Despite how the children’s story reads, straw homes are not always prone to being blown down by the big bad wolf. When properly constructed, straw bale homes offer a safe, solid and cost-effective housing option and a far better choice for our Earth’s climate.
Lumber is becoming more of a rarity and is priced at a premium. Straw bales, available for purchase from any local farmer, can also be bought at a far cheaper price than wood, brick and/or concrete. The straw bales can be stacked in various eye-catching designs to form a home which is both cool in the summer and warm in the winter. The high R-value of straw ensures superb insulation for those living inside. And, should you ever want to move, you can easily disassemble your home, pile the straw bales on a flatbed truck and relocate without incurring any additional expenses with hiring a realtor to sell your house.
Straw bale house construction comes in two forms: post-and-beam infill and load-bearing. With post-and-beam infill, a frame is built using more standard materials and the empty holes are filled in with straw bales (much like sliding books into bookshelf holes to fill). With load-bearing construction, straw bales are piled high enough to support a roof. Despite what one might think, stacked straw bales prove to be a very stable base.
Really, the biggest risk to those building straw bale homes is excess moisture. While it is impossible to stop the rain, one can erect a straw home on higher ground so water will run off. One can also build in more sheltered areas where natural barriers (eg: trees or rock walls) can provide additional protection.
And, unlike the little pig’s residence, modern straw bale homes are built with plaster. When plaster is liberally applied to both the outside and inside walls, it functions as a strong glue, acts a fire deterrent and discourages any hungry animals – wolves or otherwise - which won’t like the taste.
