House idea:
The house should be pleasing to the eye, from an aesthetic point of view;
The house should serve as a generator of positive energy;
Each point of space lives its own life, therefore it is necessary to coordinate the energy of the dwelling and its surroundings *
The basis for creating a home and living arrangement should be based on the principle of reasonable minimization of resource consumption, prudent, kind attitude to nature.
This means:
A person needs to think about: what, in a given area, is the rational use of materials and technologies in order to, as little as possible, cut down forests, pollute the air and water sources;
A person must, the space of a plot of land and a dwelling, equip with the concept of a significant reduction in environmental "pressure" on the Earth: with the cultivation of plant food, the complete processing of organic waste and filling the dwelling itself with objects that will serve him constantly and for a very long time, without causing, in the process their manufacture and operation, no harm;
It is extremely important for a person today to abandon the thesis: "... after us, even a flood ..." and predict the consequences of his modern affairs on future generations.
The most modern "housekeeping" systems:
An energy-efficient house is a house in which all energy processes are optimized, and for heating and hot water supply of which, there are enough individual, renewable energy sources: solar panels, wind turbines, etc. **.
For Russia, such houses are still a rarity.
At present, for central Russia, the energy consumption for heating is 400-600 kWh / m2? total area. A house that consumes no more than 150 kWh / m2 will be considered energy efficient.
A passive or zero energy home is a home that does not need a heating system.
Such houses have already appeared in the world.
In Russia, at present, it is practically possible to build such houses on the basis of, for example, a frame-straw system. In the Novosibirsk Academgorodok, a calculation was made showing that with the thickness of the outer walls of 80 cm, made of pressed straw, in Siberia and the Urals, houses can not be heated, of course, provided that heat loss through windows and entrance doors will be minimized!
An ecological house, by definition, must fit into a harmonious natural structure, and during operation, not only not to disturb the natural balance, but also to contribute to the restoration of the ecological situation on Earth.
What's new in the world in the field of building straw houses?
In recent years, hundreds of straw houses have been built around the world. In America, Canada, Australia, France, Chile, Mexico, Russia, Belarus, Mongolia and other countries.
A number of countries have certified the construction of such houses, including fire certification.
According to the US media, poor Americans built thatched houses for themselves in the 19th century, and in the 21st century, frame-thatched houses are being built in America for the smart and rich.
And in order to surprise the whole world in the USA, the world's 1st 40-storey frame-thatched skyscraper is being designed.
In the world, recently, it is believed what compressed straw is the best insulation and one of the best building materials.
Coefficient of thermal conductivity: For a pressed block (with a density of 80-100 kg / m2) 0.05-0.06 is 4 times better than wood. With a thickness of the outer walls of 0.4-0.5 m, the resistance to heat transfer of the wall is 7-9, which is 3 times higher than the Russian norm for the middle zone and the Urals and, as a rule, is sufficient to create an energy-passive (non-heating) house.
Durability: Wooden buildings can stand 500 or more than 1000 years, examples: Churches of the 15th century Russia, 7th century Japan. Straw (due to a 2-3 times higher silica content) is a more resistant material than wood.
Breathing ability:
The straw "breathes", i.e. regulates indoor humidity, much better than wood and has excellent vapor barrier properties, the mechanism of which is not fully understood.
Resistance to moisture build-up:
According to one of the hypotheses, ice in straw is formed in the form of porous fractal structures, which does not impair its heat-shielding properties.
Moisture resistance:
Due to the increased ability to evaporate non-equilibrium moisture, thatched structures can tolerate even short-term floods without damage to themselves.
(Saunas and pools made of straw without vapor barrier films).
Fire resistance:
Blocks covered with plaster withstand 2 hours of exposure to open fire;
The straw block, open on one side only, does not support combustion;
The straw burns much worse than wood, and tightly compressed bales (with a density of 200-300 kg / m?) do not burn!
Properly built thatched houses are not damaged by fires.
Environmental friendliness:
Thatched houses are more conducive to living than wooden ones, which is confirmed by health studies of Chernobyl settlers in Belarus;
Since ancient times, straw has been used to protect against geopathogenic influences, the expression "spread straw", perhaps, comes from the ancient builders of the Egyptian pyramids. It was believed that straw was placed under the base of the pyramids;
Resistance to biodeterioration:
The equilibrium moisture content of straw in the wall is no more than 8%, but the processes of decay in straw and wood begin at a moisture content of more than 20%, therefore, in the absence of leaks, the straw does not rot;
There are special techniques for building from straw that prevent rodents from settling, however, even without them, with proper construction, rodents do not pose a problem in straw houses.
Labor intensity of construction:
Construction all year round. With a qualified manager, the requirements for the qualifications of workers are minimal. ***
And what is being done in Russia?
In Russia, 800 million tons of rye and wheat straw are produced annually in the fields. It is possible to build 2,600,000 houses of 150 sq.m. from straw annually.
In 2009, an experimental construction of a frame-thatched house is carried out near Moscow, a house is being built in Volgograd, in 2008 a house was built in Altai, in 2006, 2007, 2007, 4 houses were built in the Urals. It is planned to expand the construction of frame thatched houses on the lands of the Kirov region, Chelyabinsk region and Tatarstan.
The main advantages of frame-thatched houses:
- low operating costs houses, frame-thatched houses, correctly erected, have energy consumption below 12 kW · h / m2 · year, which is several times less than the existing regulatory requirements;
- environmental friendliness frame-thatched houses;
- d availability of construction, at present, turnkey frame-straw houses can be built at a price of 16-18 thousand rubles / m2, with the further development of technology and the inclusion of an increasing volume in the process of building natural materials the cost will be significantly reduced;
2 built in 2006 storey house in Yekaterinburg with an area of 150 sq.m.
In 2007, a 2-storey house with an area of 220 sq.m. was built near Chelyabinsk.
In 2008, a house with an area of 50 sq.m. was built in the Perm Territory.
In 2009 in Sverdlovsk region a house with an area of 240 sq.m is being built, excluding the outbuilding and the winter garden.
For several years of conducting the construction of frame-thatched houses, a certain method of construction has been developed.
The construction method includes the following steps:
Site research and study of the surrounding area;
Designing according to old Russian measures, taking into account modern techniques;
Harvesting, extraction of natural materials;
Manufacturing of structures and materials;
Bookmarking a house;
Home construction;
Transfer of the house into operation.
Study of a plot of land, surrounding space, diagnosis of health conditions, participants in the construction process and people living in the house:
The purpose of this stage is: firstly, identifying the place where it is better to build a house, secondly, determining from what materials and by what method to build a house, thirdly, establishing the effect of form, i.e. beneficial effect, the response of the space (shape) of the house to the plot of land and of course to the people who are in the field of influence of such a house.
The "shape effect" was discovered in the study of the Egyptian pyramids. It was later found that other geometric shapes have a less striking shape effect than pyramids. In other words, any shape has a definite effect on the surrounding space. Much, in the mechanism of such an impact, is not yet clear to humanity;
Bioclimatic, soil, geopathogenic and other characteristics of the site are being studied;
Certain characteristics of the site are removed and recorded before the start of construction;
When exploring the site and studying the area, the idea of \ u200b \ u200bthe project of a house is born;
The health status of construction participants is diagnosed before the start of the construction process;
The dynamics of changes in the state of health of people living in the house is diagnosed before the start of construction, during the construction of the house, at the time of housewarming and then after 3, 6 months, 1, 2 years.
The proposed construction methodology will make it possible to establish the fact of the harmonious influence of correctly erected houses on the space of the land plot and the fact of beneficial changes in the state of health of the people living in the house.
Design according to old Russian measures, taking into account modern methods:
The ancient Roman architect P. Vitruvius said: "... no temple (house) without proportion and proportion can not have the correct composition if it does not have the same exact division as a well-built person."
Academician of the International Academy of Information at the UN A.F. Chernyaev believes that the ancient system of measures (fathoms), which was used in the construction of the pyramids, was preserved in church construction until 1918. Ancient design rules are being reborn. A.F. Chernyaev substantiates the multiplicity of all fathoms to the golden number 1.618 (F).
Science has determined that all spirals known to mankind from cosmic galaxies to DNA molecules correspond to the golden ratio formula 1: 1.618. Determined that " golden proportion"Is a universal constant Solar system, characterizing the connection, for example, of sunlight with the processes of photosynthesis on our planet and harmonious relationships in the gas exchange of living organisms.
The patterns of the golden ratio are found everywhere in the structure of organic and inorganic nature.
The design is based on a certain matrix. Currently, 15 Russian fathoms are known, which are associated with nature in golden proportions, and among themselves, in addition, form 11 pairs of square fathoms.
The first rule of design: it is determined which of the 11 pairs of fathoms is most suitable for setting the width and length of the building in a particular situation.
The second rule of design: the measure (fathom) is calculated to establish the height of the building. Calculations are made using the golden wurf law. The proportions of a person are described by the "golden wurf".
Third design rule: When are defined dimensions, the shape of the object is proportionally segmented, using 1, 1, 1, 1 and 1 parts of fathoms, respectively: legs, elbows, spans, pasterns and tops for a beautiful, proportional design of the facade and interior of the building.
Design rules using Russian fathoms are in their infancy. The author began to introduce such rules to architects and designers in order to identify their actual effectiveness.
Thus, the design is carried out according to old Russian measures, using modern design techniques and taking into account certain recommendations of feng shui and vastu.
As a result, we, with some confidence, assert that we design and build "living houses" that contribute to the harmonization of space and a beneficial effect on improving the well-being of people living in the house and being in the "field of influence" of such a house.
Advice to families thinking about building their own home. Take the time to search, the birth of the image of the house. If it is not possible to pay for the services of an architect, then find an opportunity to get professional advice.
The house that you build for centuries is worth it!
We will not disclose the issues of harvesting natural materials, laying a house and transferring a house into operation in this article, we believe that it is more important for the reader today to learn how to build a frame-thatched house.
The idea of building a house. Quick installation of the roof frame. Filling walls and ceilings with pressed straw blocks. Finishing the facade and interior of the house clay solutions... Surface treatment of external and interior walls houses with silicate compounds.
Foundation design:
Structures of frame-thatched type, several times lighter than the structures of traditional (stone, wooden) types of houses. Therefore, the used foundation structure differs significantly from the traditionally established foundation structures.
Foundation idea:
Minimization of labor costs, first of all, earthworks;
Drastic reduction (de facto elimination) in the use of expensive building materials such as cement;
Expansion of the properties of the foundation structure;
The construction of the foundation is developed taking into account the properties of the soil and groundwater at the construction site;
In general, the structure of the foundation has the following device:
Wooden pillars, the surface of which has undergone a special treatment, rest on "concrete" stones with a sand cushion.
Foundation device:
Pits 60 cm deep are dug and covered with sand layer by layer, sprinkled with water and tamped;
The holes filled with sand are "closed" with a concrete stone;
Waterproofing is being carried out;
A wooden stump, a pillar is installed.
The applied foundation structure meets the necessary requirements in terms of bearing capacity, and in terms of labor costs and cost, it is several times simpler and, accordingly, cheaper than traditional structures. In addition, this design can be performed on fine winter days.
House strapping device.
The experience in the construction of frame-thatched houses has shown that the construction of the foundation on all erected objects is different, and is always determined by local characteristics.
Frame construction:
There are a great variety of frame designs, each has its own characteristics, and craftsmen prefer the type of structure that they think is most suitable for a specific purpose.
The main shaping elements of the developed frame are exhibited with a modular step from 2 to 3 meters.
The second elements of the frame, ties and girders, give the frame the necessary assembly stability, strength and allow the installation of already rafter elements.
Thus, the design of the developed frame is a frame with truss-type elements and is made of lumber. This design allows for quick installation of the frame, without the use of heavy equipment. Installation of one floor, the main elements of the frame, can be done in one day.
The main elements of the frame create the core of the rigidity of the building being erected.
The structures are prepared in advance, at the site prepared for the manufacture of structures. For the manufacture of structures, lumber and connection elements are used as materials, and a professional hand-held power tool is used as a tool.
Wireframe idea:
Increasing the strength and stability of the frame structure, while reducing the consumption of lumber, for its manufacture, by improving the shape of the frame structure;
Increase in fire resistance and bio-resistance of wood material due to special processing;
Minimization of the use of expensive connecting elements (metal), while moving non-wood and adhesive joints.
Frame structures prepared for installation are treated with bio and fire retardants.
Before installing the frame of the first floor: the foundation, piping and floor beams must be completed. The working floor is laid on the floor beams. The elements of the frame frame are laid out on the working floor, and enlarged assembly is performed. Assembly of the assembled frame is carried out by 3-4 workers using an assembly rope. To facilitate the accuracy of the frame installation, stops are used.
External wall construction:
Exterior wall idea:
Increasing the thermal resistance of the outer walls to a level that allows the creation of energy-passive houses, i.e. unheated;
Building a wall from local, affordable, ecological and renewable materials, when mined without disturbing the natural balance.
At this stage of development of the structural system, blocks of pressed straw are used to fill the walls. They are made on well-known agriculture, balers.
The conditions for making blocks are simple:
The straw can be used fresh and last year, but it must be dry and beautiful, golden in appearance;
Dry-looking and previously moldy straw should not be used.
Blocks can be produced directly in the field, where the baler can pick up straw swaths. If the straw is collected in stacks, then the baler can be placed next to the stack and with a pitchfork feed the straw into the intake of the baler. A third option is also possible: deliver straw in rolls to a convenient place, for example, under a canopy, and make blocks, even all year round.
Some things to consider when filling the walls with straw blocks:
It is necessary to provide for the constructive limitations of the blocks "movement" in the horizontal and vertical directions;
Each row of blocks should be limited by external and internal girders, which will not allow the blocks to fall out of the building or, on the contrary, to tumble into the room;
After the first row of blocks has been laid, the vertical seams between the blocks must be carefully drilled out,
After laying out, the second row of blocks, two rows of blocks are pierced with rods, then, again, the vertical seams between the blocks are caulked (to caulk the horizontal seams, we will start a little later);
We proceed to the horizontal caulking between the rows of blocks, when the rows of blocks, on top, rest against the design constraint;
A well-pressed block, when cutting the fastening thread, does not immediately disintegrate, this circumstance allows taking only the part of the required size from the whole block, and inserting it between the blocks into the wall, without the fastening thread (the rest of the block can be tied again with a thread).
After filling the walls with blocks, we proceed to "shingling" the outer side of the wall. Nowadays, it is easier to make and use sawn shingles (previously they used chipped shingles). We make shingles with a thickness of 5 mm from scraps of boards of 20-25 mm. We attach the first row of shingles to the girders with a stippler at an angle of 45 °, and with a step of 12 cm, so that the hand of a person with adobe (straw with clay) easily passes between the shingles.
The first row of shingles is attached, you can cook adobe and proceed to the outer "clay tarp".
Briefly about the preparation of adobe:
Soak the clay, stir after a day, then mix the clay in small portions, for example, with a mixer;
In the resulting clay dough, in portions, add bundles of straw and mix until a homogeneous mass is obtained.
About "clay tarts":
With a prepared homogeneous mass of adobe, fill, with little effort, the cavity between the straw blocks and shingles;
The resulting layer of clay with straw, 5-7 cm thick, is a good protection against various negative influences;
The applied "clay tarn" need not be smoothed out.
On the second row of shingles, apply a layer of clay, and let the clay dry well and become covered with multiple cracks. With this preparation, the plaster layer of the lime mortar will adhere well.
Facade painting can be done with very durable silicate paints, for the manufacture of which, the main required components are available in the Urals.
Floor structures:
Overlap idea:
Increase of thermal insulation properties, for overlapping the 1st floor and attic floor;
Improving noise insulation properties;
Lightening the weight of the floor structure through the use of hollow corers.
At this stage, a simple, girded floor structure is used. A feature of the floors used is a large section height, not less than 50 cm. This is done in order to achieve very good thermal insulation properties. A roll is attached to beams, for example, with a section of 150x50 and a pitch of 500 on hangers. On the boardwalk, a used cardboard, processed on both sides, is placed, which can be fixed with brackets to the reel. Insulation - straw blocks - is laid on the cardboard. On top of the insulation, a clay dough screed with silicate curing is arranged. Another version of the overlapping device, instead of straw blocks, you can lay a layer of hollow cores on cardboard, close it with one or two rows of reed fascines.
Construction of internal walls and partitions
Interior wall idea: walls made of natural materials have the following properties:
Indoor humidity is effectively controlled, i.e. comfortable parameters for human living are quickly restored, with a sharp increase in humidity in damp weather or, with a decrease in humidity on hot days;
No substances harmful to human health are released into the air of premises;
Unpleasant and harmful odors for humans are absorbed from the air;
Do not take away heat from a person upon contact;
They do not attract dust-like particles, they have high hygienic properties.
Internal walls and partitions are railed on one side with diagonal battens. On the other hand, walls and partitions, slats are nailed horizontally and gradually, as the body of the wall or partition is filled with adobe.
This creates the foundation for healthy, ecological walls and partitions.
On the timing of the construction of houses:
In 2008, a frame-thatched house with an area of 50 square meters was completed on a turnkey basis in 5 weeks.
House with an area of 150-200 sq.m without finishing, erected in 3-4 months.
Frame-thatched houses have increased fire resistance. Tested fire resistance of a plastered straw wall is 120 minutes, while open steel structures- 15 minutes.
The range of possible construction using frame-straw technology is unusually wide: this is how schools and other public and industrial buildings are being built using this technology in many countries.
Building a house using straw bales may seem at first glance crazy idea... And, by the way, for some, this alone is a serious limitation - the risk of being branded a "black sheep" in the teeth is not for many :) But still, this is not the only and not the main drawback and risk in the construction of a thatched house.
Straw and pressed straw blocks have three real "enemies" - high humidity, fire and rodents. Let's call them "obvious" shortcomings.
Straw with a moisture content of more than 20% begins to mold, the stems rot and collapse, so it is so important to keep the straw blocks dry before starting construction, lay them dry and quickly cover them with plaster.
It also follows from this that thatched walls cannot be left open... At the same time, the choice of coatings is also limited:
The risk of mold growth exists for both unplastered and poorly made walls.
In areas with a constant humid climate, you will need high-quality vapor barrier on the inner surfaces of the outer walls.
The house will be protected from heavy rainfall by wide overhangs of the roof.
Plastered pressed straw blocks have high fire resistance, they are officially assigned a very high. A properly protected straw wall is superior to a wooden one in terms of fire safety. But straw scattered around the construction site can easily cause a fire... You need to be especially careful with straw in attics, attics, near fireplaces.
In confirmation - the story of a woman whose house burned down during the construction phase.
“A house was being built for permanent residence(autumn 2005). I bought the plot with a ready-made basement floor. The frame was fixed to the foundation with 14x220 anchors. The blocks were tied with two simple twines; a lot of gutting was done during the installation ... The outer wall was covered with DSP, and the inner ones were sewn up with a board at intervals.
In the photo you can see to what stage the house was built, until it burned down (on the second floor they managed to make a rough floor and interior partitions). At this stage, builders began to lay glass insulation on the foundation on the 1st floor, heating it with a blowtorch (April 2006). According to them, the windows on the second floor were open. After a while, it began to smoke under the skin and floor. They began to blow up, flood, but could not, the fire spread very quickly and burned down the whole house. There are many versions, but I think there was a draft of hot air and, most importantly, a violation of fire safety techniques ... "
Prevention measures:
“So the mice will eat it” is a very common statement about straw houses. Why is it so common? Because mice can actually settle in straw in search of food and warmth. True, not in any straw, and not entirely in straw :) It is inconvenient for mice to settle directly in straw blocks - they are prickly, but in the voids between the block and, for example, a gypsum plasterboard - they may well.
By the way, rodents are not the only small pests that can help you pull your home through straws :) There are also birds and insects that can also choose straw as their habitat.
Prevention measures: use rye or rice straw for insulation (mice do not eat and do not settle in it), isolate everything possible ways access to straw.
When using a supporting frame, design restrictions are small, but there are, and they primarily relate to the number, location, width and height of openings.
Makes walls quite thick. One of the difficulties with walls of this thickness is the need to expand the foundation and increase the roof area... In houses with thinner walls, creating exactly the same useful interior space requires fewer resources.
Unlike houses built using other technologies, there is a clear shortage of typical schemes construction from straw blocks. This means that the development of a project for the construction of a thatched house will most likely have to be ordered individually, and you will have to look for understanding architects, designers and builders.
In some countries, there are still no building codes (in Belarus it is regulated by SNIP, in the Russian Federation and Ukraine, it seems, there are also).
You need to immediately have a certain amount on hand in order to quickly solve "must-have tasks". I will cite one dialogue from the forum that illustrates this point well.
-… one BUT: if I put up a log house and I run out of money - I can live in it unfinished, but a thatched house requires both external and interior decoration, and immediately.
- The cost of the minimum decoration for life in the house is so insignificant that it does not deserve a separate discussion. If there is money for the frame, roof and windows, then there will be crumbs for plastering.
- Something tells me that it will be at least $ 5 per square, - and there are a lot of squares in the house!
- Necessarily! Not less than 5! If you don't put the pens yourself, but walk and poke your finger - here it is uneven, grease there ...
We have a suitable straw closer to August, and if there is not enough money, then we may not have time to do everything before winter. And in winter external walls it is impossible to plaster. Therefore, there is a prospect under the roof of an unfinished house or farm building on the site, and after it - and risk No. 1.
Due to the fact that the technology of construction from straw blocks is not yet very widespread, it will be necessary to monitor the progress of work much more and more carefully compared to construction from "traditional" materials: so that builders do not smoke, do not work with a burner, and so that fertilizers are nearby did not turn out to be with straw (for example, ammonium nitrate - in contact with sawdust or straw, spontaneous combustion is possible), and so that children with matches do not appear nearby ...
You may have already heard that a thatched house can be built wireframe and frameless... Honestly, while I have little idea of the process with this, however, people call the disadvantages of straw construction with a load-bearing frame, so we will mark them just for show. So, this is an additional expenditure of time, money, labor, materials to create a supporting system, when the blocks themselves could support the weight of the roof, as well as the need to create a foundation that carries the weight of the blocks and concentrated loads from the vertical struts.
Don't know the global ones!
Do you know more about disadvantages and risks? Please share!
Read soon:
A special fashion today, in Europe and America, is used by houses made of straw, and even with a thatched roof. Paradox, we consider such a rural house, not prestigious, in the same place a house made of straw is a sign of advancement and only wealthy people can afford it. Why are these houses of Europeans and Americans drinking so much? There is little pleasure in living in concrete boxes, in megalopolises, that's why city dwellers move out of town. AND the best solution housing issue, from their point of view, is a cottage made of straw. Wooden frame filled with straw blocks, and besides, a straw roof is environmentally friendly and comfortable. What do you need for building such a house? Straw, or rather blocks of compressed straw, planks and timber for the frame, are not necessarily new, but should be in excellent condition. All of these materials can be bought fairly cheaply. The inside and outside of thatch walls can be coated with clay (which you can just dig up). The roof, if you don’t be scrupulous, can also be made of straw or reeds, which can also be considered the squeak of an ecological fashion. Who doesn't like can cover and modern materials... In essence, thatched houses are next to adobe, in terms of environmental friendliness, price and comfort, but less durable. However, if you are not too lazy, then it is quite possible that once every 25-30 years the straw walls can be disassembled and the old blocks can be replaced with new ones. There will be another reason for housewarming and redevelopment. Such houses beautifulESPECIALLY FOR THE DELIVERY SPACES.
What is causing interest in straw houses? What are the benefits they provide? Isn't it dangerous to live in a house made of straw?
Rising prices, decreasing availability of timber, deteriorating environment and the growing interest of consumers in an environmentally friendly living environment makes them look for new methods and materials for the construction of individual houses. In this context, straw deserves attention as a renewable resource that is obtained on a regular basis as a by-product of grain production. Straw is available in most areas, which reduces transport costs for construction, especially since, according to statistics from developed countries, more than 50 percent of all greenhouse gases produced in the construction industry are related to transportation.
Although straw is cheaper than building materials such as brick or timber, building a straw house usually costs the same as conventional houses because a wall is only 10 to 15 percent of the total cost of a building.
Nevertheless, you can save on construction costs by building a house out of straw with your own hands, but it is important to understand what you can do yourself and where you may need the help of a contractor.
The real savings in a straw house lie in its energy efficiency. A stucco house made from straw provides incredible insulation, it can save up to 75 percent on heating and cooling costs for your home, which is a huge savings. Straw walls provide excellent sound insulation.
Another issue is the fire safety of a straw house. It would seem that straw houses pose a huge danger in this regard, but they are about three times more fire-resistant than ordinary houses. Uncompressed straw is indeed combustible, but the bales of straw that are used to build a house are so dense that they actually increase fire resistance. There is no oxygen in tightly packed bales, which reduces the likelihood of combustion. Plastering the walls adds additional fire protection. National Research Center Canada conducted a test where straw bale walls withstood temperatures up to 1010 degrees Celsius for two hours.
Household bales should be made of straw, not hay. Hay contains sheet material that animals eat, while straw is not a food source. Tightly packed straw, combined with properly applied seals, makes it difficult for rodents to penetrate the walls of the house. Even if they do, they will have nothing to eat there. Regular homes, with their cracked walls, are more attractive to rodents.
Straw is a naturally breathable material that, compared to modern building materials, does not contain formaldehyde or other chemicals.
Moisture is the main threat to a straw home, but this problem is common in many homes. We'll learn how to fix this problem in the following sections.
A straw house is more than just stacking straw bales. A home should be designed so that nature itself is conducive to the efficiency of the home. Before construction, you need to find out the wind rose, is there water nearby, where will excess rainwater go? Think about how trees and shrubs can help create natural wind obstacles. These factors will determine how best to orient your home.
There are two main ways to build a straw house.
The first method is wireframe. The frame of the house is made of wood that supports the roof, and thatch is used as insulation.
The second way - bales of straw are carrying. This method does not use a frame, the bales themselves support the roof. The width and density of the bale provide sufficient strength, and in the case of a tight budget, the second method is preferable as it requires less building skills and uses fewer resources. However, with this construction method, there are significant limitations in the design and size of the house. A frameless house can only be one-story, the length of its walls in any direction should not exceed 8 meters, the area of windows and doors should not exceed 50 percent of the wall surface area.
Once you have decided on how to build a straw house, you need to decide on the design of the house, the choice of which is no different from choosing an ordinary house. Any type of foundation or roof can be used for a baled straw house, and it is built on the principle of a frame house, between the posts of which bales of straw are placed.
However, with any type of foundation, the bales should be raised a few centimeters off the ground so they will not absorb moisture from the ground. This can be achieved by constructing a platform with bars around the perimeter of the foundation, which are attached to concrete foundation backfilled with gravel.
After stacking the straw bales, the walls are plastered - cement mortar on the outside of the building, and gypsum or lime mortar inside the house. The first layer of plaster should be applied directly onto the straw over plaster grid, followed by two more layers of plaster. No waterproofing material is used on straw walls. Moisture will escape naturally through the plaster. When painting walls, use breathable paints.
The correct application of plaster and paint will help keep moisture out of the straw.
As mentioned in this article, moisture is the biggest problem at home made from straw, it causes mold that leads to rotting.
Therefore, precautions must be taken from the moment the straw bales are purchased. Store bales of straw outdoors, covered with tarpaulins or plastic wrap. No construction is taking place on a rainy day, and measures are being taken to protect the already erected walls from moisture.
During design and construction, special attention should be paid to the drainage of water from the house - drainage around the foundation, roof overhangs, drainage systems, window sills.
Since the technologies for building a house from straw are not widely used in the world, problems in application may arise during construction. building codes and rules. Therefore, it may be necessary to work more closely with officials in order to obtain Required documents for construction.
Banks and insurance companies may not want to risk financing and insuring such experimental construction.
Photos of old thatched houses are of interest - probably because there are few of them 🙂 Recently I came across another such work, and not just a photo, but an article published in a magazine describing the house and technology. And next to it is a house in his current state... Date of publication - May 1921. Magazine - "Science and Life" in our way. An article titled "Fresh in Summer, Warm in Winter - Thatched Houses Are Very Economical":
The first and most important thing is environmental friendliness. We use the maximum environmental materials, with minimal industrial processing. Expression: the level of the included energy. In Russia, the term is not an entrance, in Europe this term is used much more often. What does it mean? The amount of energy that was expended at all stages of the production of building materials and the construction of a house. Starting from the stage of resource extraction, material handling, delivery and construction. If we compare a house built of bricks and a thatched house (assuming that the straw grows within a radius of 50 km), then the level of included energy in a thatched house will be 1000 times less. A thousand times less energy needs to be invested in building a straw house. This figure is surprising.
Second. The highest degree of energy efficiency. If we compare the walls in terms of energy efficiency, then in order to achieve the result from a straw wall 45 cm thick, brick house should be 6 meters thick. If we talk about mineral wool and foam, then 45 cm of straw can be equated to 30 cm mineral wool and foam. If we compare it with wood (solid wood, laminated veneer lumber), then the thickness will be equal to 90 cm. On the market there are 22, 24 cm and everyone says that it is very warm. There is no more than 28 cm on the market. The heat resistance of the straw wall is maximum and is equal to R = 9.
Third. Microclimate. The wall of the thatched house is vapor-permeable. There are no cracks in the wall as in wooden house and the air is always fresh. Straw is enough warm material, and besides, it is quite well ventilated. But, this does not mean that the straw gives a draft. Straw houses are well protected both indoors and outdoors. No one will ever know what a thatched house made of the mind is made of. Appearance houses are finished in the same way as houses from other building materials. In the process of decorating houses, highly vapor-permeable plasters and materials are used. Airing a house from straw - diffusion (diffusion - movement of gases), air penetration at the molecular level. The average annual humidity level is 50%. In a stone house, when it is well heated, the air is always dry, and special steam generators are bought for humidification. The wall of the thatched house is a recuperator, i.e. some of the warm air is returned to the house with fresh air. There is no ventilation device, the ventilation function is in progress. Those. the air quality in the house is in perfect condition.
Fourth: Bio-positivity. It is interesting to note that the quantity and quality of sleep is significantly better than in urban apartments.
Fifth: Soundproofing of a straw wall. The material is an excellent heat insulator. If you have enough high-quality windows in your house, and your children walk outside the window and you want to tell them something, they will not hear you. Very high degree of sound insulation.
Many people, hearing about, will probably immediately remember the tale of the three piglets, in which the stupidest, lazy and not far-sighted pig decided to use straw as a building material. But with the use and materials, straw can become one of the best options for construction. Why? This issue is worth understanding in more detail.
Of course, building a house using only straw is simply impossible. Therefore, it is usually called so frame houses from straw. In this case, a wooden-metal frame is used as the main structure, and the main purpose of the straw is to provide the required level of heat and sound insulation. And I must admit that the straw copes with this task just fine.
Specialists carry out most of the work in the workshops of the company. Thanks to this, ready-made parts are brought to the construction site. Collecting them takes a minimum of time - usually it takes no more than one week to build an average house. This indicator can be called one of the best to date. Neither, nor can they boast of such a short construction time.
Many readers will probably have a question - why are more and more people today who decide to acquire own home, choose a house made of straw and clay, rather than the classic wood, brick or frame? This question should be answered in the most detailed way.
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And this is not a complete list of reasons why people increasingly choose straw bale houses.
Someone may be horrified by the very possibility of building houses from such a fire hazardous material. After all, one spark is enough for the straw to flare up, and then a whole haystack can burn out in a matter of minutes.
But if we talk about a house made of pressed straw, such dangers can be forgotten forever.
To begin with, bales of straw are necessarily covered with a thick layer of clay, which prevents the fire from reaching the straw. Clay is able to withstand the effects of fire for a long time without the slightest harm to itself.
In the voids of the walls, filled with straw, there is practically no air left, which is needed to maintain combustion. Therefore, even when the clay is damaged and collapsed, the straw smolders only slightly, not supporting combustion.
Laboratory tests show that such walls can withstand open fire for up to 2 hours. So, thatched houses can be called much less fire hazardous than classic wooden ones.
Light weight of material and ease of installation allows building. This gives a huge scope for the imagination of designers, as well as people who decide to get their own home. All that remains for them to do is tell the specialists about their vision of the ideal home. In a matter of days they will be ready, and they will be able to choose the option that seems most suitable to them.
Thatched house with an unusual shape Building houses using straw does not impose the slightest restrictions on builders. Neither the wall thickness nor the specified length of the source material limits the designers' plans. Therefore, the house can really be anything.
Learn about the benefits of a straw house by watching the video
Want a hexagonal house? Experts will be able to make your dream come true. Or maybe you like the unusual? Well, sign a contract with construction company, and a round straw house will be erected on your site in no time.
