[GSBN] Experience with Wrapping CMU with Strawbale?

[Tim Owen-Kennedy]

Mark,

We've been testing the bale wrap idea in various ways: wrapping metal
buildings and cmu's inside and out. Though I think we are far from a
publishable conclusion, or even a conclusion worth banking a large liability
claim on, It seems to work best with lime slurry dipped bales stacked slow
enough to let the slurry dry substantially. I would invest heavily in an
overhang and design the interior finish to be less permeable than the
exterior of the bale finish. and if the CMU's are already heavily coated
with paint on the exterior I'd consider sandblasting that off.

That's my undereducated "building science from the hip" solution for now.
Wishing we all had more experience and money for testing.

Tim

P.S. Matts and Judy's guest house is a gorgeous example and I hope he chimes
in but I think his climate is significantly different enough to not
translate as a comparative success.

On Tue, Nov 30, 2010 at 3:14 PM, nature boy <moontrout at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Folks,
>
> Does anyone have experience or ideas about wrapping an existing or new CMU
> structure with exterior bales? We have a client asking about this idea and
> she is worried about dew point between the CMU and bales.
>
> Airspace between or not?
>
> Mark Lakeman
> Communitecture, Inc.
> & The City Repair Project
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
> *From:* Chris Magwood <chris at chrismagwood.ca>
> *To:* "(private, with public archives) Global Straw Building Network" <
> GSBN at greenbuilder.com>
> *Sent:* Tue, November 9, 2010 5:50:44 AM
> *Subject:* Re: [GSBN] Baled Corn/Maize stalks? Kenya?
>
> Would there be any concerns with the high sugar content in maize? It may be
> a bit more food-like than many types of straw and perhaps a bit more
> sensitive to moisture because of the high sugar? I turned down some maize
> bales here in Ontario quite a few years ago because I had these concerns,
> but then I didn't have the wisdom of this group to let me know if I was
> thinking straight or not!
>
> Chris
>
> On 10-11-09 5:28 AM, John Glassford wrote:
>
> G ' day Kelly
>
> Great to hear of some news on my home Kenya.
>
> I will be back there next July and if there is anything that I can do
> please let me know.  I have some good contacts in Kenya through Rotary and
> some in government.  I did live there for 21 years and still have some
> relatives there today
>
> If corn stalks can be baled then why not!  However I am not sure.
>
> There is a lot of wheat grown in the highlands of Kenya and I also have
> some contacts in the farming fraternity there.
>
> Send me an email off list and I will send you some contact details.
>
> Kind regards
> John Glassford
> Huff 'n' Puff Constructions
> http://www.glassford.com.au
> 61 2 6927 6027
> In Australia (02) 6927 6027
>
> Mountains of the Moon 2011
> http://www.mountainsofthemoon.org
>
>
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>
> -- www.chrismagwood.ca
>
>
>
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-- 
Tim Owen-Kennedy, Owner
Vital Systems, natural building & design
P O Box 751, Ukiah, CA 95482
www.vitalsystems.net
888.859.6336
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