Have you built a straw bale adobe fence, do you have plans and how did it work?

-- Ron Meyer (servinghim35@hotmail.com), January 28, 2002

Answers

Are you talking about building a wall with strawbales and then covering it with an earthen plaster? If so, don't do it. It's been tried, many times, and each time the straw ends up as compost. It's all but impossible to keep rain off of the structure and as there will be small cracks or chips, the moisture will get into the straw and rot is the result. Strawbale homes, if built correctly, have roof overhangs that prevent rain from hitting the plastered walls or hitting the ground and then splashing back on the lower part of the walls. It's a great idea and the wall really look wonderful but after the walls end up crumbling.

-- Carol - in Virginia (carollm@rockbridge.net), January 29, 2002.

I am curious about this, because around here we use stucco that is a concrete mix on straw bale due to the weather. this would be sturdier than earthen adobe, and should work. I would put down a barrier on the ground, like rubble or rocks, with the bales themselves on plastic or something..... but this is just specualtion. I have always wanted to try it myself....

-- marcee (thathope@mwt.net), January 29, 2002.

I've wanted to try this as well but have been put off by the likely cost of the necessary foundation (same reason I haven't started the dream barn yet -ha). I recommend a book by Steen, Steen and Bainbridge titled "The Straw Bale House" - ISBN 0-930031-71-7. it's a good one for giving you wild ideas.

-- B. Lackie - Zone3 (cwrench@hotmail.com), January 29, 2002.