straw bale studio

  • Thread starter Thread starter justinwhite
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justinwhite

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ok my plan is a 34 x24x 12 foot building on post with a stick frame using straw for the walls insulation.
just a few questions. how do you think i should insulate the floor and ceiling. any ideas?
 
Just curious, why straw? I would think the R factor would not be close to standard insulation. Just a quess as I have never used it. Also what about the fire Hazzard aspect?
 
Atkron205 said:
Just curious, why straw? I would think the R factor would not be close to standard insulation. Just a quess as I have never used it. Also what about the fire Hazzard aspect?
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Straw bale construction doesn't present a particular fire hazard. IT also has an R factor of between 30 and 35, so it is not a bad choice for a studio.

I'm not sure what the best method of insulating floor and ceiling would be. The choice will depend on construction. For example, building on a concrete slab presents different options than a timber floor.
 
Problem with straw - it eventually gets stale and stinky. Bugs live in it. Mice, too. Takes up a lot of room, and is heavy to move around.
 
mjbphotos said:
Problem with straw - it eventually gets stale and stinky. Bugs live in it. Mice, too. Takes up a lot of room, and is heavy to move around.
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I can't see buggy, mousey stale and stinky straw in this studio:

Studio rooms


CR-2.webp
 
I have an architect friend who designs and builds straw bale houses in the southwest.

Some incredible homes which never seem to need A/C even in the heat of the desert. Stink? No. Bugs? No. Awsome insulation for temperature AND sound control? Yes
 
I'm very skeptical of the straw insulation thing. I'm certainly not educated on the subject, but I have to echo mjb's concerns. Maybe in the arid climate of the American Southwest, but in the constantly muggy climate of Tennessee? I'd have my reservations about using any bio matter as insulation if it's going to live its life in high humidity and high heat. Seems like it'd be begging for mold, mildew and critters.
 
This is great for the floor insulation
putuplasts.webp

For walls and ceillings this is great in My opinion.

d15h5uwf4ys.webp
 
Normally you put straw under high pressure when building it. Also straw isn't as likely to catch fire as hay as (lot of people seem to mix those two up). You finish it of with something breathing, cob or lime, which also keeps mice and bugs out (mice and bugs btw rather live in hay then straw, especially not in straw under high pressure).

As far as I now straw is awesome building material, good sound qualities. Building a straw studio is on my bucket list... :D

To go environmental all the way insulate the roof with wool. Or cover your roof with a layer of earth and grass, this obviously forces you to think twice about how strong you build your roofing...
And make the floor from lime, you can cover up the lime with certain adhesives. Or dig in 1, or so, meter, don't insulate and use the termal mass of the earth around you to keep a even temperature in your studio.

I love the idea of straw-builts, keep us updated!
 
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