, this is not how I build my slabs for homes; however, for a landscape wall, there is no need to worry about the concrete grade beam being exposed to the elements. In fact, one of its jobs is to raise the bales off of the ground, thus exposing itself to the elements. I will put a note under the photo that reflects your comments as you are right on with them. Thanks for the heads up and watchful eye. Eric,
Thanks for pointing that out. You are correct and I was a bit hasty in using the illustration. This is actually an illustration from Wikipdeia that I used mainly to show the deep trench with the drain at the bottom for the purposes of giving people an idea of what a rubble trench looks like. I see now that I was somewhat inappropriately blind to the rest of the picture. I see your point now that I have stepped back to look at it.

No, this is not how I build my slabs for homes; however, for a landscape wall, there is no need to worry about the concrete grade beam being exposed to the elements. In fact, one of its jobs is to raise the bales off of the ground, thus exposing itself to the elements. I will put a note under the photo that reflects your comments as you are right on with them. Thanks for the heads up and watchful eye.

]]> By: Eric Randall http://www.strawbale.com/landscape-walls/comment-page-1#comment-8372 Eric Randall Fri, 30 Jan 2009 05:49:06 +0000 http://www.strawbale.com/?p=584#comment-8372 Your cross-section illustration of a slab over a rubble trench foundation does not reflect an understanding of how to properly insulate a slab for a residence, and if it is intended to describe a landscape wall, the illustration seems inappropriate. As your illustration shows, the slab under the wall is exposed to the outside. If for a residence, this construction detail will create a "thermal nosebleed", providing a direct path between the inside conditioned space and the outside cold. This illustration is misleading and irresponsible for someone claiming to be an expert... Andrew, is this really how you build your straw bale foundations, either for a landscape wall or a residence?? Your cross-section illustration of a slab over a rubble trench foundation does not reflect an understanding of how to properly insulate a slab for a residence, and if it is intended to describe a landscape wall, the illustration seems inappropriate. As your illustration shows, the slab under the wall is exposed to the outside. If for a residence, this construction detail will create a “thermal nosebleed”, providing a direct path between the inside conditioned space and the outside cold. This illustration is misleading and irresponsible for someone claiming to be an expert… Andrew, is this really how you build your straw bale foundations, either for a landscape wall or a residence??

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