Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Laying bales
strings twisted, all is not lost as you can cut
one of them and re-tie a new string, as long
as you are careful how you handle the bale.
Once you're familiar with this method it only
takes a few minutes to make a half bale.
Preparation
Before laying the bales, make sure that
everything has been prepared that can
be, that all the carpentry is made and on
site or is ready to be delivered - including
the wallplates, floor joists, insulation, roof
trusses, windows and doors, etc. When you
begin with the straw you need to be able to
build the walls, keep them protected from
bad weather and put the floors and roof in
place as fast as possible. It's always good to
plan and prepare well.
Always customise bales to be slightly
smaller than you expect. This allows for
the tendency, while suffering from bale
frenzy, to want to force your new bale into
the gap allowed for it, because you've just
spent time making it.
And, because of the
flexibility of straw, this is possible. However,
it will almost always result in a distortion
of the wall somewhere else, usually at
the nearest corner, or in the buckling of a
framing post for a window. Do not give in to
the temptation to go for speed rather than
a snug fit. Watch out for your work partners
and encourage them to adopt a calm and
measured approach too!
The foundations need to be completed, with
a baseplate or structural box beam on top
(depending on your choice of foundation)
with pre-drilled noggins (cross-pieces) to
CUSTOMISING BALES
