BUlllDING A STR.AW IB:A.

L~ IHOUSE

ThE REd Fealh r (o~~lrlJclion Handbook

NATHANIU (DRUM

PrincelOn Arclhitectura1 Press, New York

Tllis DODI: is ~o[ a J~b,tjru!e f()f' Iedlnical d!!si9l1 and UClr6l·ruITlon aocufnE'm:> pfii!parod by qUlI/if/Ed profesiillnills_ II IS nat fn.tMdBd liO b~ a defi~itive

"110 w·to" book for <I /Mrtirular cOI]5,roclion piQje<:l. It f'mvides an over~le'~~ Of mme of m~ prOll;e5SI"S m.;l' R~d I'mihl'!l DeV!'/opmem Group h~5 df!waped in Ihe ((N.Jf,:le of ma~\ilgin9 a v",r~'Y of pasl' priC1ftKr.s, no 1'1'10 being €'xactll' th~ ~m~·. J!JH iJI' O!Jr e:>;pfinem:,e ~5 varied from pmjr:ct !Q projocr, pilO<tSl'! ",XPffl' ·co efl'o~m,er ,:;i!r'ariom rllai ill<' nor (overed in ,his book. Ewry CQIl,S"r.fUCNon P'Qjoct 5hauld inVQ/Ve Qy.~lilir:d design <Ina consrrU(rKm pmfe'i5ionill's in <J{CorO<Jn<re 'Ilirh ~'Pplk~,tJle l;uildinfJ "ma .sij/f}.tyt;Ofjes ifnd iiulllom1€!5.

1/1" SlmQfl11llrl ""mJ~ ~iome, Pui'lWm, NebI;!JSk ... builr c I~~S: All t'c.rly ~ •• mpli! of ~ lood,bMrU>g !IaI .. blt,/dIJ-!9 ,hal" ~it;l Co ha~ !H:'M coo.WlJetL>r.I.""tll pr~irir lMy mr .llrer .t ("'''''

CO!NTIENIS

I'Il:I!dHlBOOK

1M)] Ch<"lpi~G!( .2.: R!ojio! IBeO!ll'i [19 A~~emb~y [181 Chk~p'tef 3: BOlse PI.r~e~

l261 Ch~ll~r <1: WindQ'w OI!i!d D'eHl\!' I!!ll,.u;ks 1.8<11 Ch~f."t~1 5,: T~E! StJr,iW>' 'EI<!~e w~n

~150j Chapter 6: il.bo'l;'etihe St1raw ll:ale~<!11 I'D~'] ,chalJber t-. !.atlii

1100] (h~pooflO: filfii:!lhi D QiMilliS, AI?"'E~DI'CES

'[11::1] AJppil!l'Idi~ A: S31f1i:!ty

[ln17~ Arp€fiIdfu,; (l: [M!$I\;1Ir! I)~<lilwil'ig,~ ['131]: APfl~m(ji~. (_li1Ii'itiu~ ~i'idl LilI,bot

[1691 IRed f,~~her iDe'V-elloplillJenri; G fQllJlFl [179] (Qntlil~l,jltQr~

FOIRElIol'jlOIRI) I DR. JANIE GQODALL

A $~o,ry of (ompa.,~ior~. de'rerrnina'l1ion" and courage lies behind the iReel Feallhew p rojeet, A deca de ago, R.!:Jbe~l 'iOIJ..! ng read h!lw three N1alirve American ,el!der~ f~m,e to dea~h during the wilfli~er in SOl]th, Dalottl due La <t~I::'!;1ete lack of proper I~OUiSJifl9' He then ti'Olveled to the l!'line Ridlg ~ l'l;ese~'\Iaho,r)

and was. shocked by condihMs on tihe IlndidJn reserv,atioHpOV'erty, merc.row,d ingl,. hunger, ,Cln d hopelessness,

Back home in Se<!lnle;, RoLer~ 30ught :;O~utiOM. 'I,iVith a group affriendls and family he welflil back. to Soul~h DalaL;:: dlnd gatille,red [he: materiels for the construerion 0:£ ~he Ii rst hou~e-a ~'~mTi1e rIOT [) glala lahJ~a elder Kai:hflrirH:" Redi Feat~~er. This initial proje'ct was sllKuessJul1 and, UpOI1 its mrlripM~'~iQn, R.oberl 03slQedl K.allherine if he rnUilid e5laMish a nOII1l-pm'ri~.lhoming org\Clfli£,al~iiU:n ir. her honor.

Re,d Fe'dithe,r De'l.l"ellOpl11en'[ {.imup wiltS, born, and mm@ house:;; wewe: buill~ wi'Uh lhe hellp of re5ervation members. Otn@r ,erli\liirOflllllerrlc,aU", .;;m,d lCullulr alII", S!LJstaiinalbtlt! pnDj@ct, Wf;lIT@ desi9m~cI to in:cr@as@ self '~s~.@f~m Wllthin H1Ji? I7)mml,miti~~. NOW' Ili:.€!<d F~\3~h€!ir h~ growri in ~t;GP@ alfiTG1 pUrpOOI;!, 11r]1 2{)03 lR@<d F~~Umr 1Il1l~9~ll MQ!nt<1l[l@ ilfiT order ~I) l}~ QIO~~IT to

th~ir a)mllll1!,mity fJ\3lrhll~rs ,grn~ h<il~ .;r~d@~ til,Jll-tim~ G1if1lt~tl)r~ Q'f dI!;!~IQpm~nt prQgr<'JITI, \;lnd' oomlllnl~l1ity des:ign, Iforty h,D,usilng-b\Ol~d I\l'FCI~~~~S ha'J.i\~ !;l@E!if1! wmp!e't:e,d~Q d<:liW end mQIT@ prQj~t;t~ <'lrn nQW onthe or~\!'\d'ng t.OO3)rQ1.

ThITQl,lgh e~perienGe, the l1:ed 1Fe00tner team has I:eamed

lmIut;h about t'he pJrQ,,!d::;io!l 01 eooJogilcamy and SQcI.:dly r.@sp()nsibl~ hQI,J~ing., Tni~. bQQk-.~J)#oW~g ® Strow S'1!!'e' t-iQIJ,5€ ~ CQmm!,lllllity Pe~iglf"lIDlre~ior N,~flh,jlniel (Qrum~5hares l1ie(j r,~;nher's vision ,and process, Th~5 book ~:> a timoely aile! !mp'on:af1~ t()()ltO%V<!TQ the empQwerm'~mt of communities ftlcill!QI n(lu~jng deiicirts.

I met Fliohert wn,~n hip. r'€!Qeilf€!d the VollJr.:f(lf iLlf@ Aw;;rrd at

<II celebraticn in N,ew Yor!", We becsme €:;<idit~d about th~ p:ro$P,~ct of w!I'aD<ura,tion. The Jane Goodlall ill'lstitu1ie h<'.l& de~dr)pe;d $imijl!ar$QI:utiolfllS,~n problems of IPo~r1y" In Mri[(j WfJ. worrk willth viilageir:S lijvilmgl ilfl e;drem~ pO\i\f.rty" ~r.C()~Jr~giil;g th'Em to become in/i,\Q.!lJed unenl1.liromTI~ nta Ily ,arl:d !;::u'l1:iu'~llIy ~usta~naJble P:J1OUecU, Our Ru!Ots ,& 5ItJoQ!~s pr',ogram, no .... '{ in ei:gruty-selfen ,coulntlilies around Ute Woolrld,er:'lcou[agll;!$ J'olJt;h (p:re-sdnool~hriQugh urn I'!.i\Nsity) to particl pate in service plfO!jel!:t:s. in their schools and. communities, iFi poorr r'm<ll eress and! ~n tm,e in ner city ~YJlr:: hialle seen tl\em acq wire self esteem and the respect olf othe rs,

We are workingl'o ilrlitrodlw:e time Roots & S~~O()t.~ pmgram into Nati'le Amelrican reservati,I)ns" Red Fe'clth-er ca n pO"'\i\errljlll~ help us: Roots &: ShQry~s can pmvideaddiitiQn,31 opportunities 1'O:r the y{)tmgl people i'fl'!I(Jil\.!led in Red Feilthe1r p'nojects.

ihat so rma tlIy p eople lii\tili\i~ in the t"'~'fM.y-fiirgt ~entLJry, in rhe ilichest CQ!uillt~y RUiJthe world, .sho.'uld be !i\iin,g in abject rpo"''erty, is <l Mot: 'on Amelf'ic;:;llsQciety, The Red IFeatiher pT!Ojec~ is extreme·ly important I~ nscultulrall}t and ,envi1liolrilmeuilMliy sensitive; it has il1lcre,diibl,y IcwGverrleads; it is truly ITlaling

a ,d ine·ren~E:.

jane Goodalll PhD,. DEllE. rOl!Jlndell-the JanE: Gioodialltlllm:lillute:

Un itJ5d IN.;~tiJq:ru~ Mg~",englef ofP'e.a,;;e www,j,alniIJ,gQod(lII,![)rg

Li 'E' a bam lr'aising, this hook I:; founded on the efforts

of OJ g roup of peqpl@ ,e;oll.a!;)oraDing Witt1 AmeriGiJ n Indian commUnilies.to build sU$t~lnab~e aln'd ,aUmd.<1ible houslnq, To~ell [lie story or tlhi:! American Indiartl '5ustain"bl,E' HOIJcS'ing Initiative, I mllst.liirst thank i'md praise t re many in.dividuitl5 whose e,Uor't.'s ha'\i'ril made '';;IlJiI11J F,tli I~' alJprop,riate s~raw b,;JII;e' housing <3, oost,effl:KIive n~<dity for se\le'ra,1 lriibc;:;1 nations.

SiilC€, Red Feather heqan mPl~tFlJctingllmusiDl 9 soma hve 1'ears, algo, the ri()nprQ1~it has enjojlled an irl'j,rlrrDl'alti'li'@ and fruttful relationship w~thtwo academic institutions-the Unililersit)' ,of Washington College of Atchite~1:Jt.m~ .~lmJ Urbli3ln P~<lrH1ling (CAUr) and P,enngyl~'arlia Stat@ UniveFsityand wi[~l Profl:l~son; David Rilley, Se -g~o PallEronu, Sc;o~t Wiing, and! (AUP De<Jn !Robert Mllgerauer, who also enoouraaed rni!1' ea Fly e-QllIGat&On in 5i.J5taiirlClbi lity at Urliver,sity of i~M~S at Austin.

The, la r'fle r sh<lVl.l b~1 e co m munity-rill any of wTIo5<e metnbers I souqht out in anticipation of my pi;llrw€'r~hip with R€;d Fe'ather-wel((lmed my inqlJiry <;IlrL fr~ely shered the herd-wen lessons and terhnical (h!I,\~llopments. that t'1i1llJf::l glr;1l(lI!.)(j the "snaw ~[lI\e re'l.l'ilJar lor the past tVI/,enty }'@ar~, iM<Jits MyhnHan and! Judy KUla;.: were e5pecially helpful' by r~vie';i'l,'ing this book, attending several Red r€'ilther buildl5r and sharing ttl~iir consider<llb-Ie' 5iJ2f1N bale M5idom, Atihena and Bill Steen, D,af!Jid Eis;'E!!I1berg, etl1ldi Chris Magwood arcS/I) shed light On~o his plroject Iby bringilng, thro!,lQlh their continuing 'NClf'k,bh@'Cl.Irreflt thirlkii1~ Off! s:trarMIJ ~;1Ille des'i§jfl and OO:nSbuclu[](n~(} am 0" V5.

Wil.l1lout t'll~ '~I!,I.oporl cd Jana~hafl FIlos.e" 'I~e [n~:erp'nT5E! Foufidatiolll,. ilild title flose A,chit~cnullIl rell~w5h~p, my wm'le WOUlld not be 'Possi~le, Thall'l you.. JII]J'latl!ial'l..

tor ~'eUC1lll'ftq l.'~<1:I, dl!!~igo U"Il\Mters 'l/'men 'we go to b1Ji~ <df'ordab1C' oolll"lf'l9' aorjror selectil'lgl Silepheiiil 'Goldsmilm.

,<I bastion ,of ilIdviCiC. in{@lri-g@ ceo and I~adel$!\'i(p. ~o' be IIeUo'~ip director. This book. .aho Ibel'l.efiit!> Stsilili' u:,a ntly from me- ilflvohi'i1menl of my"V!Ii)OOe<rful 'f.!dit~ at til€! f'rinCE!'I!:m AI(hil.etllU al Pr:@s)_ Thal1kytlu Meg<lr1l (alrey. Undil Lee·, and Cli!:Ilr·e J~H::·obi5on for YOUI£ care, and ,€!;.:Ci'IJ!ri'!Cnt

\MU'IOlJit tille vl~ion and I@.ade:rship oJ' Robert You ng. tl'H= R~dl Feather Developm@nt Group \iVOl.lId not ,exist.Tihys my deepeSt 9 ratilude' gCleS to RQ~n ami' Arlila YoUt'lg for ger·ng it .a11 nan ted oiiild {'Of Il!lakinQI ~l't fRlIfke< heme if'i 'iiO many waJS. A debt 0,' gr-aJllitud a:1lro gos to Ryan B'Uur<1. rOf,mer ool\S\iI\Iuion program director (CPO), ~e· iBa,s.1!tu,p. r'On mer CO~'liJlJXlion rooo::Iimlor. and Mirnflll!l KeUv. CQ,lf1Ienl CPD~ alW olf whom h~I:lled ,de¥@ up UtE' procedures. and 1~r()(~S5eS foil' IRed ,rea'Miil!l!1I' blUlldi1ll9fo.

l'he ~mfl!isioi'lal desigi'l wmm1,llnilll has likewise played

an invaluabfe role. I tlad my firSl !);!Xp>erieIKe' workingl In straw b~le w.~h tlrehit@ct J6Imes 'B~II. More recernly i!'rchi~!Kt ID on McLlu.l9 hl~nl !llfldl Alfr'@l!l \J\(,lt1lIBacn rrtaylF, a lid engine<~~s. tom iBM,lIdell{ ~ and Art IFust pllOioiiided c ucial SUiPiPOn .lmd rouflI$m. ~ 'lI\~ S hDo,' of Ardlil..ecunr! at MQmana 'Slat'li UnilliMS1ty (MSU) p:roilde:s. an importaii'U, artlid'emoc: i1fi~iZlOOi'l

un B'iJ'z@rnliall, i want to tlruank Pnafe:swf Lmi RykelF, the students ilfl DUlf M5U :,),traW Sal e Stl!lUlio, ,tlnd Dean C~alFk LI@'\i'IJdl,yn, ['O,r Wllis.rrieMslflilP aiM 51JPPOH,

Wif~hout (orbirl ~nays, Ridcl:Cird Beg"y" S,cott F~asief, Stacie lad~:~€!Ir, Malrlk R(JiLJndls.~01nP2', Mafylefil:a!kolfligl .. a" end i:~mer Y?iZZH~, I WlDul.d not u.e i~l a positi:Qln to iJ Melr5lLi:1nd the hO!!,JI~ingl n@Ii!GS of Alneiicaln Indian$_ Thank youl all for yxllJr pa.ti~fiIc@ and your frie'fH:ls~'1i,P_

FirHllllly II V!.i'Ouid Ili'ke'l\() tMnk my- family: Rtdlardl, S,1lII'Cih, Morgan, Jan. <lInd A~an'le_ They taught nne to GllJ1e, build, am,d write'--olnd lhey CO['lllflU'e to be my illSpilFaltiofil. This book i~ diedlimt:ed I\()< them and wrlnelr'l irJ tharJ~:S 10 ,all who buil dshelter flor 1lI~G5ie wm,o n.eed it

NaU'kllniei (onJlm li;o.zerlii9llli, M,Qntiilna Ap:riIB, .20i()5

INTRODl.il'CTION

'!'itoe bl~ilding ciE'tail@rJ inthe pcages; bel'O\ll.l is tha bsst house til!.:! Fled Feather n~~(lpmellt GmLJI) pre5enti~ knows

how toui"'l thuslher.e is, ,11 gmflt deill of knowledge ami eXiP~rlierKe' er bi~(kl:ecj in tll,is prototype'. 6u t si nee we Ie-am sometihing new all every bQJIillding plf1ieCl, and as, straw bale comstruction is ii'll a remarkable ph<1!lSe' of glrowth withl ew and better techn! ques belin9' in'i.l\@nrted each S@a~lOn, at this tim!.:! We!' Gem on Ill' give you ,a reel p~ for Riec.llF'E:.ath ers best buil~dliflgl $0 f.ar, mindful tlhat we wil~ ['10 doubt hf.Jve further im~mvement:s. toO oHer after thess pilQes. rE'acJ1J~he' press ..

'HoweV@T,. by tOI!0W'~il9 the sU9'gestiorns in this h.;llflldbQo',.;;,

yOu will be spared m"lIlY of lhe- piti,alls of Ibuilding VI, th

straw D.d!£" having benefited signi'fic,cmtly fro our ll'1Iis~ak~s_ Nevertheless .. we eriOOurag~ r'O!·adecrsto co s:unt other straw balle hooks, on the market i'f tlley .;II~ interested in echn iques .mel de:'5igln variations b.eyOfi.d the scope of this i andbook.

There aae in{'i nlite wayeS, to I::miid .~ hOQJIoo, O",er the past decade 'Red IFeatn@r has 11ll'5~;alrcheci aillcl tiled rmany (1Of'I:;uuction methods and has errived at a prn{~otype that lfe·meets trle netflds and resources of tile communities wr:: serve. ln v.,rrriting this hsndbook, we have 'urtilere'flinedl the typicall R.oo Fe.;l,ther house, Our c lteria in making impr'r)velt1elrlb.i lis summanzed in the ollowiln.g liSot

1. t:as<li!' of (O'IrISblUJc.ti:on. "NFl! present a !>traighUorward p~oLess Ulat we know wiill work,

2 .. , low (:O:s.l.. Our obj;ecl:ive is to ~et tile- most house-for th-I[! !ea~t !;!'l<:p@ns;e.

3. Eas@ of O:l>IrIl'l1!IIllIltllity Involvement .. , The prom!>:S d!Escrib~dI ere utflzes volunteer' and community lahm,

,~ ... j[lL'j''''lj'''~'1'e.l ""'''''~ NI'!!.I";ti~u,. b<llIr c '~QJ, OIl,; Q( 1:.11;; ~t\1!'" imo,\II'l r;.;.rr. bl;MI9~, rM h~lf:i(' i •. qm 5[~rt!i,'ro,gdl~~ L'J.'>i?' "'''il'<rolnrry. ,~~lfol) ~'«I ~~~Mf1=dkfp

!roJ,f l'IIn:,"" ... ...,. ... ,rt>\t I!!ilim;. mo...fu..., ~fJOi ~1 :5tll~IMt!:l1X'd ~~r;Uf.I ~~n It,,,y ""lI'\!~rro,"i~('1lf~

T~ sroIt """' .... 'lNJ ~m'f'o'1" .'."'~iL~ _.rr :93;;' Mr! 1IIO •• ",w~_ '--.Nil! t.Jre~1 wIIR:;'" rl'ii!<_ tJeJ~1"Ii' 51'""", bol". i'>c:i'1ll'- ~'i'" grl"d< CJ')~d''''':l(\ ~I", h<i~e ~ ~ I,~m,,""'! ro fI!' b;o1",';/.Iy ur s.r.3." blirto /;ui~

and so W~ haw (wner'lilve;r possible) reduced l~,e fleed for pro~ecsjlomil 'e~p~rti~.

1I" E!'1IvirQnlJnentally SCII.lllild. The house p eseruad tu~n~ is. bu'lt ,ai' meterials that when~;rer possirlle. a e IQcallin onigill, mJIHoxic ln wrn,p01iitoofl, OInUi em:Jmr-~HiciieJlt if! Pf{)c;iicl!.

5" LanJ!Si Lif:e/lwose! Fit We offer iii bu~ldiflg tl1~l will last, ol'ie 'liR,]! ~5ilV ,adapl s to the (Ilanginy ·.eedrs Qr ['Is il1i'1a\:)itil'lifts.

'QIU a I i'f'i,c:aiti 0 illS

This hal"ldbDort:; gives; tile ueollder informadon 8iI:HlU! i1ual1lilflg al su~v b;]l,le horne from initia'i site selection to1in~shed produc'l._ However. penicns 'Olll11s pl'O(;(l'~ snoutd be petf() rffilild by'pro,fess[AJllahi. For eX'ilmpfe. we assume tRait yOLi will11en.gagea Ih~~~dl c'omrad!(H to co the f'otJiidartiion, p!lIrnbi mg, ,;:Ina e<le,c~rk;~1 werk,

Safel'r is p\\JrilmOlUrH, inH~ bl:Jitdr 9 projects. ,s.holJl,cI be mana'ged by p'Or~Mi~ollal:ii who are Co;o:perieilliced illl safe1ycOllwom 'oom.lru(!!ion proCeaUfeS. See Appendix A lor ~e safely 9uidetloe:s that li1:aw \IIIOT'kedfo' ,Our Oi'gatii:i!(iikin,

Thl: censtructlen [pfOCJe5,l;, O'iJ'Illned i11 this book IS based L!IpCII) me',ii.oo fealher Deve10pment Grcup'~ e,;pefi~ncfoJ" numerous; pr()jec~, Some bl.llfd!e~s and tl'i~ur mmi'l"!,l,lnljti1E~' may wi~h 10 'e~palrl(1 011 tl1e decsi9ln of li'trt;d rE:a~her'$ basic !p,ro101lype_While W'E €,,f1IOOlUHlge ,elaboration". w~ cUI~1J (,fl11~limlt rem:hm. <llJilirnt milkingl modll'hcaliotllS withoult1'le ~i5I;;;$! of <llicenSiE'd <If·mlt'eel er .ell d·esign e,nginecL

For those In.ewto S:\,r.'iliW' bale C;Ollils,t.r1iJctm(Hll

A straw house'? Yes,! Pe(l'p'le have bsan building with straw for Iililillenfli.a ln places all O'I1l?f tile world. firom Ul~ gri.l~5 h':l1 of pre-history to the ~hll~(lled roots o~ Northri!rn EuroPE, stu,aw has ~ong been a [li"ur,d Il'Igl liI1I,neric]l. Ani[) LJ ~ a ceiillttur~' agio, after the adVErl'r of h~-billir1g macnllwry. larrners in tree-scarce Neibra~a dev~l~ ,<I wily Of buifding l~mU1;J!5 with baled STraw, Some o1'thJ<!5.@ ea 1)1 5tnr,'\!' IMre blJirdln~ still exist and ,contiUilUE 'to Iperform w,ell. L:ik~ jau mmic.

WfaoV bil'ie consrruenon is <I nai~i\,lle, Ameri,(81f11 t.'Nhno~loQTY.

~ ... loreo1/er, d urnlflQ U1:e last few de~Cidles., the Unit.eIClYt8l~e~ Wi'ElIS b:ec-om.e ililicreasingly inten~'3,t;eld iln 5H.aw bale construcl&OIn,

As a result mUccrl has. bee~ learned, and b<LIMingl methods have ,.a:>tly ampri/Jl!,\etl. in paitt because these SUUC~LJ,res, Br'e intel15'iYety tes;~e,d end re-sean.:hed, ,Elnd thus prwe :5,tnlrW bale construction to be a \iiabl~ andl mde-mmplliant Ill,elm,od

crf buij,(Jilng. Straw ba!e buildilngs 'lave been cor'lStmcted

in AJJa~h:l and mm,t-~f not all-of the conUinentallllllnliecl S,t~~s. E;;vcep,tt i,n locallities Vllith eX(]e%ivel:'1 humid (hma~e£, :>u,~h es the Gulii (Offi~l and, the Hawaiian IS]tm:d~, straw tJ.al'~ is i:ln appropriate tecllno:loQiY. Straw is a partimntlrly good choice in mid and dry lD'acEs,.-iilkI~ Nlorthern 'Plaim and tile Arn~Ficlln South'\4'est-Wihe:re s.uDerr-imu~atiecl builclitn§!ls are .tk!"iralble,

Stili, $k~pti.GS ;:;lboUWld., so we millY need 1!O ,e_~plainlhe I)b~r,OU5: s.tr<lW I~ not hilY, Straw bales uc5ed i,or b~!ildilf1!g

a'rl~ an aIQ~ClII,1!Ulral by'-product Whethe:r left-over stalk~

of wh~,t rtcE, ora s~milar plam are iJ!~. the nuniltonall lllolrtm''1 of the gmin has been ,exHOilned, Wha:1i: ~ lefl-]h~ ~,tal"'$ (or ~ml m, ~ to adopil ihe Cilg rleu Itmaiterm) -ha~ htl,e food valm~, Tbis is good! n~:'i for bale collsuuctriorlibecEluse il\Sects and animals 11<lV,e no intere$~ ~n ,eating s;li:raw bale buildings. After being w~edl-witl1 :51i)ucm, baled straw is re:sist<lnt to ifi re, sut j Ust26 p,oorrly ma~ntaunecJmlfWenti:oT'lal joiosites beeorne ,dangerously flammable when 'NOod SU.[!J~X;' and S~'WdllJS;l arre leh ~y'irlg at!cmt 50 builde,r~ L!5ing this hsndboek shouldl keel) loose straw cleaned up and away fioll'l'l sources of combusnon. Obviou:5lY'V:!eiltiing,$mokin@, and other open-flame a(lJivi~ies shoulld be jt,epl we'll away {Tram a pre-stucco s.trarw bale btlildflftg,

irlll .... Marti~JA.1b.r1h.o:Jrt ~.L,.'if'r.. A.'tr:.m; M!wdlt,ll, 11';M f. j91:5: 911~ III fir'le !\'r!lpe "f,r:;,,' Cl.<Br ~.I!?rIW'five y~;tlS, 11m ~ hOI~~ ~::Hm~L" m('."o;-.!:a(Ii'I:m';.miI~ ________________________ ----,(t)<?!.'lr.;119 ijf~"t(;s'rlBn L)'Ifl!~i~~tv""',

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[f ..., Other things being equal, you should orient your house wilh its IOl!g.e'Sl and most windowfilled wall facingsligiltiy east off south (for sites in the Nonhero heml~ph~re), With this orientetion, the low winter :SUJIl warms the ijrut,e~ior 01 the house through the windows emly in tile day when the house most needs heat Once 'the' irn~eJ'ior thermal masses '(stone or wood floors, kn example] are charged with heat, they wi'll continue to warm your house on into

the night hours. 11m the summer, with the 5Un at a higher ang~e', its rays, blocked by rhe roof ove~hang, wiilllOt overheat your house. Windows should be tess numerouson the east and west walls, and (are' should be taken to avoid the gllare of the ri,sing and selt!ng sun secause glare is not <I problem from the no~~h, northern light" ,g,enerally diffuse, is good 'for lIghting bl.lildjngs durinq the day,

Red Feather typically builds where win'~e~s, are severe and thus it'S houses need the lull advantage of straw'sexcellent insulation perforrrranoe. lhe5ha~low frost-protected foundati-on we advocat@ (end describe in tns chapter) is Q'eared for the' extreme ctimate ot U1e Gr!?<lt P~.':Iins

Foundation design depends on several factors: local climate, sell composition, building

size and weight, and exposure 10 wind and ear~hquake IOr'CilS, You will need to talk with builder'> in your area, and consult local building codes !(I determine what kind ottouodatlon is mOM eppropriate lor your site. However, do not attempt 10 design your own toundatlon. This is work IOf professionals and the luuire or your building rests upon the ability of your foundation to do its wo<rk~li"l't is. 10 support. the load 01 the building and provide a strollgl, dry platform.

NiC;~,,: Sections of this book tnat relate ~o foundations and electric,a'i and Ipillmbin~ work are quite ~e(hnical. lit1~ point ofincliJding these sections in :all'nl<l~dbook is not to di.5,clOura,ge you. Rathe~ it is ~Ollnow your (orn,tra(~or to under-stand how ~isJher work fits into youroll@rall s~raVII bale project, lne res~ of the' book is ,designedl, I'n:owever,(or iindividual ownerlbu:ii'lldiHs ,or commuWiity IIVQtl'k groups.

Concrete is a madily avai~abl.e and useful building material, However, roughlly 7% of gre:enhouse gas emissions worldwide stem from the manufacture of Portland cement-a

I':'I·~~I.C AtCE'.!k5; JtJ ,ytJl'r[ie'S 1"5 .i'11 'mpo-ffJnt CCil1s.idWiltlM WRi?.tl ('J~OO;JJ,flg G ~i!E. On '4i'l'J~ fr~ t11df of rrerlirflff1£;1 i.§; ~ J4lIIIl;'~ny ,.,fl"'r<d

Opposit(o: Lot ri1~ iJ!<' w!Il'""" .,"fl", I~ D~'i41, 8I.\~ri ""'ore Ue., "nft h,lls will p'ol.a rho Will" I,om ~ds ,ma <trivet< r.:r,'(iI,

major component of most concrete mixtures," Given this negatnve @ml1mnmenta! irnpscr, R@d Feather tries to keep the' amount of concrete in its structures to a minimum, and advocates that you use concrete mixes wntailliing fly ash, a waste by-product of the coal industry which can replace Portland cement to a great extent. Ask your concrete supplier €'ar~y on about the possibility of ~,>ing a Hy ash mixture

N'ote: D'e,s~:gn <lJllilld constructios plrofess,ionals should be erigag'El,d to engine'elf and buil~dI li'G'ij'r foundation.

The shallow frost-protected foundation recommended below bem~ilits your project in sevelra~ ways. Less digging means less money, work. and time as well as. less concrete. all of which minimize disturbance to your topsoil and site vegetation_ However, whatever foundation system you choose, be sure that it provides a, lev I and appropriate base for your bale wa~15 and, most importantly. that it keeps your bales protected and dry,

IFlrost'·prot,ect.edl Sl1alliow foundatio,n

The way a buHding meets the ,earth varies g~eatly wJth respect to 'Site, climate .• and seismic lone. The notes presented here' suggest an approach for the shailow frostprotected foundation that we recommend for cold climates, In host-free reqions, thls foundation i,s simpler to construct because much of the insulation and the entire insula lion skirt may be omitted.

A shallow frost-protected foundation is made of concrete an.d rigid foam insulation, A stem wall is 'built ;11 thetypical manner lin warm climates a simple foundation will serve):

In cold cl~males. rigid foam is applied to the exterior of ii thickened-edge, foundation sized a ordlng to structural demands, thereby savinqthe expense, work. and matedal required 'to extend a foundanon below 'tthe frost line. To keep a shallow foundation from 1reez~rlg, rigid lnsulatlon must bs employed to keep the frost out, Thus vou will need 10 construct a continuous skirt of rig~d msulation arcund 'Ihe building slarting 1'-0'" below the lowest grade and extending outward 6" lor each Fool 0'1 frost depth,

fr:;n,-molk 13 romovOO rom I/le {QITlple/f'<I IoOS!-P'''!K1et1 ~ha.l;r;,w lourrdarron_

f.he ii'Sl S fvp5 01 m,rlstlrt.-'C;"tiClI'il ere f(Jf"ming UN~ {ClILmdElliDl'l and pi.l<Ifl!l re,,,r,,It'''9 i~f'<!!

To form the stem wall irlself we have had good luck LlsinQl permanent. insulated form systems such as the l-Forrn lelF Onsul!atling Concrete Form), a hollow-core, poly-styrene, modular form system produc-ed by IR,eward Walll Systems of Omaha, Nebraska. The l-Form has the distinct advantage of beiing a recydable and ncn-toxic product that

is produced without the emission of harmful hydrochlorcfluorocarbons IHeres) or chlcrofluorocerbons (CFCs).

For insulation skin materi.ah;, be sure to use the correct form of insulation, Horizontal insulation fo:r frost protection must be XPS (expanded polystyrnne)'. Vertical ins'Ulat[ofi may he XPS or EP'S (extruded po~y.stynene) in thicknesses required by the local climate, and speoified for the building in question. The greenest (most ecological) of rijgid foams currently available is perhaps the molded XP$ manufactured by ~nsuhloam. It i,s i.ai:lricai)ed wi'lhout H(F( emissions, and is intended for use Ibel!ow qrade, Mon~ information on frost-protected slha'llow foundations can be found on tile National Association of Homebuilders' website: www.nahb.ong.

When integrated wirth the radi'Mt floor system presented in Appendix E, the shallow frost-protected 'foundation described above has the abHity to heat a SHaw bale IbuHdjog more -tthml adequately. However; ,a redundant hetllirlg unit 5u(h as a wood stove call

be added for those who wmJI!d lik,e an .allt,emative method! of heating. Wftih a towmaintenance radiant system In place, a straw ha~e building is easy and inexpensive 'to heal even in 'the most extrema winters. The savings created by a super-in IJla,ted building <coupled with an efficient radiant heatingl system reduces the Iiong-term cost of a home Fem21rkably. We have heard! that familiies living In Red feather straw bale homes save

up to 40.0% on their wint,ef heating bills, cornparec to the cost of heating light-frame wood homes cr HU[) hous~ng units. Such a siillvings is capable of dramatically changing

al fiunily's financial srtuanon.

There are several ways to construct an RBA. For smaller structures wlith li,gihter loads, irl may be a'S smple as a "ladder" built of 2x4 members that is then placed on top of your !bale' wall, Several yeers ,ago,. we adopted a box beam style of construction for ~arge~ buildings, and more recently we ha,ve been usinq l-bearn joists (comrnoniy used for 'flloQr construction] for the structursl sides and internal blockinq of OUf IRBAs. An RBA built of 1- beam joists is recommended because of us light weight and increased strength compared to an IRBA made with solid lumber, lin addition, l-beam joists can be purchased in almost any length. Moreover, they are a sustalnaole l:llIHding product since they are fabricated wi~holll the need to sacrifice o~d-g,'Owih. large-diame1ier trees.

Constructing the RBA

Despite its position abovethe straw bale wa~l. tihe RBA is the First thing you win build once ~ourfoundalion is complete. It ~s crucia~ that the dimensions or YOlJr ABA match those of your foundation slab exactly if your wallis are to be straiqht and plumb. $0 it is best to use your foundation stab as a template Ior laying out and constructing! your RBA. Later in the construction process, the sl,ab floor will be cluttered with ather ele ems of construction, so build tile sections of youI' RBA 'on the sJ.alb and then set them as~de for later instellsuon.

Mote: Make sure to haw'!'! enouglh pe'oiple on hand to help mol.'~ the RBA, sections safe'ly. It is best to, assiign one Iperson the res,ponsibmty of dir~cting the gmup whell !:moving RBA assemblies,

()/lP"';W Usc rh1l {O<Jrn:imltln as " Ifempr:o reo fOf RBA rnnsm.."LOOn,

lIigtlt ~BA lil<lcb~ll oo'llg I'lillfed iJlpiJce

Steps in Constructing Your RiBA

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1. !lay,a'llt Construction Lines on Slab

Using a chalk-line, measure the width of the RBA from the slab edge and snap guidelines on th e .sfa b i tseif.

2. Cut Joists

Cut l-bearns to size and ~ay the pieces all t1neestabliished chalk-lines.

3. Cut S,!pOl,~ers

Cut lengths of scrap as spacers (blocking) that lNiH run perpendicular to the sidewalls of thE.' RBA.

4. Nail the Box Beam Tog'ether

Fasten the lobeal11 portions of the RSA together p~oviding perpe~ldicular l-bearn blockjnq

at regllla,r intervals; the interval should match that of the trusses that will bear on the ReA. Verifylhe spa.cing with the roof design drawings and malice sure that each truss will rest abovs blacking. Build stra,ignt RBA sections that are not too ~arge to handle later during R8A r.a:i5ing, At this point the RBA will look like a number of ladders each awaiting the att.:1chm~nt of its plyl/vood sheeting,

5. Rip, Plywood S,l1e,eting and L Sheets

Cut strips of plywood wide enQugh to serve as the top and bottom sheets covering the I· beam ladders. Ailsa cut l-$hap~d corner connector pieces and set them aside. These pieces willi be used as connectors 'when you install the RBA on the top of your billa wall. When 24' wiele 3·string bales are used there is little waste of plywood for the sheets are cut 1[0 24" wicl~hs, and the t-sheet remalnders may be used to cover the straight portion of the RBA.

6. She,et Ollie Side, efthe sox B'eams: and fm

fasten a p'IYINoodsl1eet to one side' of the RBA I'adders. Then tum these ladders over and fill them with loose straw flakes for insulation.

7. R,eposition ,Beams on Slab

Set the straw-filled box beams back on the construction iines you drew on the slab, and line them up carefully.

8. Sheet tile Topside of Each Beam

Nsil piYINood tops onto the insulatlcn-fllled Iladders.

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v, Wirth the bale waH raisedby these base plates. there is little chance that the bottom course of bales willi ever be sitting in sttllllding water, as they might be if the first mw 01 bales were placed directly on the foundadcn. Any moisture that finds its way into the bale wall from

the sldes or top witl drain out through the gaps in the' rigid insullatiioll you will place between the pla~,es and then be directed outdoors through weep Ihoies-shaillow' saw cuts~!:hatare cut into the bottom of the outside base pilate. Base plates, in short, keep your bales high

and dry above the finish f~oor. They aliso serv,€, <IS important points of attachment for Ilater construction. Lath, base screed for stucco mats, and! the metal coil straps that connect the plates structurally to [he RIBA all will be fastened to the exterior bas@ plate. The interior base pla.te functions not onl:Y as a channel for electricall wires, but a~so provides an attachment point for base screed, and eventually base trim.

B,uildiing the Bas,E! Plates

iJly Old )loulr bass plates LUsingllhe same c~allk lines you used to construct y.our Rooff Bearing Assembly (chapter 2). I f the lilne are not clear. yo'Uwilll ne ed to re-snap them.

~ext, locate the door openings, As the base plates do not run throuqh these openings, you will need to identify door positlons prior to ISiying QuI the base plates. Be sure not to use glues and/or fasteners in doorways rI your slab is to be the building's finish d floor,

As, w~lh IRBAs., ba,~e p:lates call be as simple as treated 2x4!i laid flat under the bale wall with insulation pla.ced between them. However, in largeir structures, it is best to use a double 'layer of pressure-treated 2>:6,s, for your exterior plat and, for ~he interior one. a built-up assembly off pressure-treated lumber in the form of a (-shaped ,channel opening to the ililside, This channel wnl be used to contain the electrical conduit.

Once,the' base plates are laild out and positioned, at waterprnot mernorane is attached, Then you C'HI lastenthe plates to thefou.H1datton with a ram-set .. or bolt and pin them to the slab with a roto-h rnrnsr and wedge anchors m rowe II pins.

A1teuyou have attached them \'0 the' slab .• drape the interior base plates with a ~a1ier of waterproof membrane, and fast n it in place to protect the wood plates from contact with later stucco work.

Next attach Hie exterior base IJlalt,es to the slab fover waterprooif membrane)' and fill the space between tlhem with strips o·f rigid insulation Ileft over from buiilding the foundation. Out these insulation strjps to the heiqht of the base pl,nes and install them vertically in order 10 maoxirrliZie the nurnher of seams that will be able 'ooonvey wa~oer down and awayfmm your straw lliJale w.alll.

Complete work on the base plates by pra'Jiding traction nails to prevent the bales from mewing from theili seats ateptbe base plates, We recommend Utili,ling 20 penny galVili1ized ml'il:s about half-way into the base p~ilte (space at 8" on center and 5~aggler the nails between the inner and outer plates). The exposed portion of this nail array w~!1 keep the bottom of your bale \MGiJl firmly il1 place,

Not'e; Pressure-treated w~od muse be used for am VII'G,od directly ~ln contact with concrete feundatlcns and where' wood m:a,y be exposed to wamer. The chenucals used to make wood ret-resistant halve t]l"pi,(ally 11I1<l:de it hazardees fO'i" fhose who used It: or breathed ~ts toxic sawdust. Thankfull'!!. commonly <ll\!ailabl'e'. p're5.s~'fe't~'eate,d wood products now exist, that are lilJon"toxic and therefore far betterfer the' envirenment and carpenters ilI~ike'. Male a pci"t o~ 'selecting' non-toxic pressere-trsated wood pnl~ducils ill order to enjoy a healthy home, and a sate construction site.

II,,· 1'lJ""e<l' I", ,,"pi'Jf.' "<~rmll(y; ,>J'1 p/&~ 0_ WJ I;;rproo( memih'.ln~ D"'" fM~·pro!rero i.rJlrndarm

·StelPs for Bundling Base Plates

1. Establisl1 Construction Lines

Clear the area around the edges of your slab, and re-snap the chalk-lines you used in constructing the RBA if necessary,

2. Layout Door Op,enings

Mark the location 01 ail doorways aroundtne perimeter of the slab. These openings will not receive base plates,

3. layout and Cut Presslmlre-tr,ea:ted Pla~.e Stock

Cut base plat!" sections to length and place the pieces in th@~r correct locations.

4. Assemb'lethe Interior Base P~ate

Nail and g!li'te the component pieces of your ( channel base plates together,

S. Attach thetnterlor Base Plates to the Foundation Slab

Cut and/or position base-plate sections so that they fit toqether at connections and corners. Then a,tt1'lch the plates to the concrete slab IJsingone of the fast,ening methods 'listed above.

6. Moistu're Protection

Drape a continuous piece 01 waterproof membrane over the top of the interior base plate and then outward to the edge of the foundation. This layer wl~1 serve to keep any moisture that develops in the bale waH from en~efing the buHding and w~!I gu.ide it out through the weep hoies produced in the next step.

7 .. Moisture Escape

Make weep groove cuts across the bottom of the exterior base plates toallow any moisture within the wal'l a means of escape. Using a drcular saw (set at a cutting depth 0'1 W') cut )4"' dsep, by %" wide weep grooves across the bottom of the exterior base pJ,1ltes every 24"a1ong its ell~i~e length, This is a crucial step and will prevent the bals wall from trapping moisture.

8 .. Ali;l:a(h the Exterior Base Plates to th,e Foundation Slab

As with the interior base plate installation, cut and position exterior base-plate sections so that they fit together ,n connections and corners. Then attach the plates to the concrete slab At this point, the waterproof membrane should be located over the top o·f the interior platf and under the exterior plate. This will prevent moisture from entering the 'house and ensure that it wW drain outward and not be trapped within the wal'!.

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v, Corner guides are eatSily constructed by joining two straight boards (typically 2x6) of the same length together to make an l-shaped piece Attach the bottom of one of these four Lshaped pieces to the base plate at eacll corrier, and then diagonally brace each on both sides makingl sure the corner guides are plumb. S~nce thes.e gUides will be taken down ahe! you complete the walls, be sure to use fasteninq techniques hat facililtate easy removal.

Window and door bucks are wood frames constru led of plywood andl2x4 lumber that provide sturdy openings iln the bele wall <I'> well es $ohd frame., for the attachment of w~ndows and doors. Structurally, bucks. serve to protect doors and windows from expansion or movement 01 bale walls. Bucks float withm the wall and transfer loads around the window and door rraml~s to the wall and foundanon.

When possibl .. , windows and window bucks shou~d be s~z .. d to the lenqth of <I bale to fadlitate the straw bal ... wall DUli.ldillg process However. the size of sa~v<llged, discounted or donsted windows may not correspond to bale dimensions. In any case, each bud. needs

10 be s'lzed properly for the Window 0 door assembly It willi hold. Window bucks are built and set aside until the bale wallreaches the window's sill he~gl1 -typically atop the second course of hales.

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Install door bucks before any bales are stacked 11'1 the walls and attach them directly to the base plates, Bo,ln Win ow and door bucks provide nailln surfaces lor attaching lath around wall openings, and create stronq frames for Instailin window and door units. These bucks also provide a place to, auach stucco screeds, and any trim Or mi~lwork lhat surrounds 511ch openings.

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IBuiildlillg Wi'l1Idow and Door IBl.llcks

The filrst step lin IblJj[d~ng bucks is to estabtish the <1[11.1<11 size of your windows and doors, 11 manufactured windows (Ire used, the rough-iln dimensions willi he iliVailable from the manufacturer's cata'log or CUlt sheet Ilf the windows are on site they may be measured! directly,

Once' the size of rouqh openlnqs fo doors and windows are Iknown, you cain cakulate a buck's interior dimensions, For windows, add 2" to the rough dimension for both height and width: for exampje, a 30" squere window req[uj~es a 32" square buck frame, Door bucks are sized 2" larger than the rouqh opening dimension Side to side, and 1" in height, so im the rough op,elnilng for a door assembly is 3'-0" wide by 7'-0'" higlh. the buck interior dimensions should be 3'-2" wide by 7'-1 M nigh. It is uitical to get the correct window and door dimensions prior to blulldirng the buck frames. far once the bucks am locked into the bale wal,[ with stucco it i,s extremely difficult to make changes.

Construct bucks with a double 2:<4 frame sheeted wilth a 12"-16n sklrtol 3/4" plywood,

An", 1:1", w.~11' I.S rompletE: lie buc.II~ f~fO IJi~ "Vi;jll ,)'1fi '~IfI~ CllrrJe.r guide>,

Steps for I:h.llHding Window and Ooo,r Bucks

1 .. Establish the E.xact Sizirn'9 of the Windows. and [J'.O,CHS to be Ilrnstal~ed

Verify rouph <opening dimensions for each window and door. and calculate ths slightly 'larger buck dimensions according to the procedure ouninedabcve.

2 .. Build the 2x4i Frames

Cut 2x4 frame piecesto the size of the buck dimensions and assemble the frames, O\le~la,p frame pieces when possible for added strenqth, Be sure that theIrames ars square when complete,

3:. Ri~p 3,4" Plywood Skirts

Cut plywood strips to skirt the 2)(4 bud: assembles, Then cutt these strips to ~ength u5lng the pre-built 2](4 frames as iI guide.

41. S,c;rew or Nail Skirts to 2)(4 Frames

Screw the plywood p~eces to the outside oli the 2)(4 frame holding the plywood edge flush wiil1 tile frame on one side (this side wHi be installed facing the exterior of tile wai!),

5. Strew or Nail Skirt Comers Together

Fasten the free corners (those away from the 2x4 frame) together to add rigidity to tile buck frames.

'I). Square and lnstall Temporary :Bracing

Make sure the completed frames are square <lind then screw temporary bracing (scrap wood 1x4 or plywood) to keep the frame square until it is tied in to the bale wall.

1. Store Bud~5

Set the completed bucks aside for later installation within the bale wall.

C'W1strl.Kr iWC! btTIclJ mMow 1J.udi~ boforo """ flood !i!Ml ro ~pi1dIY, ,IN; 1~~'t!9 "t iii" !>die .",11

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.co; PART 1 : CHIOOSIIIN G ANO ST'ORIIIN'G IB,AI1.ES

'For ~h e load - b eari I1g struc ture descri bed in this ha nd bo ok, the gf€'at€r st(lb~ I ~ty (from increased width) arid higher compaction of three-strinq bales, make them the best chlJice. These beles typically measureebout 22" wide by 15" high by 48" long. Be advised that some three-string baling machines produce bates ~hat v,a~y sli,ghtly ill hE!igliit. andthet the length

01 the bales in any batch will pmbab~y vary by at least lour inrhes. Red Feather generall,y fallors the wih@alt straw mmmon to the Nlor!hem Pleins or rioe straw when it is availa'b~e,

For projects in the Southwest, the wheat straw bales made by Navajo Agr~cullural Products, ~nrJIuslries (NAPI) are an excellent (hoi.ce, NAPI harvestersare very knowledgeable about

!he requii(ements of building-quality bales and typica.lly have il large quantity oii bales in dry r.tarag€. Other straws can also be used suw='~siully, but <IS these have dM,ewent properties. from wheat Of ric@ straw, you w~1l need to do some research before ronsiderinq them for use In building, First bales of good qua,lity must be sourced then the oernrnunity-Irieodly 'bah~

wall rai'>ing €\ient may ensue.

Like lumber, straw varies g:re.ally in its q!.Jaliity and composition, but in straw bale construction there is nothing rornparable to the timber il1dLJ~try's method of visual grading. Giv8r1 the curient absence or such standards, consider the ,following uiteria in dUlOs,ing YO'Uf bales.

Straw Balie':s, sholJllldi Be:

Dry. Stra,w used in bele buildings should be harvested duning dry wei'l'lher and stored ina dry pl~c@ where it can be thoroughly protected from rain. and from water on, or il\, the soil, It is ~15[) important to have good communication wi~h the farmer gr'owing the straw in orderto know the history of iii g~ven ~ot. In] any case, you :should measure your bales wilttha moisture rm'~er, Ideally bales should have a moisture ~evel at or beilowlO%,

DelTls'e_ Bales need to b .. compressed to a higher deg:ree than many Jarman am accustomed to ~r0ducing. EXiPllain thai th@ bales you are seerdng will tI@ sup:pOl"tinglhe wei'911t of the

roof of <l house and thereiore need to be real~ dense and sturdy_ Asl( the farmer you contact to set his baler to a medium-ili'9h i'ens.~OiL If you (are liucky enough to find a !.llrmer who is both pati~1li1 and somewhat technical, you can request bales th~H have a dry dens~ty rang~ng between 7 and spounds per cubic foot

Bale COI'Unt

A bale bui'ldin91 requires an exact number 0'1 bales, However, some of the bates you ~eceiw willi be sub-standard or will ha,ve fallen apart In transport. 'YoU! wHi elso neec extra bales rei' staging, for insul.flting gaps around openings, and for the Roof B:ear~ng Assemlbly '(RBA). 10 provide for these extras, and for unforeseen continqenclss, we recommend that you order 15% more bales than yOLl need for tile walls aiona.

Well Tied. To hold a dense bale together, 1~E!d Feather reHes on strong bale ties. Tradltion<lll baling wire (metal) is acceptable, but lilt may mndense moisture inside the bale wa!1 and possibly rust. Baling twine made lirom natural fiber w:!!1 degrade over time and may rot, and is therefore not recommended. fhe best (and most commonly available) building bales are tied with lPolypmpytene twine that is treated to resist degradation from exposure to sunlight.

Pur'e. The best bales will b@free of seeds. weeds,aFld any foreign objects., Ideally bales should be composed off straws tha~ are long, thick, and uncrushed. Ba.les made up of short Or shartered straws contribute dust to' the building site and probably have less structural integrity.

Fresh. It is f~ne to store bales. for ill few months in an, appropriate manner, but it is better to use ~ecently harvested bales. llhjs llmlts opporturaties 11m water irnfilnatbn .• and allows 'lOll to be ccmfident of your bales' hj,s~ory. A deep yeillow rolur jndicates that a bale is healthy and recently harves~ed. Bad sme'lls Of discoloration iindicate that a bale has been exposed 101 water and is begJirming to compost,

Cornsisternt. A batch of bales 'for bullding should be similar in size and shape, Bales that are of the same height and width will be' eesier to lay up in courses, and willi result in a b@ttel ibuilding wilth less effort. Bale length can vary considerably, however, but there are distinct advantageslQ liS1rJg bales that alf,e abclLJIt twilae as Ilo:ng as ihe,ir width. Such bales, will WfJI' well when they are slacked in runninq bond

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u Bale Storage

Unlless your bales can be delivered the' day you start constructing your wa'lls. YOIl must properly store them on site, Even with the best of schedulling, you must be prepalr'edi to protect the straw should rain come. An empty buildin,g nealrby is the easiest solution 1'fr1O such structure is handy, Re-d Feather typicall,,! stacks straw bales all wood pali'els and koop-j them protected with sturdy tarps.

A. goo.-J botf' ~ ~~: rkfo,", I"nM ~U pi,t il rJp by ,m~ Irr.il~

PART 2: STIRAW BALE WAILL IH.JILDING

After the RBA. segments have been built and the base plates, the corner guides, and the door bucks have all been installed (111 the foundation, actual straw bale bIJildiing GII1\ begin,

Anyone who has played with lEGOs has a leg IJp on understanding the straw bale construction process, Bas.ically a full bale funrrions as an 8-bump (rectangular) LEGO piece and a half bah, as a 4-bump (square) piece, Any LEGO-sa,vvy kid intuitively knows the differenc,e 'between "stack bond" (bales stacked directly ()[1 \op of each otherl and "running bond" (staggered or overlapped bales). Whenever possible, stack the bsles in your wall~ in running bond.

Custom Bal,es

There will be a need for half bales and other custom bales of various lengths in eventhe most simple straw DiI!e buildung 'ayout. It may prove useful to make a number 01 hall bales In advan e, as these bales will be needed at door and window buck l'OGlltions. Most other custom bales will have to be made atter a length measurement ls provided by orne of the b~le·la')!ing teams. (reating several custom-bsle teams may be helpful so that 'the relatively slow proc 55 of custom balle making does not delay work IOn the wallis,.

1[0 make a custom bale, beg,in wilth a fun lengr~h bale, but use the I,ess perfect bales in your ~lock tor thls purpose. Bales with miSSing! strings. darnaqed ends, and other imperfections are good (al'1diclla~es, Keep the best end of a tustcm bale intact: customize tile worst end. Then, using a bale needle-a long piece of metal n<ll stock notched a the tip to hold a knotted end 01 a piece of bale string-,thre'ad a piece of string through the (enter of the custom bal .. long enough to tie it. You willi be rnakinq three such loops, nne idea is to get these new loops in place before you 'CUlt the oriqinal bale loops. ill yol.! do this right, you will have a well-formed custom bale an.d some leftover straw ~a~e, Keep both dry and lin good condition until needed,

Far Hgke Ch«t WOlrk ofren I" emil'" fW)~ rl>l~ ~fe 00r~ pJ"m!J ijfId ~qwre.

OWOJii~: G",lrletlo:U !() f;j;/p Y"~ "''''' ~l(Jlilr "l';~~ls,

Po!Jl1l W •• d "'h.~kf"s" t,Md .saws, ror"".. ~,o~~ ~e~ .. c/i'pp<'rs, arid rb • .rn""L~ ';JIr! r",," usc ,'n ff,apjl1g =tom oa/Qs.

I'f you have to use il good bale to make a partial bale, and ,EI Irea' enable portion of the bale is len over, it may bs worthwMe to make th'~s remainder mto a mini-uale, Measure the length of this orphan bal'e, write the lsnqth on a piecE! of paper end slip ut under one of tbe minibale's strings, Such orphan bales, lined up according to lsnqth, will make, it eesy for a balelaying teem to see, if a mini-bsle allready e lsts to filii a particular glilp.

T~!! first bales a~e placed at the corner glutdes and at the outside 0'1 the door buck assemblies, Line the bales up at tile exterior edge of the base plates and continue working along the first course' until rt is complete. On load-bsarinq sHaw bele b ildings., you should not push the' billies tightly to the plywood lace of the door bucks. Instead, leave a gap of abolll 1" for the bale wall to fiU when it is (ompr ss d by the weight 0'1 the roof, ornpression lIill expand the bales into this gap and any remaining gap~ can bs S.tl Hed after the wall has M~ compressed. The last bale in any waH section should be measured algalin.s.t the gap which it is meant to fi~1. It may fir! perfectly, Or it may need to be replaced by a smaller custom bale. If the fit is dose but not quite night you can take a measurement and search among your supply (or your row of mini bales) for a bate that fills the gap, for a batch of bales usually varies ccnsiderably in length. Any remaining small gaps should be filled with straw na~e; i'

Prepal',a,ti:o ns

li~ is he~piLlI to draw diagr,ams shQwingl the position of the bales that will make up the buildjnq well before construction begins (see Appendix B for examples of billie diagrams). Bale diagrams are useful in part becaose you need to have a good idea of the number of bales required for yom project-including extra bales for custom bales, gap insulation, and bale scaffeldlnq. A hale diagram is also useful a's a reminder of door and window locators, With 11 diaqrarn, a sufficient quantity of bales, and pre-built window bucks on hand. bale walls can go up quite quid:lly, Inspiring morale and reducing the chances ot the bales ge1ting wet. However, before you start stac ilng bales, use YOlur level to make absolutely sure that your corner guides are plumb, If lhe corners of your bale w.3111 go up wrong, you'll 'have little choice but to take some bales down and star'! over. One of he appealing aspects of bale building is that mistekes can be remedied quite ea.sily lmt~1 the RBA and the roof are added 10 the building (all that weight makes adjuslin,g bales difficult}. In other words, regulOllrlly check your drawings, and that your walls alre rising plumb, so' that you willi not wa,ste time fixing avoidable rnstakes,

,"

~ L.ayilng up Stlraw Bale Walls

~

t5 The placement of Ihe fllrsl layer of bales (those that rest directly upon the base pl. las and

ar held in p!ace by the traction nai~s that you've driven in partway) ~s most imp-or1ant the layout of the lirs~ course sets the pattern lor the bales to. follow. (are must be tak£'r1 to ir1!5U1re then this first course lines up with the base pla,~e:s and the loundation. H these iir~t steps are done pwperly, the rest of the wall ralising will go quickly and Il better bale wall will result,

Sr.a.:} DilJe!li JJ1 rJ!te.rn,i'ltmg (oiloUr::;e:s: re ilVOlD C-ri.fJ. l/E'.Fr1·';-.J!~.iE'~ms;.

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a gap is larger than about 4", move an adjacent bale half the gap distence and stuff the t\MO r,esul'ling smaller gaps witih loose straw.

Once your first course of baiss is in place, give the wa'll a dose inspection. Add straw to an~ gaps or depressions you find, and then lay the second course in running bond-thai is, ma~e sure each ba,le in tlhe second cours€' rests on two bales of the first course, bridging the seam between these bales.

Once a window buck is 1n place, use shims as needed to lellel the bottom part 01 the buct You should install a temporary brace to hold the buck safely in position until it is secured! in the wall by pins or some alternative. The first bales of 'Ihe third course are now placed at Ihe corners and on both sides of the bucks leav~ng aboUlt a 1" space (as with the door bucksi t(f

Window bucks typicaily rest on top ot tnesecono course of a bale waiL So, nefNring to, your drawings, measure otf and then locate youlr pre-assembled window bucks on the second courseafter it is completed and checked. Red reather also starts addinq corner staples (se~ below) at this point, placing one staple per corner. You will need lour comer staples for each course eXQept i(lr at thsflrst course which is held 'iirm!y ~n pia,,!:! by tJhe traction naHs in tile base plates.

After you cornpiete each course, ~ump up and down on the bsles to "seat" them, and to cornpacl the bale w,alL It is helpful to auach a 4' level to a straiqht 8' 10n91 .2x4 in order 1.'0 square and level the success,we course of bales with the conner guides. Using a leviEl to atign bales as they are stacked upward will insure a straight and beautiful wall.

Corner Staples

Bend lengths of 113 rebar 10 '1he shape of a larg:e staple. The size of your comer stsJplle5 willi depend on tne size of the bales involved_ For a typical 3-stl'ing bale wall laid 'f'~<1,t to achieve a wall thickness of aboulza", corner staples should be about 24" Wide with riqht-enqle I'egs Lhalt can stick 10-12" into the wall, so you will need to start with sornethin dose to a 4' length_ Use these corner staples to connect the two bales that make up each Coomer 01

21 bale course, arid reduce the lIkelihood they will be bumped out of position. Together w~th bale pins (see below), corner staples add s1abillty to the wal1 while It is being bu~lt. maki~g it easier to walk on, and harder Ior a strong wind (or an IRBA team) tc knock it down.

WindoW BUick Installation

As mentioned above, WIndow bucks <ire usually if1staUed on top of the second course' 01 bales. This, depends on the window, of course, as :small windows are sometimes placed hig~ lin the VIIall on the third or even the fourth COUlrse. A flooHo-ce,lIing window is also possible, but needs c,"lreful structural consideration.

allow for expansion.

When the w~ndow bucks are complet@ly surrounded by bales. hammer short pieces 0'1 reber (8"-lO" I!ong) through pre-drilled holes in the window buck thereby :S'E'mring the buck 10

!he wall. If the bales are very compact, it may be necessary to grind one end of these pins

to a point. Do not drive the pin 03111 the wav through the hole in the buck. Leave a few inches of the pin visible" Once the RBA is nn place and any final adjus1tm nts have been made to the bale walls, these pins can by pulled out (vise-grip pliers work wen for 1 is t.ask)ro allow for the finall positioning of the buck within the oIJE'ningi. At this point. dr~!I,e the pins into the bales again, For this final s'etting of the pins. drive them in so that Dilly about W' of the pin is visible from the inside of th,e buck assembly. This wm provide semre attachment The end 0'1 the, pin WIll be easily covered by the lath and stucco \0 come.

I.fir,· and tiqh~ E lM b~le, 00_ In handy fo; !emprJf~ry ~Mlrs .~d ~~.floldJ1l!J

---

As Willis grow taller, Red Feather uses extra bales to, blJDld stepped s.cflf"folding. By laying tiers of bales on top of one another, you can create good temporary platforms to stand on while you work. These straw bale \N()r -pletforrns are useful 'for positioning the las! few courses {)i bales, pinning ihe ba~es and window bucks, and instailling the RBA atop the wall.

IIommer Sl>rw-I /erJgril~ vi f~biJf ,thmog.li ptt;~.rillOO ~ to (J)f;If.!oct ...... .l.rI dow iJ'J'i(] d:00i buoo' to ,~I'e 'NiI11s.

I)~ti ,J ~[ldg['~iI.-';fl'lm[:lt mu:t.il ~fJC errd ~:Q (]flll't" r.E'ibiif p<1i' iMO .",,,11

A lh!Ife I;,jmm"" bLIJ,'~ 0111' r. lrou, ,~ II:Ig S~t'i''''l ~!Jd a nr""'1 "",,,(I /IiI~ ""'~IJ;JJll'l''i'' ~~(Jl;r~ brI!i>s illror limy flllvo ~""!' ~I<l~kcd.

Aft- r pinning the' 'Iinall course, you are ready to proceed to R8A installation, but first make a thorouch lnspecuon of the waill. patching gaps and seams with loose straw. Also at this time use 11 baie hammer to encourage protruding bales bade into the plane of the bale wall

Bale Pinl1irng

After the fourth course of bales is in place (and then again after the sixth and final course). ~(>d Feather drives straught pins. approximately five feet in length, down through the bale wall for H:"infoKement Usingl a sledgehammer, pound two pins into each top bale, As you will do this after completing both thefaurth and sixth COUfse5. the pins will overlap dlt midL wall heilght Such pirming makes the wa'll mere stable during construction. and may offer structural benefits after the ba'le wall is flully loaded.

various type's of pins-bamboo. wooden surveyor's stakes, ~aplliflgs-c<m be used; however, R,ed Feather tllPicalilluses hIgh-recycled #4 rebar ends salvaged from reilfliordng steel left over after building the foundation.

Pcrt,ching Gaps in Bale W.alilis

Even when much care is taken to make bslss snug and straiqhtsperes between bales wil~ OO:Uf, and will require attention,. Add loose s~r<!w to gaps to assure a consistent 'layer of inslJlatillg straw throuohout the bale wall. Loose straw on the deck is a safety hazard, being troth sllippery and flammable. By period~(all'y gathering the 'Ioosestraw that falls OU] of 'the wa!II,~ dwing the building precess, you will have a constant 5Upp~y of straw' to stuff gaps between beles Red Feather keeps a few liarge plastic garbage bags handy for thi,s purpose, When the walll is complete, you will 'lit these same bags-aga,in filled with loose straw-in the openings between the top o~ a window buck end the bottom f,ElCE! of an RBA. to provide censstent insulation as we:ll as backing for the lath that runs from thetop of th~ tW(KS up to the RBA. YOLI must finish all straw stuffing before any lath is applied to the wall:s.

It is ~mpmlant, hO\/j/eve'f,lo avo~d (lverstuffing gaps, openings., and seams. TOlD mud" slufling is as bad as mot enough, and perhaps WOfS!:!, because ov!:!rstuffin1Q can cause bulges that make applying lath diffkult. Wor~ towardan ellen, uniform surtaee w~th no big i:mlges or indentation!; (except fo~ the occasional demr,ative nich[!). However" do not beteo ri'gorous about treating a ve~y flat wall, since part oi the bea,uty of a straw balle Willi 'comes from its p,icturesqu@ surface lirreg:ulari,ties.

Raising a bale wall is usually a satisfying andi (iii you aresuccessful in g,athering together some helpers) a fast-moving experience. lhe,re is ,a danger, however, of' los~ng all the work that W~rlt into a bale wall; if fain gets to your bales, yO<J will be doingi another ba'IIHaising attar removing' the soggy bales and purchasing replacements. So protect your wall from water at all enst, Have I.arps handy until you can butld a good roof

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t'3 Instaming an RIBA

Since you have already constructed! ~he sections of your RSA (see Chapter 2), you will not need much in the WC'Ii of materials for this step. However, you win need a fill~r number of extra bales, since Red Feather typically makes a temporary, stair-type, straw bale scaffold beside one or more of the exterior wall~. These ba~es provide a tiered work platform that can be easily moved from one wailto another, and will aillow you and your friends to carry long RBA sections and place them on top 01 the wall. The more people you GIl] round' IUP to help YOu do this" the better,

StartiF1g with one of the larger- sections of your straw bale wali. position a few "wa,l I walke s" atop the wall (preferalbl'\f folb who are cemfortable wallking on top of the walls), and ask several other people to act as spotters. The' number of spotters and walkers depends upon the size 01 the section being lrltedand the strength and (M~id8F1Ce of the spotters. There should be at least two people in each role. bUI ,several more may be requli~ed for larger

RBA sections to insure coordination and safety. ach spotter nseos La have a 2x4 abOljt 10' long to steer and push sections t 11,5 way or that while they are being positioned. Tho.s not fortunate enouqh to have drawn a Detter job ,get to carry the sections up the bale s aff.old steps and lin them into place

When a large number of people are work,ing on installing an RIBA it i,s best to d si'goa 'e one spotter as [he' only person directing traffic. Earliy experiences with RBA raisings were reminiscent of a noisy group of Vikingslrying to ram a castle gate open wrth a mas ive log.

II is easy for everyone 10 get ex.cited when movingl objects of this size, but if folks get moving too qukkly, sar!ely willi be compromised In fart, n: is possible '10' knock a bale wall down (and tl1e people standing on top of iii with a runaway section, BlUt if everyon works tOlgether under the calm direction of one lead spotter, each section can be walk d IUp a

ramp and slid carefuilly in place.

Once the sections afe up and positioned nail the corners together, and then ~nstalll a pre-cut plywood L sheet et each rorrtsr,

After YOLI have checked that the !RBA, as a whol is square and level, use it as a straigiht edge to align your bsls walls, S.ywalk.ing along the iOP of the RBA and sigilting down 10 the fOllnda!ion line, you will be abl'e to 1ell whic~ bales are :sticik,ingl out of line and need' to be adjusted with a f,ew strokes of a bale hammer.

To complete the RBA installation, use a long spade bit to drill throuqh the bottom layer of

Ihe RBA p~ywDod After drlll11ng, verWiy that the RBA and the' bale wall are in alilgnment and Ihen pill the RBA to tile top courses of the bale wall with a 3'-O"lenlglh of #4 rebsr bent into a 4" L at the end In keep it from goingl comp~etlell' through till! hole.

Steps to Installirugan !RBA

1. Calli Everyone Who Owes You a Favor

A big g.roup of workers is invaluable for Mting bulky pieces of ali RBA.

2. Build Tiered Bale Scaffolding:

Use straw bales to build steps up the outside 0" the bale wall secticnwbere you are ~nstallillg an RBA section. When you are finished on one side, then reassemble the bale stairs on jha other sldes as needed.

3. Assign Worl( Duties

Most of your work party will be carrying and lifting RBA sections, but assign several people as waH walkers and spotters. Also appoint a lead spotter who will be in charge of guiding the RBA team as you move large sectlons into position.

4. Put the R.lBA Se(tions in Place

lift each pre-assembled portion of your RBA into position under the direction of the lead spatter.

5. Check P'Illimb and level

Use a ba~e hammer or the side of a sledlge hammer to position the RBA squarely above the tcundation,

6. Fasten Corners

Nail the corners of the RBA sections tog:ether.

7. Fill Voids

Fill any voidslnthe corners of the RBA with loose straw insulation.

S. InstaiH Plywood L :Shee~5 . _

With a square, a level .• and persuasive tools. again verify that the RBA is as square and level as possible, and then. using pre-cut t-shaped sheets, fasten the RBA pieces together to form OJ rigid assembly that runs around the top of the bale walls.

9. Align the Bale Wa~:I!i

Use a bale hammer to adjust bales that stick out from the builldling's lnterlor and ~xt~~lm It is helpful to siqht along the vert~ca! plane made by thssxtarlor edges of the foundation ~nd the RBA in order to spot protrudinq bales,

HI. Pin the RBA to the Walls

When the RBA is fu~ly square and in position, fasten ~t to the walls by hammefing #4 rsbsr pins down through holes vou have drilled in the RBA's plywood panels,

Silo! ~ ,,'rrmm ~I ,l!) 11M mozy b~ rafrod J~ ~~ jf MO!1(JIl ~ ,"~ om It..md_ i'r,'r.rIcf' 11'1;:0 ,,~..wlkl\fS «-.;;1, ro 1_',,," tJftd plM~ ~ prete, ",rC>j) ihe "",IJ,

lJIJild 5lifa", l)alll >(;a/MrJirlg ~1ot1!1 vldlls ",he.;e liSA :;e~lw"! ,yl1l be~O&'d,

Slid" Iw"", onto H,. RIYI p!,atk),m on pi~ 01 J\JmW *' {I1l "dfi" ",01 "ng~'i "!I"ilU! 111~ _rl

MWI! ri",,, m!1 t~1<' t ..... ses- d'" irn1"r~ tUl~f!ed. _Iffl, ~r]'Q tlra{eiI 00 .'Je RBA ami ro &Kh Qrl)e<.

<I<'<:. Oi'ld aaE'q"'af~lr D'lIC" yo.Uf I''''''~'· ,,,,,,, yt>u pliJce :;1, • .-11,,9' f!HN We M,rj'e root.

11;r ...of ~ romina lolI,.rhE" (M~ e rH~ ~,i"!7 J.i cO),"~(f'tG, fill~'.I. J!"'~lhing. ~I,d 9I1b1C <'!ll) ,WjN; If]"), Pi Q~d.

A 1I)'l'! or bwlil'in; ~I' ~p,plH>~ li~r r~ gii~ Md Jllowo ~roOO lidlri9 Col' ~'!II-.1 n(':l'-l:f';urr..::J frPi:1 frrlfll1'i fa mal(t.J ~hE-o ~m~\l'J bPIot.-v.

Roof IFramill1lgallild iru5S Inst:aUation

for a sing~e-story, load-bearing bale home, trusses are a good! idea for many reasons, First, Lhey can be made wrthsmaller dirnensional lumber, allowing lor a strong, lightweiglht roof system, Second, the lumber used in wood tru5S'I'S typically comes from smaller, secondgrowth. or plantation tumtJe~ sources. ~'inally, trussed roofs are quickly erected and costI'ffective, For straw bale buildings, where minimizing bale exposure to the .. lsments is alllimportant, a trussed roof is a g:ood choice.

Wh n working with trusses, use a team approach in oYing iarg,E! sections of maleri'sl similar to the one you used in ~ilisirtg your RIBA. For a simpre bllJi!dillg, the required roof trusses am qlJite manageable in weight and size'.

Using bales for staging, and a lead spotter 10 direct \r1l1'fie, a small group of people can quickly pas'S individual trusses to a couple of walll wall:.ers on top of the RBA who, inturn,

can move along raising and bradnq each truss. Us.@ a "hurricane'; clip at each side of each truss to connect it firmly to the IRElA. These dips act against uplift and winds 10 hold the roof ~Irmly to th .. bui~ding.

Barge Rafters and Soffits

After the trusses Ihave been rallsed and braced, you Gill begin framiltig the eeve and

gable overnangs. Install 2x,11 lookouts (extensions to support barge rafters) to cre.ate Elave overhan9's at both gable ends 01 the bUlildin9 of at least 16". On the eave overhangs,

snap EI chalk-line and then cut the rafters to length. Install Fascia trim around the butt ends of the rafter tails,_ Nlext. It's lime to sheath the roof with plywood. In the overhanging eave section, use material rated for exterior use if you enos an pen soffit (an open und€!r-~ave area) design.

Gable Ends

Roof undewl.ayment and finish roofing should be applied Quickliy to protect the building from the elements. While this is being done, frame the gable end walls. Typk,aHy Red Feather USes (Qnventlonal wood framing within the 9'ables_ Gable faces may be finished in a variety of way~, Soard and batten or another type of extertor wood siding IS a good choice. Corrugated metal is another dLlrable option. Stucco may also be applied 0111 the gab~le ends If you elect

to apply stucco, an expansion joint channel should be instelled at the top of the HBA to

illl.ow for the fact that ~Uraw bale w,alls and wood-framed 9'ab!e ends expand and contract

at diiferent rates.

Ceiling Dryw,alllf!5tillllat.i.on andllnsulafiotll

At this poinrit is necessary to install ceiling drywall to help compress the bale walls, You can make te~ling drywall in:stal~ahon sasier ui YO'u learn selleral tedmiques for worki.ng with heilvy, cumbersome sheets. As with other parts of straw bale construction, '~1 is go,od to have a number of people arCHJlnd to hellp.

Your straw bale wall has very h~g 1 insulation value, but you must Insulate the roof if you want to ensure that the enlire building, envelope will be energy efficient and O'Jat your building will be comfortable. Once the (9ili119 i,s in place, put in5;u~lat~(m between th;e rafter5 of the roof (if the attic will be neated) or between Ihe members of the ceiling plane (if the attic wm not be heated). Refer to local codes and climate information to determine what R-value insulation will - e required. Red F,@athef typicall:y uses fiberqlass ins'liI'Cltion "batts' placed horizont,allly in the ceiling pl,ane, but milny tYfles 01 insulation are al/aillable. For example, good sustainable cotton ins.ulation ;is manufactured from factory scraps of bluejean material,

If your room size allows it, 12' sheets result in less work and less material-to purchase. Fewer drywall j,olnts nans.late into tes.s drywall tape and mud. Drywaillift:s and pulley jacks 00 rojlers, ii available, make quick work of hanging ceilings if lebors sparse. Otherwise, construct a few '"T-ja[ks"-Ihat is, scrap lengths 01 2x4 lumber shape i 0 a T such that the top ofthe T measures 5/8" (t:he thickness of the dryw,aH material) shorter than the floor to milling dimension. For example, a structure with an S'-O" finish c,eiling height will require a J-jack that measures 1'-11 3/8". One person wiltn <I T-jack (an .5UPPOft a drywall sheet whll~ others att2ic'h it to t:he feiHng iramin,g wilith drywa'll.screws. Red Feathe·r uses 1 5/8" standard drywall screwstor 5/8" drywall and 1 1/4" standard drywall screws for 1/2" drywall.

fire lP.;.tI-timl d')IW~11 pn;lVidf"S,,!l"!¢

!·,.III, rrJI willis .md «,111111]. NoI(: rloc'"~ cl ~ T"fdo, 105"ppo,r. dIYl",,'lsl:<!er.

Roofing

After you skin the trusses with pl,ywood, and attach a layerr 0'1 waterproof membrane to the roof. you ere ready to instaU your roofingl, It is importsnt to put a good' roof over straw bale walls. and to do so in a timely manner, A5 stressed before', you must keep water out of the hale walls. A quality roof, quiddy built, en,sure5 that your bales willi be dry during constructlon and for the deration of their life.

Red Feather uses several types of roofing on its projects. Sometimes rnaterlals are donated, and different regions and dmates suggest or demand differen materials. One thing, however, is certain: the foundation and roof must keep the straw bellies dry or the bujldinq will lose its structural in~egrity, and its right to be called a horns. With this in mind, it is important to obtain high ,quality roofing materials and to control m01 constructlon car~lIlly enough to protect the labor and resource iinvestl1l'lelnlS yOUir stlraw bal,@ structure represents

The design of the roof in this hanclbook-a simple gable structure with 110 valleys-is about as straighLfofw rd a reel as \IOU can find. The roof's simplicity is Important for ease of construction. and low cost. In straw bale construction it is ilmportant that roof desiqn stay simple because mmplexitres, valley::., and penetratiors create oppcrtunlties for water leaks as well as rising costs. A roof must also have properly sized overhangs to protect bale walls From driving rain Overhang should never be less than llo'"-preferably 24"-and should' be increased for buildings in rainy repions or for exposures wher'G! driven rain is 'expected.

AS for Ilinish male rial. rnetsl is the most advisable. A root fabricated of g.a'ivanized steel is long lastinq, provides durable protection in aU conditions, is readily available in most arsas, and, when you consider the Ilife-cycle cost .of tile building, provides good valuelor the

lite Df your home. Aspha'it shingles of high quality are, if carefully installed" a less costly alternative. With asphalt roofing, hmMev,er, yon.! do not have the possibility of recycling th~ roof at the end 0'1 iLS Ilife cycle, and your ability to harvest rainwater IS diminished. Landfills are full of asphelt roofing, but old metal roofs may find new Ilife in future products,

Roof pitch is another iSSUE! you need to consi er careflully. A roof must be sloped enough to shed water or snow ,eHecl~veliy, but as a roof becomes steeper it also becomes more difficult and dangerous to work 011. We choose Ci 6:12 slope (i.e, 6" in ('ise for every 12" of fun) for many of our projects, This 6:12 is a sen ible compro ise between camp ting COncerns: a root should be steep enQugh to shed precipitation, yet not so steep as to be unsai@ (@spedally if non-professlorels are involved), Po steeper 8.12 slope is also workable, and should be considered especially i'f you want an insullated attic space.

Red fe,ather also makes use of roofing with continuous !Fidge and eave vents, which ellmmates the needlor attic vents in the gable ends 0"1 the building. This means, you will havef'ewef openings around which 10 lath and stucco. and will minimize the chance of lealkage in the critical situation where you helve gab!es above bale waHs. Refer to regional

!(ilIilII!OG (~ ,.,'11111l.' "'''''' m.J'erlal ,mci ~If:' ¥~ 10 ,,~,'k <lrJ~ IJI" I~r ".,dw! OJ /of/ !pMl!

/;""m. !tlill..- wiTh plywood. !>vI ~I!f 1/1(' W"G~ 10 prowilir.., JlfOrIg roof ""ddte,

venting codes to be sure that yOUR'" venting area is sufficient With OJ good metal reo] in place, you hopefully will not need to worry ,abcH.J't roofing for OV€'f fii"lty years.

Th .. materials you add to yom structure in this chapter add weight to the RB,A and seN'@ to 'compress the bale wall. When, the wall is fuUy loaded willi, the combined weight 001 trusses, framing, sheathing, drywall, trim, and! insulation, leave the walls overniqht to compress as fully as possible.

The n xt mornIng, nail metal coil straps (produced by Simpson Strong-Tie or similar) to the exterior sides of the RBA and 'the base plates. Bolt the bottom end of each strap directly to the face 0'1 tn€' foundation. On each side of the ()Qrner of your RBA, attach a metal coil strap and F'Un it diagonally dow,n to the base plate making sure, it does not (orne closer than 12" 10 a window or door opening. Coil straps should be placed at other points along the wall ali per the design racornmsnoatlcns o.f a structural engineer, Tlhe straps are nailed through factorypunched t~oles with Iasteners per the manufacturer's recommendation. These coil straps

are \I ry imoortant. for they provide the direct structural connection from the RBA to 'the foundation, These straps are a defells'e ag,ainst winds which (oul~d blO1111 your roo" oN, ami

~ supply the malor resistance your house will hav'E! 10 !arg,e UJplifl forces essoostsd with major

j storms and earthquakes,

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S .5 Flashing and W'eep, screed

8,egin by attachjnq a weep screed around the base of the building's foundation. and

metal flashing above all window and door openings. Red feather uses commercially <llIallal,e channel shapes, and fastens them directlyto the bese plates where they meet the foundation, Weep screed is manufactured with weep holes in the 'screed trough that permit wat,elr to. exit the bale wall. Weep screed also provides a convenient (ef,erence tor cuUing

!a'!h sheets, 1'( ym.l fasten these sheets so they terminate in the channel portion of the screed, then 'their sharp ends will terminate in a screed charmel and will be out of the way of [urh.ire trowel work,

Ila'!!h

You must complete~y cover a bale wall with ga~vani~ed lath if the wall surface i' to hold stucco, Red Featlher uses expanded metal lath also known as diamond lath) and common

20 gaug-l'! chicken wire. Diamond lath is used in, areas that need more support, or will receive more wear-such as comers and window end door pockets-and horeontel ceilin'g areas like those ,above the windows that you will finish with stucco,

No,te: Diamond lath is fabrkat~d willi. aspedflc ol[ien~ationf.O pr,ev'ent stucre from t:<!llllllng

ofi the wall whill,e it is, still wet. Use care in cuttillig and plac.il'll9J diamond lath sections so t:lilliit tllle small diamonds ad als cups andl ho!ld tllil,e Illilquid stucco against tllil'e bailie wall rather tnaJln'U dumping lt out on the ~Ioor .. Cil,o.se inspecden of the diamond latliil materlal willi rev,ea,lllhis mat,erialll"s pref.ened orientatien.

If you stretch the chicken wire and diamond lath sheets tightly when slaplling them to the base plates and R1BA surfaces" your work wHI go more qUKkly since tight sheets require less luning later.

Bef.ol',e Attaching Lath

Before wrapping the oa!e walr,s in lath be sure to cover any wood portions of the structUlretoe-up plates, door and window bucks, the RBA-wilth house wrap (su I'i as Typer). IdeaUy this wrap should completely cover the wooden ,e,le ents and be stapled between the, buck and the bale wall. This layer protects, wood assemblies from the ,>WCC(I'S molsture. House wrap, however, does not hold stucco, Therefore, apply diamond lath, not chic en wire, 'over all protected wood surfaces

Before covering tihe walls with lath, it is 011:50 a good idea [a sluff straw in any remaining gaps or cracks between bales. Some straw sluffilng will be necessary to fill gaps in the wan, around! windows ilnd doors. and especially at the onnection points between RBA and walls and between floor plate and wall,,_ The object' is to fili emp1y gaps with straw-no'! with stucco that willi be applied later.

Attaching Lath

You must do <:11 good Job of putting la,th LIP inside and out if you want y ur st ceo application to progress smoothly, Your goal IS to end up with a uniiorm layer of lath aroundthe entire straw bale portion ,of your building withoulU I,ea,vin any sharp edges or bits or wire sti(king out that could (altch a stucco trowel.

It is best to begin lath applicatkm on the flat field portions of you, b,ale walls. Cover these fiel(ls With venk:aHy-run sheets of chicken wire that oveflap by abQuL eight in hes. At the top and bottom of the wall, fasten the chicken wire 10 tile ase plate and to the face of the RBA Wiltl1 pneumatic .slap~les_ Red Feather typically orders sh ets o,f diamond lsth that are at least as long as the finished ceillng height. and pre-ruts wall·height sections of chicken wire lrom a roll so that w al'so hav a ready SLJpply of sheets on hand.

When iitta.ci1ing c\h[cken wir,e sheets near wall comers, be mindlul of the width of the diamond lath sheets you have stocked, because 'lour next step wililibe to fasten sheets of disrnond lath around dam, wmdow. ali' comer areas. Ideally leave about a fool 01 bare bale wall exposed between the edge o.f the chidlen wire and the wall corner on each sida, Then attach a single sheet of diamond lath, folded lengthwise. in the: corner to provide a base for stucco. This shee must overlap the chicken wire sheets adjacent to it. This pra ucesav s la,th m - terial and time because it creates the fewest inter-sheet seams, and join:; finished edge~ which are easier to stitch logether.

II.~ bu~ks "",s' be wriJjipt!{! i,l1l1lt JO 51 m Jlpplfc:ation.

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M,ethods of Attac;hing laltlh

To fasten lath sheets to straw bal('s, use galvanized lendscape pins, Use galvanized pneumatic staples however, to fi;lst,en I~h sheets to wood components such as plates, RBA suriaces, and window and door bucks. Tl1€' best fasteners tor attaching lath to wood are galv,anized roofinq naills lor they ar'e designed to sea~ Unemselves, to a waterproof membrane and thus make fewer holes which cO!i,dd adrnlt wiMer_ St.apl'es are typically faster than roofing nails, however, but whatever fdl$"len1ers you, us' .. , be sure not to punctum the waterproofing membranes any more than necessary d[jrlog lath installation.

In th'e interest of exe~ci:5iiflg some quality control durtng li@j~h work, it is a good idea to havs Someone wuth experience ~r)sure that the ~iilth ts being pmper'ly installed, A tiqht fit 1:0 the bales is preferred. Ideall)!, the lath should not be able to be pulled away from the bale. Take cere, though, toavoid over-tigihtening since this may unwind the lath itself or pull ilt from its polnt of ,aHachmenl.

Tyingl Sl1alrp .End~s

The proce~s of ty,ing sheets of lath log!;>lher-botn chicken wire and diamond l~l.th-i5 comparable to making a quilll out 0,1 different pieces Oif fabric And, as in quill work, this "tying toqether" IS the most onerous part of' lath wort

There are many walys to sew lath tog.ether. A paint-cen opener, iI 5crewd'river, a good set

01 pHers, and tough gloves SI"e some of Ihe tools Red IFealher uses. The trick is to bend and IWISt enough 'il1d~vidual wires from Ihe edge of one lath sheet over in such a way that the :!iheet becomes firmly attClched-sewn,-to its ne~ghbor sheet. In terms of finish, the main obJe'cti,ve is to turn the sharp ends of all wires used lor joining sheets back toward the bale wall so as not to create trowe~·calching cbstades. Landscspe pins a"@ used about ''-''!VNY 16" on seams and elsewhere as needed.

A given sh!2el of lath wi~1 either have a site-cut rou:gf'l edge, with plenty of loose wife ends Il1a1 can be used 10 tie lath sheets together; or a f,actory~fil'lishededge with 110 such ends. Therefore there are eSl:ientially three edg,e co-ndilti,orns to consider when joining two sheets of lath: 1) J o~ ni n 9 a f nis hed eo gl:1 lath sheet to a mug h ed gee lath's heel. 21 jom In 9 two ro ugh @dged sheels togethe:r,and 3) jointng two finished edgies together ~n the first two cases, when you have at !east one lath shset with ~oose edglE' wires aWll~lilble for sewing, yo:u can Join thetwo sh .. ets using these wires and the tools, mentioned above,

When you .;re ito~nrng two sheets of finished-edge lath, another method may be employed. You carl either make liS€' of lengths of w~re "from a spool to link the sheets together (It is also a good idea to have a 'Spool of baling win~ on hand for areas where' you will need longer pie('~s. o~ thread, or you may.cut into one of the finished edges to WO\J~de wire ends as required to sew the I'ath she,ets together_ for example, in order to fasten one finished-edge st1eet of chicken wire to another nnished-·edged sheet, yOUJ carl U5e wire (utters to snip into

the edge of the (h~(ken wire every six inches, or 5,0, arid use the resulting loose ends to tile the sheet to its neighbor. You should also use landscape pins on such seams to help with the ove~all task of bendillg sharp ends back srto the mass. of the bale wall as well.Jn order to tighten a panel of lath thsts too [loose, lake a !pair of needle-nose pliers and go alongl twisting the sleek out of the lath flield at regular in1iefva[:s ..

Lath at ,Corners

At interim and extefior rorners you :should apply full-width sheets of disrnend lath. [i

care has been taken to attach chicken wire 50 that a sheet of diamond lath wiM overtap the chicken wire 011 each s~de of the corner, you will 'Save yom'>!!'lf.a great deal of patching and splicing. Do not fd[d the·se corner sheets if a rounded (Orner is desired .

. After securinq the corner lath strip with staples at the top and bottom of the wail" sew and pill each vertical edge 01 the diamond lath corner sheet to the (hick@n wire sheets already onths wal[s.. Then proceed withli:ghit'ECmiIlQ: t!he (Orner lath areas as you did em the w<llIs.

lath atEledrical1 ChJtl,e't Boxes and Swi'il:ches

Another important use 01 diamond lath is to caver areQ~ around e~ectrical switches, p.IUJgs, and other fixtures that you wiH IIu.sh-mountill the bale wall ~n such cases, smCll1 rectangles of diamond [lath arecut 2-3" 'argernhan a given ,e[ectrical box ~n both directlcns. With a marker trace the Ibox onto the lath and then mark an X from theccrners 0'1 the box. By clIuing on the lines of the X down to the size of the box. and then folding bad ~he res]J[ling triangles of lath, an op,el'l-s;ded bo;,.: of bent lath can be made to fit snugly around an electricsl outlet bOK. W~~h its lath surround. an electrical box can then be set in a socket

in the wa[l, landscape pinned in place, and then tied into the f~e!d[ath of the bale wan.

Lath at Window and D,ool" 0p,Emi'l1!gs,

You must devote <l great deal ofartention and timeto p:rovi:ding good lath COVf!rag~ ilmufltd your window and door openinqs, Siflc€' the buck assemblies for thsss openings are corstructeo of plywood, they must be protected from wet stlJ0CO. Onc~ house wrap has been afli~ed over all wood areas. imh can, be added. The process ~~ ~$IDlloW5:

Apply house wrap and/or waterproof membrane to all il1te~tor buck surface's, extend~ng iI inward so as to rover the edge of the p'lywoQdand, outward f,:l,s1enlng it between tn .. Exterior of 'II"!? bod, and rhe bale wall tts.elJ.

Cut a sheet alcllicken wire to the see of the open~ng \t\!here you are working W~ap this sheet over the COrl1E'f termed by 1he bare straw ba~e w('JIJand the inside· plywood 'face 01 <I' window Or door buck and attach it w:ith staples. Seginrnio21 i!"\$ide the buck, secure and

(Jse pre-formed laih ,comer strips (sllown lI~t.) Of r!i"~nd !~Ih "I iNide comers

Use a ((!cMn9(J~{jf p.Jee,eof dl~ tl'l(l:-ld Ir..~-h d'fOiJlfid ~J~ruJ'caf OlJi:JE'ts end 5wd(he~,

shape the corner of the bale wall and the loose straw insLl~atiion you have added belwE'en the buck assembly (lnd the bottom of the "B.A. StluH loose straw into ,any gaps while workinQ 1;0 form an eveen COn.tOUf at the corner JOIning the bale wall and tile· inside of the openfng. By creating an even curve of lath al the edges 0'1 all openings, and strenptheninq the resl!.llling soh edges by stuffing them lull with st,raw, YOl.1 will be able to provide visua~!y pleasing (orner'> at openil)gs that are sUongenollg]'l to hold stucco. FinaBy,. landscape pin and tie th.e IloO'se edges of tile lath back into the bale wall.

To make an even contour for stucco 'be!ow a window, stdl:ph~ a shorl piece o~ !ath hom 1he 5~11 tothe base plate. Place ~oose straw behind tills 18th, shape it, alld then staple it to the w!ndowbuck

Cut .3rld have on hand 3/4'" plywood screed strips about 3-4" wide (cut from scraps whenever IPossible). These can be ripped oul of plywood '>Iock of varlau~ ieng.ijhs Oil a lab!e saw.

Secure a continuous band or screed boards around the frame On the interior of lhe buck opening closest to, the window f~am@'. These· boards wW provide a "eferel'l(@ for th@ deptrl 01 stucco 10 be ~p'pl.ied in tile opening-the '>arne 1/4:' thickness as the plywood sCfe@d>-a~d will give an edge where you can end Ihe stucco application before r@aching the door Of wilnclow frame.

Install {urved strips or diamondi lath to create even contours at the corners 01 windows arid door openings. Begin this process with a pre-cut piece of diamond lath rang enough to ~e~d' aM ovedap the ~alh on the adjacent wsllsueface. Butt one end ,of the diamond lath up 10

rWct' ~tmw beijinG roWfl{ IiIr!) ~111!f'1. ~~~Ij~ iI, GI_';. ncoo.(c·t~rM·d pl'N>, "t~d p~ rrf'lj~['

<'Im:I.ri.rM 'ta .. ~ I~ 10 !J,,; ",mob", .. "ct. pro""'~" ;l gooo' r;~l'~r of /{jill ~ !'OVJ"I ,J ",,\)(10"'.

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tile window frame (you will need to fold it sllightly to get it back into the corner of the buck assembly) and staple it to the interior of the buck; then splay out the other end and sta.p!e it to the RBA whee possible and then sew it to he chicken wire on the bale waiL. T 'E' f1ri!Xible neture of the diamond lath allows you to make dean curved transitions where the comers 01 the window head (or sill) meet the wallis"

I t'flifmi ri!Jll!: $p<.>rial iltfenf " Il'!J5~ fje g.i_ 10 II -/sll, fomll"9lhe soil (~ dl/l)!fNior "",><1m', roloon,

Apply another lay,efO'f chi ken wire from the inside top of the buck (near the top of the window frame) back to the RIBA. This provides a double la,yer of chicken wire over the waterproot membrane, protecting the top of the buck. Then apply diamond 111'111 to all interior faces of the bu k and stretch it aroundto meet the bale wall where you can Ilandscape

pin and sew it into the lath 'fi:eld< Once the layers of chicken wire have been cQver'ri'd wltlh diamond lath, they will provide space for the stucco to engage in the lath. This process provides better adhe'sionfQr the stucco on the overhanging flat surface above openings.

IN'ate: Work for C,QI'ISisteiil(y-especially with respect to the radius of the curves at the corners of eaclh wirldi()w and door p.o(ket~for an attractiue <llppearal'lce thrQ~gbout yo~rr buildinq,

A ""JI4alhed windi;",,. riiamomll.lll, (,.,erI.p~ d1ictflf-' wiTe p.Jn(i·~ a~ lbe rot".rJ~S, €md w"Icrproot m@mDr",,,.' ''''''''5 tI'>e CMi"e >.W)od fNfOOOW lwtk_

No~e: m~rl!1"I"r plYWQlld gum'ls B r '[C:P /,;ard li,e bCKk OQ@re until a/~Cf s!m:m c_pl.!i<m,

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v, Installillg stucco screeds

The first step is to installl screeds=a scrssd is a piece of matenal that provides a QllJide, like a small darn, whi[h~eills you how deep you have applied 'Stucco when you can no longer see the Ilath substrate. On a building's exterim, R@a Fealther fastens commercially available metal screed products to the RBA and 'to the base plates to define the edge of stucco coverage

at the top and bottom of the wall, Within a building, Red Feather uses strips of plywood ripped from scraps as screed boards. Your obj@ctive is to install these plywood screed strips wherever a stucco wall, shares an edge wi til alin~slu~d, flat surface. The screeds are applied flat. LJsing either screws of pneumatic staples, "".lith one edge pressed to the 'Flat surface of tl1e floor, ceiling, or a buck frame depending on the situation,

INote: T~i1e top interior ,edge o~ the base Ipllate" 'Of simply a piece of J·mold lIIeldi ~ 18" off the f1'nish floor" (described in (h~rPter 3) acts ~,S ~he serssd strip for the base of your interior walls

At the ceiling a continuous line of creed strips jls fastened to the top of the 'RI3A to transition between 'the stucco wall and Hie finistled drywall ceiling, This 3" or 4" band of plywood screed amund the top of the intertor walls wMI provide an upper boundary to terminate the stucco wall coats, and a margin of protection ,aga~ns.t the wet stucco damaging the ceiling drywall irstallaticn. Also use screed boards ripped from scrap plywood to frame the inside of window and door bucks, Cut these to the desired thickness of the stucco and apply them

to in ide orners when! the 2>:.4 window tram nd the plywood skirt of the bucks meet.

Make sure to push these meed boards up flush to tii window frame; they will k ep stucco rrom touching the clean edges of the window and door ~~:)emlbl!@s. In both cases, screed assemblies serve as an attachment point for ilnterior trim, whether it be basebcard, cornke trim at the cei.ling, or filnish trim around door and window Irarnes.

Note': An experielillcecl design p:mfessionall should de~ai1 and inspect screads and flas~illil'g

at window and door rough op,elmliings. Be s,uife that e'xperiem~ed prcrie.ssionals 'ilnstall metal exterior screeds. rm example, the we'ep screed aft the bottom i)'f exher~or walls must lap over the top o~ the foundation wall by at least one inclrn il~ slhingled, weathe~·shedcling 'fashion. Flashing products only keep walter out of the buildliJlg when they are properly installed,

S~d If! (ps limit si'UC1:o, prole'( ( CeilM10' sw:l~,e:;. "'1<1 fJffJYifi~.i:I efm~;I'NAOLlS i'j~"1JFig slrip Iflif rrim

lMiix.ing Stucco

The filtst task is to prepsre a mixture 01 wet stUiCX:O. You will need a speciahzed group of tools, and a~ew har-d working he·lpers to do the mixing. Tools lor this step am described

in some deteil because corwentional stucco milxinQi and application techniques must be sliqhtly modified 'for straw bale construction, Also, ln conventional construction, stuccoIs or~el1 sprayed onto wall surfaces. This may be considered for straw bale projects, but Rri'cl Featller uses Ilarge work. gn:wps to apply it by hand. 'We f€el that this method i5 safer for les~· experienced workers. and 1\ reduces oVNa11 costs for volunteer-based projects

TO prepare stucco, ensure that an experienced perscn+-scmecns '!LJlly knowled,geable about straw bale stucco applilcation-is. available to leild the stucco team, This ~ead mixe~ should havE: a team of at least four people. Three will shovel, measure, and prepare m<lt@rials (st)r1d, cement" I'ime, etc.) at the mixing site, and may help to move mixed stucco to the proje,cl \iV~illl lin whee~barmw5. One w~11 oversee the quality and quantity of the stucco being used on tile walls. and communicate stucco demand and qualily control issues back to the milxing, team. Any additional workers should be added to those on the wheelbarrow deta~i.

Locale mixing equipment and supplies on lev·~,1 gl'Oundfree of overhead obstructions ir1 (Io~e proximity to tihe buil'ding project Organize this work area to facilitalle the tree f10w of wheelbarrow ·ttrilHic. Most importarrHy, create an urobstructed path for fulll wheelbarrQwsor-~€'n weighing as mud, as 9'0-1>00. peunds=to !!'love between mixer and bu~ld~ng. Also make sure the mcomlnq-rnatarlals path does not cross the outgoing wheelb(J!frow path. Two team members should work together to empty the ~lea\fy bags of cement into the mixer. It is best to create <J short platform on whkh to rest the bilgs while one pours their contents into th~ mix~ng drum. This willi prevent waste, and will help keep the mix accurate.

Stucco Safety Notes

.. .Eve~yo!1e handling powdered cement, sand, and lime must wear protective glovE's tlnd eyeweCl,r, and C! filtration mask .

.. Water must be kept dose at hand in case a, worker gets chemical contact bums 'from Portland cement and lime. A~$o enrouraqe workers to ril1'>€ areas of their body that have come into contact with wet stucco m~x f.reql.lently to prevent burns.

_ Stw.::co mixing is hard work, so it is importent to allow for frequent breaks.

_. Be sure to rotate work detajls arnonq team members often to increase

safety and decrease fatiglue.

Step's for Mixing Stucco

.1. S,elect an approprieteslte f,or the mixing station.

2. Assign team member duties and review stucco safety issues. 3.IPost a copy of the stucco recipe at the mixing station"

4 .. Review stucco pl'Ocess and recipe with work team.

5. Check trn.e mixer engine for gas and oil.

6. Check site for :plioper location o~ materials and pattern of work flow"

7 .. Attach water hose and gather necessary wheelbarrows. buckets, and shovels. 8 .. FiiI! water buckets to proper levels as indicated by the recipe ..

9. Start. mixer.

10 .. Add! required amountof willter .. ~ t. Ad d about h ellf of the sa nd.

12 .. Add Portland cement.

13 .. Addl lime.

14 .. Add remainder of sand.

15. If necessary. add additional water untll desired consistency is met. 16,. Adell fibers (if used), pelr manufacturer's instructlons.

17. Mix 3~§: mlnutasafzer all ingredients have been added,

18. Oump mii.Ked §.tnJCCO into wheeillbal'l'ows and transport lt to tile buUdirn'9' site.

19", Add w~t,er immedi<i~e~y after :you empty it. This pr'evtmts stucco from drying Ollt on the inside before you make the next load.-Use a rubber hammer on the outside of the mixel' drum to loosen clumps of stueco stuck to the inside.

200. Repeat the entire process, Help workers antkipate materlaland water needs for subsequent batches.

M,ote: There will: be times when yo~ will need to adju~.1 the quantity Gfw,<!lter, fiber, sand,~i1d lime ii~ order to produce a "wener" or~clry,Gl'I''' mix, The mix sRJDIl·e:rviisor willi be able to !lee frlOw fr.ust or 5~:OW the application is going and what type cf mix will' be needed] to keep the stucco work process smooth.

Stucco Miix Becipes

In practice a batch of stucco from a Iypi al mixer cover') approximately 80 square feet for a scratch coat, and a somewhat larger areal for brown and finish coats {see below), It is helpful to measure materials by volume. To do this you can mark containers with fill lines. It may

also be he·lpful10 translate the part ratios listed below in 0 other measures: bags of Portland cement, shovels of sand, 5 galilion buckets o~ water, and so forth.

Scratch and Brown Coats Mix:

y~ (to a maximum ol )ll) pari type-Slime I part Portland cement

3-4 parts masonry sand

Water es required to achieve workability-th.a~ i , a COOS is t,entl}' moist mixture that willi keel) its shape on a trowel.

O.pt~onal: fibefs per manu r'acturer'5 rscommendetlons

Note: If it is neces.si:llry to adjust the mil!: for wOI!fkability, add water, sand, or cement. Dc, net adiil more lime than llsted above. use as little walter as r1eqllllired for a workable mlx, Water sh()~I~dl be minimizedl because ex:cJi1Issiv·e water decreases the s.trength of the finish~d stu·ttO, an~ m~y cause cl"ackifilg.

E)!.terior finish Coat Mix:

1-2 parts type·S lime

y, part Whut'e Portland cement 1h part Portland ernent

3 parts. silic~ ~and (grad€1 20)

Water as required to achieve wcrkabilny

Color admixture per manufacturer's instructions

Note: CIiII!'!clk with the PortllaJlid cement manufacturer to be sure that the Whi1:·e Portlandl <tnl~ Portland cements may be mixed together. (This also applies. to the interior fi'lnish (oat described below.)