[GSBN] steel clad barn and straw bales

[RT]

On Fri, 07 Oct 2011 13:00:01 -0400, <gsbn-request at sustainablesources.com>  
wrote:

> Date: Fri, 7 Oct 2011 09:11:44 +0100
> From: "Chug" <chug at strawbale-building.co.uk>
> Subject: [GSBN] steel clad barn and straw bales

> Greetings baleheads,

> I've been asked if straw bales can be retrofitted to the inside of a  
> steelclad barn and whether there would be any problems with condensation  
> formingon the steel and migrating into the bales, anyone got any  
> experience toshare?

> bale on
> Chug
> chug at strawbale-building.co.uk
> http://www.strawbale-building.co.uk

Chug;

I'd say that there'd be no problem whatsoever if:

1. The steel cladding is removed (temporarily) and stacked with lath  
strips between the sheets so that there is no contact between the sheets  
and any moisture can drain away (otherwise, trapped moisture can result in  
"white rust" and subsequent premature corrosion of the (presumably)  
galvanised steel

2. The bales stacked and encapsulated in plaster to provide the straw with  
an air/fire/rodent/insect barrier

3. The steel cladding panels re-installed.


This configuration would provide the plastered straw bale wall with a  
ventilated rainscreen cladding, the drainage plane being the face of the  
outside plaster.

The ventilation air space would be provided by the thickness of the girts  
(to which the steel is fastened) and the corrugations of the pre-formed  
steel panels.

Since the plaster would never be exposed to rain-wetting, there's no  
reason that it could not be an earthen plaster.


-- 
=== * ===
Rob Tom
Kanata, Ontario, Canada
< A r c h i L o g i c  at  Y a h o o  dot  C A >
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