MasterCraft Log & Custom Homes, LLC: FAQs : Frequently Asked Questions

Straw Bale Construction

Yes. A typical straw bale wall is roughly three times as efficient as conventional framing.Over the life of a typical thirty year mortgage, this superior insulation can reduce energy costs by up to 75%, saving money and natural resources.

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Straw Bale Construction

No. Canadian and U.S. materials laboratories have found that, “The straw bale/mortar structure wall has proven to be exceptionally resistant to fire.” In these tests, the flames took more than two hours to penetrate the plastered bale walls. Conventional framing built to commercial standards took only 30 minutes to one hour to burn. Due to their tight compaction, bales contain very little oxygen and thus resist combustion. It’s like trying to burn a phonebook.

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Straw Bale Construction

Pests are more of an imagined concern than a real threat. Once the walls are properly plastered or sided, there is no way for bugs or rodents to get into the bales. If pests were to get inside, they would find it almost impossible to move in the densely packed bales. Termites and other pests pose more of a problem to conventional construction than they do to straw bale structures.

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Straw Bale Construction

Moisture concerns can be handled easily with proper design and construction methods. So long as the bales are installed when dry (moisture content of 14% or less) and are properly sealed within the plaster and protected from water infiltration, they will perform well.

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Straw Bale Construction

Organic material requires both oxygen and water in order to decompose. With proper construction techniques, water will not enter the building thus making decomposition impossible. Straw has been used as an insulating material for many centuries, and has even been found in excellent condition in Egyptian tombs thousands of years old. Straw will not decompose as long as its moisture content is kept low.

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Straw Bale Construction

Bale homes built in the 1800’s still exist in Nebraska and Europe. Straw bale homes have consistently withstood severe weather including tornados and earthquakes.

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Straw Bale Construction

The use of straw bales can have a huge impact on our natural resources and air pollution.Each year, the U.S. alone burns or disposes of 200 million tons of "waste straw", producing massive amounts of carbon dioxide. The use of straw as insulation reduces the need for initial energy outputs in regards to manufacturing. There is less embodied energy in straw as it is available in almost every local market, thereby reducing transportation costs and efforts. Straw is a renewable resource that has a one year growth/harvest cycle. By using this local, agricultural by-product as a building material, we reduce energy expenditures, the amount of straw burned, and the use of fossil fuels needed for material transportation.

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Building Green: A Complete How-To Guide to Alternative Building Methods (Earth Plaster, Straw Bale, Cordwood, Cob, Living Roofs. By Clarke Snell & Tim Callahan, Lark Books/Shelter Publishing, 2006. A basic primer and a how-to manual on specific techniques and detailing. 

Building a Straw Bale House: The Red Feather Construction Handbook. By Nathaniel Corum. Princeton Architectural Press, 2005. A good step-by-step guide to construction details and processes used by The Red Feather Foundation for simple well designed straw-bale houses they build.

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