building in stra w bal e

I “don’t know where it came from, but we had a strong idea that we wanted to build in straw,” begins Linda. “It was a leap of faith,” adds Justin. “The funny thing about building in straw is that everyone has an opinthe ion resale about value.” it. I’ve As the come couple to the aimed conclusion to make that this most their people forever worry home, about resale There was not are a a concern. number of ways to build in straw, including: loadbearing straw bale, with the straw providing a structural role; the infill method, whereby straw bale is used to infill a structural timber frame or similar; and a modern-day option: prefabricated timber panels insulated with straw. The Tyers chose to build a structural timber frame with straw as an infill. “Growing up in Sussex and visiting the Weald & Downland Living Museum as a child, I’ve always had a fascination with timber frame building,” says Justin, who decided on Medieval-inspired hammer beam trusses, with a queen post truss supporting the mezzanine level. Part of the appeal of using straw bale, apart from the opportunity to construct the walls on a DIY basis, was the cost. The couple bought their 310 bales from a local farmer for £1,000. Scheduling the delivery and erection of the bales was, however, crucial. “We wanted to get the straw bale walls up before the end of summer, so there was always a time pressure here. And you need build the roof first, because the bales need to be kept dry under the roof,” explains Justin. There are a number of straw bale training courses held across the UK (try schoolofnaturalbuilding.co.uk). And, for more on straw bale construction, visit: homebuilding.co.uk/how-to-build-with-straw-bale.