Comments on: Adding Bales or a Bale Addition to an Existing Home http://www.strawbale.com/using-straw-bales-to-insulate-a-house The World's Leader in Straw Bale Education Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:54:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: Azure http://www.strawbale.com/using-straw-bales-to-insulate-a-house/comment-page-2#comment-43253 Azure Tue, 25 Oct 2011 16:43:37 +0000 http://www.strawbale.com/using-straw-bales-to-insulate-a-house#comment-43253 Thanks! I will do that. Thanks! I will do that.

]]> By: Andrew Morrison http://www.strawbale.com/using-straw-bales-to-insulate-a-house/comment-page-2#comment-43250 Andrew Morrison Tue, 25 Oct 2011 15:11:09 +0000 http://www.strawbale.com/using-straw-bales-to-insulate-a-house#comment-43250 That is possible to do. I strongly suggest you do a scratch coat of lime plaster under the cedar. It won't matter what it looks like, but it will seal the wall for fire risk. On paper, the wall looks flat and the boards would have contact everywhere; however, in reality that is not likely to be the case. The scratch coat will keep the bales safe. That is possible to do. I strongly suggest you do a scratch coat of lime plaster under the cedar. It won’t matter what it looks like, but it will seal the wall for fire risk. On paper, the wall looks flat and the boards would have contact everywhere; however, in reality that is not likely to be the case. The scratch coat will keep the bales safe.

]]> By: Azure http://www.strawbale.com/using-straw-bales-to-insulate-a-house/comment-page-2#comment-43245 Azure Tue, 25 Oct 2011 05:21:17 +0000 http://www.strawbale.com/using-straw-bales-to-insulate-a-house#comment-43245 Hi Andrew, I am drawing up plans for a house and have access to a lot of cedar boards and much more experience with wood than plaster. I was wondering if I could use the cedar on the inside as siding? I have read your comments about condensation getting in between and wonder if it makes a difference having them only on the inside. I live outside of Seattle, so it is fairly humid here. If I could fit the boards tightly to the bales and reduce fire risk, would this idea work? Ideally, I would use as many as possible and with a large enough overhang, could I do this on the outside as well? Thank you for providing so much information for this process. It has been so helpful already. Hi Andrew, I am drawing up plans for a house and have access to a lot of cedar boards and much more experience with wood than plaster. I was wondering if I could use the cedar on the inside as siding? I have read your comments about condensation getting in between and wonder if it makes a difference having them only on the inside. I live outside of Seattle, so it is fairly humid here. If I could fit the boards tightly to the bales and reduce fire risk, would this idea work? Ideally, I would use as many as possible and with a large enough overhang, could I do this on the outside as well? Thank you for providing so much information for this process. It has been so helpful already.

]]> By: Andrew Morrison http://www.strawbale.com/using-straw-bales-to-insulate-a-house/comment-page-2#comment-43045 Andrew Morrison Thu, 29 Sep 2011 13:27:10 +0000 http://www.strawbale.com/using-straw-bales-to-insulate-a-house#comment-43045 Hi Renee. Not sure I fully understand your situation. Would the bales be underground, even partially? I would not recommend that. In terms of acting as load bearing, that can happen but it depends a lot on the loads it will be supporting. Load bearing is hard to do as a retrofit and is also difficult when paired with wood framing (partial load bearing capacities). Hi Renee. Not sure I fully understand your situation. Would the bales be underground, even partially? I would not recommend that. In terms of acting as load bearing, that can happen but it depends a lot on the loads it will be supporting. Load bearing is hard to do as a retrofit and is also difficult when paired with wood framing (partial load bearing capacities).

]]> By: Renee http://www.strawbale.com/using-straw-bales-to-insulate-a-house/comment-page-2#comment-42399 Renee Mon, 15 Aug 2011 18:51:03 +0000 http://www.strawbale.com/using-straw-bales-to-insulate-a-house#comment-42399 Oh I forgot to say that it's over 100 yr's old and located near the ocean in southern California. Oh I forgot to say that it’s over 100 yr’s old and located near the ocean in southern California.

]]> By: Renee http://www.strawbale.com/using-straw-bales-to-insulate-a-house/comment-page-2#comment-42398 Renee Mon, 15 Aug 2011 18:46:32 +0000 http://www.strawbale.com/using-straw-bales-to-insulate-a-house#comment-42398 Hi Andrew: We are purchasing a flat roof stucco wood framed house which has a 6 ft crawl space underneath it. It has a walk out basement apartment at the back and the front of the house is ground level as it sits on a slope. I'd like to convert this area which has a wood frame door entrance into a usable basement addition by closing of the outside access and adding a staircase from inside the main house. After moving pipes and ductwork I'm hoping to have enough space to add a small 2nd bedroom, bathroom and laundry area. I will need to dig down a bit further for head clearance of the floor joyce's. I've been told that if I do that I will need to add more supports. Is it possible to use straw bale's dipped in slip as you described above (to prevent moisture) without adding additional supports? Could the bales be load bearing? Hi Andrew:
We are purchasing a flat roof stucco wood framed house which has a 6 ft crawl space underneath it. It has a walk out basement apartment at the back and the front of the house is ground level as it sits on a slope. I’d like to convert this area which has a wood frame door entrance into a usable basement addition by closing of the outside access and adding a staircase from inside the main house. After moving pipes and ductwork I’m hoping to have enough space to add a small 2nd bedroom, bathroom and laundry area. I will need to dig down a bit further for head clearance of the floor joyce’s. I’ve been told that if I do that I will need to add more supports. Is it possible to use straw bale’s dipped in slip as you described above (to prevent moisture) without adding additional supports? Could the bales be load bearing?

]]> By: Andrew Morrison http://www.strawbale.com/using-straw-bales-to-insulate-a-house/comment-page-2#comment-41653 Andrew Morrison Mon, 27 Jun 2011 01:00:41 +0000 http://www.strawbale.com/using-straw-bales-to-insulate-a-house#comment-41653 Hi Andrew. I would need some more detail on this to make a solid and useful answer for you. Can you email me some sketches and more details to my regular email address? Hi Andrew. I would need some more detail on this to make a solid and useful answer for you. Can you email me some sketches and more details to my regular email address?

]]> By: Andrew Martinson http://www.strawbale.com/using-straw-bales-to-insulate-a-house/comment-page-2#comment-41548 Andrew Martinson Thu, 16 Jun 2011 20:03:11 +0000 http://www.strawbale.com/using-straw-bales-to-insulate-a-house#comment-41548 Hey Andrew, My wife and I purchased land in Ohio and there is a metal pole barn on the property. Our intention is to install bale walls on the west and north walls (south and east will be conventionally insulated and finished, mostly because of plumbing, but for other reasons as well). We will remove the metal siding on sides that will be baled. My question is how to best make the connection at the corners where the metal walls will meet the stuccoed bales. Could I extend wire mesh across the metal siding and plaster on that? It seems that because metal expands and contracts, stucco would eventually (and perhaps quickly) crack and fall off. Thanks for your help. Last year's workshop in Trinity Cty, CA was fantastic! Andrew Hey Andrew,
My wife and I purchased land in Ohio and there is a metal pole barn on the property. Our intention is to install bale walls on the west and north walls (south and east will be conventionally insulated and finished, mostly because of plumbing, but for other reasons as well). We will remove the metal siding on sides that will be baled. My question is how to best make the connection at the corners where the metal walls will meet the stuccoed bales. Could I extend wire mesh across the metal siding and plaster on that? It seems that because metal expands and contracts, stucco would eventually (and perhaps quickly) crack and fall off. Thanks for your help. Last year’s workshop in Trinity Cty, CA was fantastic!
Andrew

]]> By: Andrew Morrison http://www.strawbale.com/using-straw-bales-to-insulate-a-house/comment-page-2#comment-39020 Andrew Morrison Mon, 03 Jan 2011 18:01:17 +0000 http://www.strawbale.com/using-straw-bales-to-insulate-a-house#comment-39020 A stone wall would likely create a condensation issue since it is so cold. I would prefer to build away from the wall or to install a ventilation gap between the two surfaces. A stone wall would likely create a condensation issue since it is so cold. I would prefer to build away from the wall or to install a ventilation gap between the two surfaces.

]]> By: Mike Edwards http://www.strawbale.com/using-straw-bales-to-insulate-a-house/comment-page-2#comment-38782 Mike Edwards Tue, 21 Dec 2010 20:02:00 +0000 http://www.strawbale.com/using-straw-bales-to-insulate-a-house#comment-38782 Hi, so much useful info on your site I hope I haven't missed the answer to my question! I want to build up against an existing high stone wall and I am wondering how best to do it. I guess you can't bales straight up against the stone wall and at the very least would require some kind of moisture barrier? Or is it best to set the building back from the wall and to leave an air gap (although this is not ideal)? Thanks in advance, Mike Hi, so much useful info on your site I hope I haven’t missed the answer to my question!

I want to build up against an existing high stone wall and I am wondering how best to do it. I guess you can’t bales straight up against the stone wall and at the very least would require some kind of moisture barrier? Or is it best to set the building back from the wall and to leave an air gap (although this is not ideal)?

Thanks in advance,

Mike

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