13 Reasons To Build
with Strawbales
Ideal for the
owner-builder
Simple construction techniques
Natural building material
Makes use of a
waste product
Great thermal characteristics
Encourages use of lime and
earthen renders
Ideal as a loadbearing wall
system
Flexible and forgiving material to
work with
Excellent fire resistant properties
Costs less to build than
conventional methods
Can be built on a variety of
footings
Ideal construction for seismic
zones
Aesthetically pleasing finish, thick
walls and solid appearance
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My name is Ed Taylor and I have a serious interest in vernacular architecture and innovative living space design. I have worked in the building industry for quite a few years and was introduced to strawbale construction in early 1997, where it caught my attention. Since then I have done a lot of research, developed and tested many of my own theories, and got some real practical building experience under my belt.
This website first went up in 1998 and consists of a series of articles I wrote for the PAWA newsletter, projects that I have been involved with, plus other articles and documents. As more information comes to hand, or my own experiments and experiences teach me new things, articles are altered or new ones added to reflect that. This merely demonstrates that the body of knowledge is everchanging, and that no-one has all the answers. However if you read my INTRODUCTION, that will let you know what my current stance is.
Strawbale building is not the "great saviour". It is not the "be-all and end-all" of building. It won't save the world or allow you to build a house for next to nothing. It has design constraints that may not fit in with certain dream-designs that some people may have. It is not suitable for some climatic zones. It will never become mainstream. But it is a valid form of construction none-the-less. I believe that it should be encouraged and supported so that people can have a real choice in how they want to build their house.
To add a more personal note to this site, we have embarked on the construction of our own house. Having experimented on various clients over the years, it seemed about time to put all that ill-gained knowledge to work! And what do you know, I'm still experimenting - and me as my own client! Do we ever learn?!? Anyway, you can follow our progress by clicking on the Our New House link below. Things are moving along, and we have been living on site now since November 2007, although it is still a work in progress. The last of the main construction is now done, and it is on with final rendering and fitting out.
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