Anna Kettle wrote:

On Wed, 01 Jun 2005 15:11:19 +0100, John Rumm
wrote:


BigWallop wrote:


The only thing that really worries me on these types of buildings, is how do
you make them fire proof? I don't mean from electrical or chip-pan fires, I
mean from water droplets hanging around when the sun shines, or from
lightning strikes etc.

Daub is probably the answer... IIRC there was a Grand Designs self build
that used that technique. Once up the interior was daubed / plastered
and ended up looking much like any other wall. Can't remember what they
had outside.


Lime plaster of course

I'd love to build a strawbale house too. A lime plastering friend of
mine who lives in North Wales has worked on several strawbale houses
via Barbara Jones (who is the Queen of strawbale in the UK)

Buildings with a structural timber framework and straw infill are
easier to get planning permission for cos the calcs are easier to do
but I prefer buildings where the straw bales are loadbearing


My feelings exactly.

Are you sure the loadbearing calcs for straw are not available?

Building in straw should be lioke building in blockwork.

And I should think expanding foam to hold door and window frames in
woould be appropiate.

Not sure how to arrange for a wterproof skin though - breathable
membrane, air gap, metal lathe and render maybe?



Anna

~~ Anna Kettle, Suffolk, England
|""""| ~ Lime plaster repairs
/ ^^ \ // Freehand modelling in lime: overmantels, pargeting etc
|____| www.kettlenet.co.uk 01359 230642