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[-] poopsmith@lemmy.world 51 points 10 months ago

I wonder how these hold up in fires.

[-] Buffaloaf@lemmy.world 35 points 10 months ago

I've seen hay bales catch fire from being too wet, no way I'm building a house out of that.

[-] sic_1@feddit.de 26 points 10 months ago

Yeah, same as wood, who would build houses out of that? /s

Hay is great insulation and it's sealed with protective material anyway in modern houses. Also, even if not: Some tribes make houses out of hay or straw and those houses are quite great in their particular circumstances. There are experiments to use hay bales for structural support as well and it holds up surprisingly well.

Also, fun fact: wooden houses are less dangerous in case of fire than houses made of steel and concrete because the steel rod reinforcements start becoming soft at low temperatures (~200°C) and crash. Wooden houses announce crashing when burning, concrete buildings don't.

[-] HeyMrDeadMan@lemmy.world 9 points 10 months ago

Something something jet fuel...

[-] RedditRefugee69@lemmy.world 6 points 10 months ago
[-] phoneymouse@lemmy.world 5 points 10 months ago

How does that work? Too wet with kerosene?

[-] Buffaloaf@lemmy.world 14 points 10 months ago

The moisture and organic material causes mold and bacteria to form and create heat. Because hay is a good insulator, heat will build up more and more. Once the hay gets to a certain temperature flammable gases are formed and can combust from the heat.

[-] topinambour_rex@lemmy.world 4 points 10 months ago

And as the heat raises, it becomes perfect for other bacterias, which start to multiply too, increasing more the heat

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[-] homoludens@feddit.de 17 points 10 months ago
[-] Astongt615@lemmy.one 17 points 10 months ago

So flammable mater + low airflow is somehow more fire resistant than flame resistant mater + low airflow? Looks like the source is pure marketing unless their comparable insulation is perforated cardboard coated in fuel gel.

[-] Hyperreality@kbin.social 10 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Roof/attic often uses rockwool or glasswool. Wall insulation is often something like XPS, PIR or PUR.

Although it sounds counterintuitive, I can see straw doused in flame retardant being better than supposedly flame retardant polystyrene foam made from hydrocarbons. I mean, just look at what happened with Grenfell Tower.

[-] Deebster@lemmy.ml 5 points 10 months ago

flame removedant

lemmy.ml is replacing some of your word with another one. Good ol' Scunthorpe problem!

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[-] Astongt615@lemmy.one 3 points 10 months ago

"doused in flame retardant" isn't mentioned in the source as far as I saw, plus it would affect the eco-friendly, workability, cost effectiveness, and biodegradability benefits mentioned (though the last one is worthy of debate as a pro or con in the first place). Everything has its tradeoffs unfortunately. This could be the better side for some surely.

[-] homoludens@feddit.de 5 points 10 months ago

From what I have read they are using a loam layer on both sides of the wall, I doubt that this affects eco-friendliness and biodegradability. And they are F90 certificated. source

[-] phoneymouse@lemmy.world 16 points 10 months ago

From the article…

Since straw bales are tightly packed, they do not burn as easily as certain other materials. The tight packing reduces airflow, something that is critical to sustain a fire. While there is some fire risk during the construction phase (as is the case with many building materials), once the home is finished, it’s flame retardant nature decreases the risk, usually resulting in a home that better resists burning than a traditional stick built house.

[-] JamesStallion@sh.itjust.works 11 points 10 months ago

"...better than a traditional stick built house"

I'm thinking of brick, what do we think folks? Seems like we have three possible building materials with one clear winner amirite?

[-] phoneymouse@lemmy.world 11 points 10 months ago

Only the big bad wolf can help us decide

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[-] kameecoding@lemmy.world 7 points 10 months ago

Well hemp bricks hold up well so I am guessing they improved upon this too to be more fire retardant

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[-] 0ddysseus@lemmy.world 35 points 10 months ago

I built my own strawblae house and have worked on half a dozen others. I have designed 3 award winning homes, one of them was strawbale.

Mice aren't a problem, the walls are sealed with clay (inside) and lime (outside) render, the mice can't get in.

Same with fire, the straw is tight and sealed, they don't burn. In huge bushfires in southern Australia a few years back, several families sheltered I a strawbale home as the fire passed.

Moisture not a problem if you have proper eaves and footings, which you will cos you design it properly, right?

Loads of massive benefits over brick or stick built.

I have no data on wolves sorry, but definitely dropbear proof

Happy to answer any questions.

[-] Filthmontane@lemmy.world 7 points 10 months ago

My biggest question is: why?

If it's safe from mice, bugs, and fire, then it just seems like the housing equivalent of wearing a boot on your head. You can do it. It's not hurting you or anyone around you. But it's kinda just weird. Is there some sort of benefits to this over a normal house? Or is it just a boot on your head?

[-] cows_are_underrated@feddit.de 8 points 10 months ago

The next benefit is, that concrete has a very bad CO2 footprint. Straw as an organic renewable resource has a very good CO2 footprint.

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[-] ICastFist@programming.dev 3 points 10 months ago

If you're going to seal it, why not just use mud, clay or whatever ground/dirt instead? Probably won't need to be as thick to give similar insulation.

Also, what about impact resistance? Can an angry punch break that outer lime layer?

What's the tallest one of these buildings can get?

[-] 0ddysseus@lemmy.world 10 points 10 months ago

Well, because straight earth as in mudbrick (or concrete, normal bricks etc) is not insulation. That's thermal mass. It stores energy. Insulation (like strawbales) slows heat movement. So you need insulation on the exterior and thermal mass on the interior for a properly thermally regulated building.

At 2 inches thick of limestone, you can sure bust it up with a sledgehammer or similar. A punch won't do much more than hurt your hand. Still, if you take tools to the majority of homes they break quite fast.

Couldn't say houw tall they can get but from memory I think I've seen 3 stories? Over that you're talking more full on construction. I've seen a 4 story using super bales that was in an commercial carpentry shop

[-] protist@mander.xyz 32 points 10 months ago

Straw bale houses can be made really well, and are ecologically superior building material. I've seen some straw bale houses that are fancy af

[-] kaffiene@lemmy.world 26 points 10 months ago

Straw bale houses are awesome and have been around for centuries

[-] Frozengyro@lemmy.world 3 points 10 months ago

Just a little problem with an the mice

[-] kilgore_trout@feddit.it 3 points 10 months ago

The straw is sealed inside and outside with clay.

[-] someguy3@lemmy.world 19 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Structurally timber. Checkmate wolves.

(Yes I know the story.)

[-] sleen@lemmy.zip 11 points 10 months ago

I'm already in your house 🐺😋

[-] someguy3@lemmy.world 11 points 10 months ago
[-] Semi-Hemi-Demigod@kbin.social 5 points 10 months ago

Just put bricks on the outside and you've got a wolf-proof house

[-] lobut@lemmy.ca 12 points 10 months ago

If they're affordable, I'll take one.

[-] Agent641@lemmy.world 16 points 10 months ago

Mmm sorry, Citadel just bought them all, but you can rent one for 85% of your wage.

[-] bouh@lemmy.world 9 points 10 months ago

Unfortunately in France you won't be able to rent for more than 33% of your wage. Sorry, you'll be homeless instead.

[-] LarmyOfLone@lemm.ee 6 points 10 months ago

Big Bad Wolf was propaganda by Big Cinder.

[-] iAvicenna@lemmy.world 6 points 10 months ago

If they cant find houses let them stay in barns

[-] gun@lemmy.ml 4 points 10 months ago

Learn history or be doomed to repeat it

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this post was submitted on 28 Jan 2024
770 points (98.1% liked)

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