straw bail house?

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  • originalhonkey

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    3   0   0
    Feb 26, 2009
    399
    16
    greenwood
    i met a guy at work and we got to talking about his new house. its a straw bail house. from what i gathered he took bails of straw and stacked them like cinder blocks to make the exterior walls. then he coverd the walls in 3 inches of concrete. he used cedars he cut down from his property for the suports, and then built a modern shingle roof. he says that the r factor is very high, and that a small wood stove works for heat all winter on very little wood. water is from a well he had done.the inside floor is made of pavers and since they dont get weather the dont move or shift.the electric is from the pole but he has a small gen that runs the whole house.
    (ref,water heater,small amount of out lets) to sum it all up he said 2,000 sqft with him doing it all but the well was about $13,500.and that was using disount stores,sales and discontinued materials.any one know about this type of house. ive found stuff on the net but would like some people input. im trying to buy some property in the country and this sounds like a good shtf type house to put on it.
     

    jclark

    Grandmaster
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    0   0   0
    Feb 24, 2009
    8,378
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    I installed the plumbing in one of those. This guy built a post-frame building and used bales for walls. Covered them in stucco. It was pretty neat but sucked for plumbing !!!!!!!!!!
     

    Archbishop

    Master
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    5   0   0
    Mar 11, 2009
    2,510
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    INDY
    Would be cool and I've thought about it to, but other than what I've seen on the net I don't know what else to add. All mechanics of the house would have to be planned out in advance. (Electric, plumbing, HVAC etc.) Future changes would likely have to be done exposed.
     

    originalhonkey

    Sharpshooter
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    3   0   0
    Feb 26, 2009
    399
    16
    greenwood
    your right bishop changing plans or remodle would be a problem but somthing cheap for a weekend get away might not have that problem of needing to many changes.i like the idea of it being a house instead of a trailer or camper because of the storage space you would have and the living space and comfort it could give in that shtf situation. and if it is as cheap as it sounds thats also a positive.plus it sound low low maintinance as compared to a log cabin,trailer, or camper. the plumbing i never thought about but now that i think about it might be a bear. info like the plumbing and things are def things i need to check out.

    hey bishop pm me how your cabin is going:yesway:
     

    caneman

    Marksman
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    0   0   0
    May 8, 2009
    288
    16
    Lagrange County
    I think Mother Earth and Popular Mechanics have both had articles on them in the past. Considerations including elevating the sills, utilities, bringing in mice and snakes etc. in the bales are just some things to think about. In all, a good idea which has been around for a long time. They work and they are cheap. They need a fairly deep overhand for the roof so there is protection from rain water.
     

    csaws

    Master
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    5   0   0
    May 28, 2008
    1,870
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    Morgan County
    Yes mother earth news or grit magazines would have it. Backyard homestead website probably would too. Would be a great way to build a hunting camp cabin or a shoot house.
     

    DRob

    Grandmaster
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    21   0   0
    Aug 2, 2008
    5,910
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    Southside of Indy
    Fairly common out west

    We used to shoot p dogs at a place in Martin, SD that had a lodge built of the large rectangular bales. They drove rebar down through them then stuccoed the outside. The interior was plank floors and wood paneling. From the inside you would have never known it was straw. The bales were treated with a preservative and a flame retardent. Alleged to have a very high R rating.

    He also had a extra room made from a grain bin with insulation sprayed on the interior and a free-standing fireplace in the middle.
     
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