Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
and straw. A 19 mm thick spacer was
fixed to the post beside the door to lift
the wire away from the post and allow
the insertion of straw to begin the
shaping of the curved form. The front
corner of the post had to be trimmed to
allow the wire to drop back far enough
to create an even curve back into the
wall (see Figure 5.20).
The double 290 × 45 posts were
larger than actually necessary so there
was no problem in cutting away the
front section of this timber. Always
check with your building consultant
before cutting away any of the
supporting posts for lintels. If there is
insufficient tolerance in timber posts
cutting them may result in a structure
that does not conform to the building
code. It would then be necessary to
replace the timber. Unfortunately this
problem is not normally discovered
until the frame inspection. To replace
posts supporting lintels when the rest of
the structure is complete is a major job
for a skilled tradesperson. I strongly
suggest that all owner-builders seek professional advice before embarking on the
rectification of a problem such as this. If it is not done in the correct order and method it
could not only be very costly, but also life-threatening.
Figure 5.20
Wire over 290 × 45 door buck stile to facilitate
rounded render at the door opening
Forming the curve around the stiles
Wire netting was fixed to the 19 mm spacer beside the door. Loose straw was placed
between the wire netting and the timber post as the wire was drawn back onto the straw
bale wall thereby forming a gentle curve around the stiles of the window to match the
shape of the dropped rolled head. The loose end of the wire netting was pinned back to
the straw bale wall with wire pins. There was no need to apply the sand and glue mix to
the post as the post was now covered with wire over straw. However the front edge of the
window was treated with the sand and glue mix to ensure a good air seal and to reduce
the likelihood of the render cracking at that junction.
Foam fill between the door frame and deep posts
Prior to rendering, the cavity between the door frame and the posts was filled with foam.
When using foam it is important to overfill the cavity as the render will hold onto the cut
face of the foam but not the smooth skin that the foam forms naturally. The excess foam
