Huff ‘n’ Puff’s golden rules for designing and building your strawbale home:
1. Practice on a test wall before you build.
2. Keep your buildings small.
3. Do not design a two-storey home.
4. Inspect your bales at source before you buy and have them delivered the day before you commence the wall raising.
5. Keep the strawbales at least 250 mm off the ground.
6. Purchase your windows and doors in advance. Narrow, long windows are better than wide windows.
7. Have strong corners with the wall at least one-and-a-half bales wide in each corner. We prefer two bales – 1.8 metres.
8. Always have adequate protection for the walls. Good eaves are a minimum protection.
9. Use low-cost technology with small, load-bearing pavilions.
10. Prepare well. Always have your materials ready in advance.
11. Get your roof on before you apply any renders.
12. Protect the strawbale walls during the building process.
13. Never use cement renders.
14. Involve your friends and neighbours in the building process.
Remember: Have fun because building your own home can be a very stressful time in your life. Be Cool!
What is ” 7. Have strong corners with the wall at least one-and-a-half bales wide in each corner. We prefer two bales – 1.8 metres.”
What does this corner buttress look like, I’m having a hard time understanding it…
This means to leave 1.5 to 2 bales from the corner to the edge of the window or door. Most bale builders leave 1.5 bales distance. They prefer leaving 2 bales distance. That creates stronger corners. (There is no buttress.)
The general rule also applies to earthbags.
Note: clink the link and read the poetic plea
What does huff+ puff mean by #7?
It’s a reference to the 3 Little Pigs children’s story. “I’m going to huff and puff and blow your house down” said the wolf.