Straw-clay slip is an ages-old wall infill technique that involves coating straw in a suspension of clay and packing it into temporary guide boards attached to timber framed walls. Originally used for post-and-beam houses, it is easily adaptable to 2x4 framed walls and can be used to fill interior walls in straw bale homes. The straw provides insulation, while the clay holds the straw together and protects it from pests and the elements. Straw clay walls can be finished with plaster or covered with wooden walls.
Build Straw-Clay Walls With Non-Toxic, Sustainable, Local and Recycled Building Materials
One of the chief advantages of building with straw and clay is that, in most places, locally harvested straw is easily available and clay can be dug at or near the building site. Thus, the embodied energy, or amount of energy used in producing and transporting the building materials, is minimal. Further, the guide boards that are used to give shape to the walls during construction need not be newly purchased. Boards recycled from an old building or left over from another project can be used. The same applies to supports used within the walls.
Straw-clay walls can be finished very simply with earthen plasters. Plaster can be home-made, again with locally available materials. As it is applied in layers, the novice has ample opportunity to gain skill and confidence as the building progresses to be able to make an attractive final finish. What is more, because earthen plaster ingredients are non-toxic, the builder need have few concerns about the safety of the construction site.
Straw-Clay Infill Walls: A Green Technique For New Construction and Green Home Remodeling
Straw-clay slip infill walls can be used to fill in the space between 2x4 studs or posts in a post-and-beam house. While this versatility makes the technique attractive to owner-builders, it is perhaps even more advantageous during renovation, when eco-friendly building options are limited. Thus, when old walls that lack insulation or have sheet rock damage need to be replaced, the homeowner need simply remove the existing sheet rock or paneling and insulation and refill the space between the 2x4 studs with straw-clay.
Straw-Clay is a Green Building Technique Perfect for the Beginner
Straw-clay infill walls are easily constructed by the beginning builder. The timber framing that surrounds the wall provides strength to the structure, making the infill itself non-load-bearing. Thus, the builder need only be concerned about building relatively even, visually appealing walls. What is more, because earthen clay is a forgiving material, small mistakes can be easily covered in the final stages of building.
Sara Yoshihara - Sara Yoshihara lives and works in rural Japan where she and her family have a small no-spray rice and vegetable farm and an artisan ...
