Strawbale/Earthbag Vault and Greenhouse
Specifications: 490 sq. ft. interior plus 313 sq. ft. greenhouse, 1 bedroom, 1 bath, Footprint: 27.5′ x 39′
Description: This very unique home masterfully blends insulation and thermal mass. The vault is predominantly straw bales, which provide excellent insulation. Earthbags are used on the end walls, greenhouse and for three vaults that join the two spaces. Naturally bowed timbers around doors and windows create a rustic look.
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Hi there
Just wondering what you know about building a straw bale house on poles as we have a steep site. Thanks
Building on pier footings is a very good method, especially for sloped sites. It’s fast, easy, affordable, uses minimal materials and requires minimal excavation. Once you have the piers set and leveled, build a wood floor frame. Add a toe-up where the bale walls go and fill the space between with perlite. Then stack your bales as usual. Insulate the floor frame in cold climates.
Owen, I’m in the planning stages, still a couple years away from building my dream home, but have been unable to find what I’m looking for. I want to build a hybrid (strawbale/ earthship/ earthbag home, in Montana. I can start with one large room, then add on a couple additional connecting rooms later on. I’ve always wanted a large master suite (at least 14 x 18), with a walk-in closet, but can never find plans for one. Any advice ?
I love Matts Myhrman’s Build it With Bales II book. You’ll have to hunt down an old copy because it’s out of print. He talks at length about low cost hybrid homes using local timbers and bales. That would work perfectly for you. If you’re in a low to no code area, you could build in stages for dirt cheap.
That reminds me, there’s a family we’ve profiled on our Natural Building Blog who is building exactly this way — the same way I’ve been promoting for years. Search our blog for keywords straw bale and you’ll find it. If not, write back and I’ll look it up. You’ll want to closely study what they’re doing because it’s ideal for you.