Baling in Wet Weather: Mitigating Inclement Weather on the Job Site
I don’t know what the weather is like where you are while you read this, but it’s pretty rainy here today! It’s always a concern for bale builders that the
I don’t know what the weather is like where you are while you read this, but it’s pretty rainy here today! It’s always a concern for bale builders that the
Do you live in a loud neighborhood? Are you tired of looking at the same style wood fence around every home in your neighborhood? Building a straw bale landscape
 Working with Natural Hydraulic Lime, you’ll want to have a big bottle of white vinegar on hand. It has a lot of great uses, beyond making volcanoes with baking soda!
When working with straw bale buildings, some people wonder whether mesh is necessary or not. I personally think it offers so many advantages that I don’t consider not using it
I can’t believe it, but I have been converted! I never thought I would stand on the side of spraying plaster as I have always believed that hand troweling is
One of the cool things I learned this last week about lime plaster is the use of “pressing it back.” I had never heard this term, nor had I heard
I just got an email from someone who plans to install his windows and doors the following way. I think it is an interesting approach to adding openings in load
I got an email the other day from a company that works with Japanese trowels. These trowels are amazing, especially for detail work. The shape and flexibility of the trowels
When building curved walls, some of the most difficult aspects to deal with are those that don’t naturally curve. For example, large windows in a curved wall will create an
Several people have written to me asking how to find the 2×2 14 gauge welded wire mesh I use on my bale homes. It is hard to find, no doubt,
Straw Bale Wall Performance in Earthquakes Here’s a great article about the effectiveness of straw bale walls in earthquakes. This study shows how strong they really are by subjecting the
 What is the perfect bale to use in a straw bale house? I am asked this question a lot. Most times, the question refers to what type of straw is
There are so many options for anchor bolts for toe ups these days that it is hard to know what to use. I believe I have found the best option
Concrete stakes are essential to just about any foundation project. In fact, they are used on almost all concrete projects that a home owner is likely to encounter. If you
A justifiable concern is protecting your straw bale home from the weather. Water damage is the worst enemy of bale construction and is protected against it with the utmost attention.
Ever wonder how to get plywood to the roof when you are working by yourself? How about making sure your concrete stakes don’t become a permanent member of your concrete
 Many people have mentioned an interest in building a straw bale greenhouse. I have seen several different approaches to this idea over the years. I have two different column in
It must be something in the air. I have received a bunch of emails about building straw bale landscape walls in the last week. This after a long drought of
I received the following comment on my old blog. It got me thinking about building with bales in humid climates and rice straw. I noticed that many of the humid
Many people have asked me if spraying lime plaster is a good way to go. There are belief structures on either side of the coin. Some people believe that spraying
There are many details that must be managed in order to produce a quality plaster job. This is true for any type of plaster; however, there are some material specific
Throw away your weedwhacker on your straw bale build! For years now I have been using a weedwhacker to smooth the walls of every straw bale house I have built.
Bees wax may not be a standard tool in your tool box, but it really should be. If you have ever plastered a house or poured a concrete slab, you
Landscape pins are something I don’t use a lot of; however, they can be a good friend when you need to stick the mesh or blood lath to a bale
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