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The soft curves of straw bale walls are beautiful and practical. Around
windows, they allow more direct light to filter into the room
while acting as reflectors for indirect light. These
curves are relatively easy to produce and they have a wonderful
affect on the aesthetics of the house.
WELDED WIRE MESH
When
using a welded wire mesh for the engineering of the building,
the creation of curves is quite simple. The mesh itself
acts as the form for the straw. Loose straw is placed
behind the mesh before it is nailed to the framing to create
the desired shapes. For some shapes, like a curve around
a window or door, additional plaster lath (blood lath) may
be needed. As the name implies, this stuff is dangerous,
so use extreme caution when working with it.
NICHES AND NOOKS
Another
advantage of the thick straw bale walls is the ability to create
niches or nooks. These little spaces are actually carved
into the walls after they have been stacked. The use
of a template speeds the process and produces uniform shapes
from one nook to the next. These spaces are ideal for
items you might want to highlight in your home. A well
placed light fixture can really draw attention to these beautiful
little nooks.
There are a number of different
options available for shaping mesh. I have found that
the structural welded wire mesh is the best for most applications
and that a plastic mesh works well in others. I stay
away from chicken wire entirely as I find it too difficult
to work with accurately. Plaster
lath is a great material, especially for tight corners where
the other options allow stuffing to fall out too easily. Whichever
material you use, experiment and have fun with the shapes you
create.
Tomorrow I'll introduce you to the best way to plaster
your
straw bale house.......
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