Bob Melvey

Managing BrokerWindermere Real Estate

Building Homes with Straw

Are you looking for a unique home that is energy efficient and resource friendly? Perhaps a straw-bale home is the answer.

Straw-bale homes were first built in this country around the turn of the century, mainly in the Sandhills area of Nebraska. This part of the country was opened up to homesteading in 1904 giving applicants one square mile of land, provided they lived on it and made it productive. There were few trees and no railroads to bring in lumber. The homesteaders soon discovered that bales of straw made a building material that was cheap, easy to use, and well suited to the high winds and extreme temperatures experienced there. Most of these homes were intended by the homesteaders to be temporary, to be replaced by more upscale wood houses once they could afford it. Some of these early straw-bale homes, however, are still inhabited today. Straw bales continued to be used as a building material into the 1930s, but eventually succumbed to more traditional building methods due in part to the social stigma attached with straw-bale's "claim shanty" past.

The advantages of straw-bale homes are now being rediscovered, with homes ranging from cabins to mansions being built across the country. Insulation and soundproofing are definite plusses of straw-bale homes. Stacked bales of straw create a wall that is 18" to 23" thick, providing up to R-50 thermal resistance, compared to traditional new frame construction of R-19. This also provides a very effective sound barrier. There are reports of early homesteaders having a peaceful meal in their homes, unaware that a tornado was ripping through their fields. Another advantage of the thick walls is aesthetics. Covered with stucco or plaster, the thick bale walls turn windows into inviting, light-filled alcoves. The uneven nature of plastered straw bales also gives these homes a more organic feeling, as opposed to the linear, angular nature of sheet-rock and dimensional lumber.

Environmental concerns are also behind the straw-bale surge. A recent U.S. Forest Service report states that "For the first time in history the United States does not have a large reserve of high-quality softwood saw timber available for harvest." Although lumber is still required for a straw-bale home, there is enough of a reduction to take some of the pressure off our forests. It takes decades to produce building grade dimensional lumber. Straw is a truly renewable resource, taking only one year to grow. The main environmental advantage, however, may be felt in our farming communities. Straw is agricultural waste generated from grain crops such as flax, wheat and rice. The most economical way to get rid of this waste has been to burn it, but this practice has caused enough pollution to prompt some states to ban burning. Turning this waste into a commodity creates a win-win situation for the farming industry and the environment.

It is too early to tell whether straw-bale houses will become commonplace. Most of the homes so far have been custom built, usually with the owner doing a significant amount of the work. Local authorities are hesitant to grant permits, which adds to the cost of construction. Until this and other obstacles are overcome, straw-bale homes will continue to be unique and special.

The use of straw in housing will probably find faster acceptance as a raw material for more traditional products such as acoustic ceiling tiles, particle board, and medium density fiber board. Some factories are now being built to produce these products, and it is very likely that by this means straw will find its way into the structure of our homes.