New member introduction

[Life Time]

Hi guys,

New member here. I'm at the preliminary stages of planning a straw bale house to build. I've been doing a lot of research and I'd like to use a load bearing design, but all the California houses I see on the web are straw infill. Is there a reason for this other than to have more design freedom (2 stories, more windows, etc...)?

The other question I had is if anyone has gone to a workshop by Andrew Morrison of strawbale.com? I'm considering signing up and/or buying his DVDs because I haven't seen any other upcoming workshops in my area.

Thanks a bunch.

[mohamed nasreldin]

I did attend before 2 years a work shop for Andrew Morrison & got his Dvds . I find it was  very informative & useful & helpful

 

Regards

Eng. Mohamed Nasreldin -

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[Tim Rudolph]

Hi,

For a load bearing design you need to work closely with a structural Engineer than knows strawbale construction. There are wall loading limits and opening limits that need to be incorporated in the design. The reason most all structures are post and beam are the constructability issues. Perhaps the greatest is the issue of structural plasters in high seismic zones, some testing has been done but it is not had the proper testing and peer review need to have it added to the building code yet, that is under way. The Residential code will soon have a Strawbale section so that allow a prescriptive design method for a strawbale structure. In California most all building departments will want to have a Architect or Engineer sign off on the plans, so working with them you can make the decision on what type of structure you want and that can pass plan check for your location.

 

Tim  

 

From: Life Time

Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2014 3:32 PM

To: casba-...@googlegroups.com

Subject: [CASBA Members] New member introduction

 

[Pete Gang]

Dear LifeTime,

In addition to the consideration of structural plaster that Tim Rudolph mentioned, there are a number of dumb practical considerations that -- in aggregate -- push most designers and builders toward "non-load-bearing" (or post-and-beam) straw bale construction. Consider these:

1. It's nice to have a roof overhead while stacking bales. Think about when you're going to be building. Even if there is no threat of rain, there's probably threat of mid-day sunshine. Most of us prefer working in the shade.

2. At exterior door openings in load-bearing construction, you're going to have some kind of rough frame -- vertical wood members that extend from the sill plate to the structural members are above the bales. (These end up being vertical load-bearing members, whether or not they're acknowledged as such). In load-bearing construction, this rough frame has to be braced to the ground until the bales are stacked and the roof bearing assembly is installed. In non-load-bearing construction, the rough frame is installed plumb and square to the roof beam. Windows often get a similar treatment. 

3. In load-bearing construction, it takes a bit of additional detailing (and a bit of finesse) to get the roof bearing assembly level. In non-loadbearing, you set the beams level (based on a measured bale height) and just stack the bales below/around the beam(s).

4. The plaster question re-stated: non-load-bearing construction gives you a choice of lateral load resisting systems (plaster skins, conventional wood shear walls, pre-engineered shear panels, moment frames, x-bracing). In choosing load-bearing, you've already chosen your system (plaster skin).

5. Structural engineers are well within their comfort zone designing conventional wood structures. We are happy when our structural engineers are happy.

Good luck,

Pete

[Greg VanMechelen]

I would only add to Pete and Tim's comments that:

1. Load bearing bales have to be pre-compressed so they aren't compressing arbitrarily by the roof load.
2. Stacking bales straight is a lot easier when you have something straight (wood framing) to measure against.
   

Greg VanMechelen
VanMechelen Architects
732 Gilman Street
Berkeley, CA 94710
510.558.1075 510.558.1076 (fax)
gr...@vanmechelenarchitects.com
www.vanmechelenarchitects.com

[Ryan]

Thanks for the very informative responses. I guess post and beam is the way to go. What would be the most budget friendly option as far as designing/getting plans made of the house? I'm not sure if I could afford to pay an architect to design a custom home on top of the PE to do the structural calcs. I've seen some straw bale plans for sale that cost around $1,000. Would it be possible for me to draw my own plans while working with a PE, or is this something only a professional architect could do? I'm not trying to build anything fancy, something like a simple 1200 sq ft rectangular house with a shed or gable roof.

[Pete Gang]

Ryan,

I would advise you to save money somewhere else in the building process, but don't go cheap on the part of the process that sets the stage for everything that follows. There are architects out there that know how to design things that are build-able, beautiful, and won't cost a Cadillac Escalade. For comparable dollar savings, hang your own drywall or install your own floors instead of doing your own plans. 

Pete

[Tim Rudolph]

Hi,

The recent Round Fire in the Eastern Sierra destroyed 39 structures in Swall Meadows.

One of them was the Ellis Residence a Strawbale home built in 2005. See the www.theSheetnews.com  for pictures and text

Photos of the fire http://thesheetnews.com/2015/02/12/round-fire-torches-swall/

Photo of the burned walls is most of the way down http://thesheetnews.com/2015/02/12/fire-remnants/

Text from the the owners is here http://thesheetnews.com/2015/02/12/miracle-saves-paradise-no-miracle-for-swall/

an account of the fire from a local fire chief http://thesheetnews.com/2015/02/12/volunteer-firefighters-rise-to-the-occasion/

A go fund me project is here http://thesheetnews.com/2015/02/12/fundraising-king/

Bruce King was the engineer on the project

My Strawbale house in Paradise was untouched, only one house in Paradise was destroyed

My heart goes out to all that lost so much

Tim