Straw Bale homes have been a hot topic lately. Their R-value is outstanding, and they are quite earth friendly given the rapidly renewable resources they use: namely straw and clay. I checked it out (google straw bale houses or house plans) and was pleased to find plenty of sites willing to share the trade secrets on how to build your own straw bale house. (As always, I would advise anyone looking to construct their own house, no matter what method they use, to consult with professionals and their building inspector. If you have training, great, if not, be very careful.) One of the biggies that I think many would overlook on a straw bale house is the un-eveness of the walls and the cost of plastering them. One site said it would cost roughly $5 per sq. foot to plaster and be approximately 20% of the budget (Morrison – StrawBale.com).

Personally, I think the idea is fantastic. Especially in colder climates. The look is very easily rustic, the finish is very natural (no need for paint in most places = little to no VOCs), and the cost relatively low. A concern that I know has come up in the past is fireproofing. Many are worried that the bales, being a very dry grass, would burst into flames very easily. The truth is that straw bale homes are much more fire resistant. The best defense is the way the bales are sealed off. The walls are very tight and don’t allow much oxygen. The tight bale walls are then covered in over an inch of plaster. Ever tried to burn plaster? It really doesn’t burn. This is much better than a half inch of gyp board (sheetrock) and wooden 2X4′s surrounded by air. Altogether, there are plenty of pros to building a straw bale house.

Check out some interesting straw bale home plans at this site: http://www.balewatch.com/
Check out some great information on straw bale construction at this site: http://www.strawbale.com/

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