In November last year I worked with a couple of friends to build a straw bale wall for the house - the last bit of the downstairs to fill in. I had already replaced the rotten lower beam and put in uprights thinking that I would do a torchis wall. I sourced some straw bales from neighbouring farmers and then set to re-sizing the bales to make them bigger to fit the gaps. It was a case of trial and error - adding bits of wood and beams here and there to create a supporting structure for them.
John, a neighbour who lives off grid helps
The method is called 'Cellule sous tension' - the bales are compressed with straps and then forced between two uprights. Narrow strips of wood are then screwed into the uprights and positioned in grooves made with a chainsaw in the centre of the top of each bale - this holds them in place.
A third of the wall done
In March/April I will render the bales with earth and lime.
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