ThomasPowers Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Good point about the sill. I like my smithy with a large roll up door and arranged so I can back my pickup into it so I can load it under cover or work on it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cracker72 Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 http://img845.imageshack.us/i/shed7005.jpg/ http://img191.imageshack.us/i/shed7003.jpg/ I built mine from split oak trees and spruce poles. The walls are mud and straw on hazel wattle and the roof is layers of straw and a waterproof membrane. Floor was made with a few tonnes of small stone and about an inch of 6:1 sharp sand/cement dry screed. Very cheap to make. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 Nice! I though about using adobe; but decided that with a powerhammer inside and the fact we are in a seismic zone, it would be better to go with the metal walls. Adobe sure would be sound dampening though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhrocker Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 Some people here in Texas are building complete houses out of hay, still in the rectangular bales. Don't know what all is involved, they cover the inside and outside with something or other, and fasten the bales to each other. R factor is reportedly fantastic. It's treated for fire and varmits. Bill, I think you mentioned propane once. As I'm findout in another thread, be sure you're in code with your propane bottle, if they are the portable ones. There are rules against using them inside, and the fines can be bad, very bad. I have a Railroad Commission Inspector checking into all of this for me. The smaller tanks can be stored inside, but not used inside. They should be outside, with a line being brought in through the wall. Even then there are regs about how far to put the tank from the building and trees, etc. It's a mess. Danger is that (besides explosion that is) if an accident were to occur, and the fire dept or whoever determines that it's a propane code problem, then you're at the mercy of the Commission, which reportedly doesn't have much mercy. You might want to check the regs in your state as they may be differient than in Texas. Food for the ol brain there. Sounds like you're going to have a great shop! Take lots of photos for us! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fosterob Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 Some people here in Texas are building complete houses out of hay, still in the rectangular bales. Don't know what all is involved, they cover the inside and outside with something or other, and fasten the bales to each other. R factor is reportedly fantastic. It's treated for fire and varmits. Robert, I think what you are calling HAY is in fact STRAW, HAY is food for animals (mice etc..)and will rot in the wall because it is not dried. The houses you see are likely being made of STRAW Bales. Straw is dried celulose (left over stalks from various grasses, wheat, oats, rice etc.. and is comparable to dried wood, it needs to be plastered so it can breath and not let moisture condense on the inside of the walls. Straw is a wonderful building material and does have great r-value. Straw bale houses from the first people who crossed the plains moving west are still standing. I am in the process of building a Straw bale shop 35'x60' 16' tall. We get high temps in the summer and low in the winter (for cali anyway) so the insulation will factor will be great Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhrocker Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 Ah Ha! I'll buy that Rob1. Rob2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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