Straw homes

[oglefakes]

Ok big bad wolves, has anyone seen (or know of) any straw bail homes in France? 

BTW, it is unlikely that you would recognise, as the only tell tale is 2 foot think walls, which may look strange in Milton Keynes, but not in rural France [:)]

I thought this might be something of interest as there were a few comments in the forum about 'eco' living.

cheers

Here are some links:

amazonails straw bale building

60 year old straw houses

The Australasian Straw Bale Building Association

The results are interesting:

A winery in Oz

Home in Texas    one    two   three

Part way through construction  one   two   three

[cooperlola]

Remember this one?

http://www.channel4.com/4homes/ontv/grand-designs/grand-designs-abroad/lot.html

[oglefakes]

[quote user="cooperlola"]

Remember this one?

http://www.channel4.com/4homes/ontv/grand-designs/grand-designs-abroad/lot.html

[/quote]

Yes coops, but my budget prevents some of the 'grand' aspects [:)]

[cooperlola]

I get your point.  Also, they must be a real b*gg*r to build out of the round bales!

[oglefakes]

[quote user="cooperlola"]I get your point.  Also, they must be a real b*gg*r to build out of the round bales![/quote]

[:)]

Ok farm types, how much is a bail of paille?   Not Hay as beasties will eat it.

cheers

[cooperlola]

Have you seen this?

http://www.lamaisonenpaille.com/

[oglefakes]

[quote user="cooperlola"]

Have you seen this?

http://www.lamaisonenpaille.com/

[/quote]

Funnily enough Coops, I stumbled across this a few minutes ago.  Some of the homes are great.  I really like the way that the homes are stylish, cheap, fast to build, VERY economical to heat/cool, great for the environment etc...

[Gardian]

[quote user="oglefakes"]Ok big bad wolves, has anyone seen (or know of) any straw bail homes in France? 

[/quote]

The architecte who did some work for us a year or so ago was working on a big project of this kind down here.  She said that it was "Different and challenging".

= "Difficult and expensive".

Her details if you want them. 

 

[oglefakes]

[quote user="Gardian"]

[quote user="oglefakes"]Ok big bad wolves, has anyone seen (or know of) any straw bail homes in France? 

[/quote]

The architecte who did some work for us a year or so ago was working on a big project of this kind down here.  She said that it was "Different and challenging".

= "Difficult and expensive".

Her details if you want them. 

 

[/quote]

Yes, please PM me. Thanks

EDIT:  I wonder if it was becoming expensive (and difficult) due to the clients?  The reason I say that is every bit of info I have, article, website etc all bang on about how cheap it is. Thats why this metod been embraced by the tree huggers, even the ones who sell painted gourds as their main source of income [:)]

Her clients might have wanted some dramatic features or some such.

[Gardian]

Will do 2moro, but she's 'down south', so forget it if you're anywhere other than the Midi.

[oglefakes]

Cheers

[oglefakes]

I'll try again, farm types, how much is a bail of paille?  [:)]

[Jacqui Too]

[quote user="oglefakes"]I'll try again, farm types, how much is a bail of paille?  [:)][/quote]

That’s a bit like the proverbial piece of string, you need to narrow it down to:

1. What type of straw do you want?eg Wheat, barley: spring/winter, oat ect.
2. What size bales as they come in several sizes?: small (aprox 50cm x 50 x110) can be longer or shorter easy to handle by hand, Round like a baked bean tin (aprox 120cm diam. x 130 tall) would need a mecanical handler to move Large square bales: (aprox. 120cm x 100 x up to 200) and definitely needs a handler!
3. Quantity ?

You are best to go to a Hay/Straw merchant to give you a quote as they can get you any type and deliver it any where, chances of the local farmer having just what you need are very slim!

I saw a program (think it was Grand Disigns) and they used small bales but I can't remeber of what sort!

Chipie

 

[tracteurtom]

Straw bails have been taken over by either the round types (barely managable by hand) or the hugh rectangular ones (impossible to man-handle) these days.  I've been tryng to source a few of the traditional rectangular ones for a while now to build a pig shelter with and I cannot find anyone to supply.  Seems the old bailers have been replaced with the hugh new ones and hugh tractors to match (who said there was no money in farming).  Assuming you're after the smaller bails, you need to find an old bailer.  Check the local Smallholdings who may still have one in commission, although its doubtful that they would have surplus straw.   If you  find a bailer thats not been used for many years it will probably need a far bit spending on it to bring it back into service, but could be worth looking into?  All you would need then is a friendly farmer with a spare field!   [:D]

[oglefakes]

Chipie, thanks.

Type doesn't matter, but as it is basically organic lego, it needs to be rectangular.

From the comment below, which I just found, there are people in the region who can accommodate.

Yann DEBAUDRINGHIEN   Issigeac

Bottes de paille

spécialement pour la construction.

Pour information:

-il est préférable de commander avant le 15 juin.

-bottes de section 36*45cm ou 28*42cm

-longueur sur demande.

-Paille de blé et tritical.

Thanks again

Cheers

[oglefakes]

PC, that had actually occured to me. the cost could possibly be worth it, as I was just told a bail - suitable for buildin - can be as low as 2,00e.

That makes a cheap wall, for a 2 x 4 foot section of wall.

cheers

[Jacqui Too]

[quote user="pcwhizz"]  If you  find a bailer thats not been used for many years it will probably need a far bit spending on it to bring it back into service, but could be worth looking into?  All you would need then is a friendly farmer with a spare field!   [:D]
[/quote]

My advice don't even go there!

Unless you are a farmer, making 3/4 tons of good clean dry straw is not worth the risk.[:-))]

Ploughing, seeding, combinding then bailing and selling the surplus seed.

JUST BUY IT ready made and delivered

Chipie

[oglefakes]

No, I wouldn't consider growing the straw, I meant I had thought about bailing someone elses unwanted straw.

I did miss out the word 'but' in my previous post, when I said that I had seen the bails for 2e each.

One house might use between 80 - 100 bails, so at 200e (+ delivery) makes it not really worth doing anything other than buying it.[:)]

cheers

[tracteurtom]

At 2 e a bail, no its not worth even thinking about making your own.  It was just if you couldn't find the right size, but it seems you've sorted that one now.  Where abouts are you BTW?  Anywhere near Correze 19?  I would like to order a few of those bails.

[oglefakes]

Nope. But Cooperlola pointed out this http://www.lamaisonenpaille.com/  and I spied this, which has prices http://www.foin.net/.

cheers

[Valleyboy]

If you are anywhere near the Haute Vienne/Dordogne border, you could visit the Ecocentre at St Pierre de Frugie (just off the RN21) where they have a bulding showing two methods of straw bale construction, and can offer advice as well.

[Gail Smith]

We pay 80 cents a bale for wheat straw although I have no idea whether or not they are suitable for building.  My animals mostly lie on them.

 

Gail x

[oglefakes]

V.B.Thats a great tip. Thanks!

[oglefakes]

[quote user="Gail Smith"]

We pay 80 cents a bale for wheat straw although I have no idea whether or not they are suitable for building.  My animals mostly lie on them.

 

Gail x

[/quote]

Great, The type (flavour) doesn't really matter so long as they are rectangular.

The good news is that means the 200e worth of walls, might be 80e [:D]  The difference can go toward the food and drink for the volunteers on "Wall day"  [:)]