Comments on: Straw Bale Home Construction Instructional Video

By: jameslikesstuf

jameslikesstuf — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 13:46:34 +0000

in this video the straw bales take no structural load, but straw bale constructions are entirely capable of being a load bearing surface.

By: jameslikesstuf

jameslikesstuf — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 13:33:55 +0000

its not hay bales is straw bales, theres a difference here. straw generally is the dead stalks of some kind of crop, and is entirely dry allready when compressed into bales. hay bales are usually made from long grass that has been cut down green, dries for a couple of days and then bailed, and usually still has a moisture content. building ya straw bail house with freshy bailed hay would be a rathe rsilly idea, but building with straw poses no danger at all providing the are not damp.

By: stodd32

stodd32 — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 13:33:39 +0000

little pigs little pigs

By: starkneked

starkneked — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 13:24:02 +0000

Quite a few homes were built in the early 1900′s in Nebraska out of hay too! Hay works fine. Hay is expensive. Straw, not so much… By the way, the homes in Nebraska are still being lived in! I’ve been a hay and straw producer a good part of my life.

By: jameslikesstuf

jameslikesstuf — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 13:11:54 +0000

it really depends how dry the hay bales are, generally when bales are stcked, they are still a little damp, which is how some hay shed fires start, i agree hay is expensive, i will be building with straw when i build. (also hay is much messier as the strands of grass withing are much finer) i would be interested to see photos of some of these older straw bale constructions in nebraska, as i have read a bit about them.

By: starkneked

starkneked — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 12:18:56 +0000

Hay also has seeds and other things of nutritional value, which is conducive of things like insects and rodents finding them tasty. We put our hay up on the very dry side in these parts, just enough moisture to keep the leaves and heads on. I’ve never put it up with a moisture level high enough to promote mold or fermenting (heating). I’ve read that when those homes in NE were cut into to add an addition, the horses ate it like candy. This stuff was put up with horses and a stationary baler!

By: starkneked

starkneked — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 11:45:31 +0000

And the big bad wolf! ha ha!

By: starkneked

starkneked — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 11:43:08 +0000

I believe I read about the homes in NE in THE STRAW BALE HOUSE by Steen, Steen and Bainbridge. That part of NE isn’t too far from where I live. I’m sure prairie grass is all they had for hay at the time. It’d be a hell of a lot faster than sod, which is in short supply there. It’s all sand! A good well is only 10′ deep!

By: jameslikesstuf

jameslikesstuf — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 10:43:19 +0000

true about seeds and rodents. where i am form sometimes the hay has to be baled early, as weatehr is not always so freindly for baling, and such is sometimes bailed rather “green” ive seen one of those stationary balers in action, and t woulda have been alot more work to do a straw house back then than it is now. understanbly a lot easier and cheaper than finding and transporting sparse and labour intensive timber.

By: pnutty94

pnutty94 — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 10:36:14 +0000

how do these take to fire……..wires in the hay seems shady…..