Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
dried, the top coat of render can then be repaired. It is important that the join in the
render penetrate only a single depth of render. The joint of the renders should be
staggered.
Electrical outlets at the base of straw bale walls
Electrical cables can be fitted inside the bottom boxing that is fitted to the floor.
A standard wall box for electrical installations can be screwed to the face of the
bottom boxing. The cable will then be fed through the bottom boxing and into the rear
of the wall box. The bottom boxing is 90 mm deep so when fixing the wall box to it
position it so that the top edge of the wall box is about 20 mm above the top of the
bottom boxing to allow extra clearance from the bottom of the power outlet to the floor.
If you require the outlets to be higher still you will need to revert to the method detailed
above for fixing power outlets to straw bale walls.
Wiring to the meter box or switchboard
With conventional construction, such as brick veneer and weatherboard homes, it is
possible to insert additional wires into the back of the switchboard by running the new
cables inside the cavity of the timber frame. This is not the case with straw bale
construction. I would strongly suggest that you have your electrician fit the cables from
the switchboard to the roof cavity inside an oversized conduit. This will enable the
insertion of additional cables in the future if the need arises.
