Experiences with straw bale house?

Hello everyone,

we are still at the very beginning with our future house. So the bank is currently checking the possible credit limit and once that is done, we will take a closer look at the development plan and consider the rough design of the house, and then we will start looking for a house building company. In the first step, it will be crucial which material is used for the shell construction.

- Solid
- Timber frame with appropriate insulation
- Timber frame insulated with straw (straw bale house)

We are fascinated by the idea of a straw bale house because there is hardly any other house with such a good ecological balance during the construction phase. Also, the pure insulation provided by the 40 cm thick straw bales is already very good and should come close to KFW40 (Yes, we want KFW40, please do not discuss this here now). According to current research, the costs are not much cheaper than other options, although it offers the possibility of a lot of personal effort, which we are keen on!

The house will have a full floor and an attic with a rather low knee wall (50 cm, maybe a bit more is possible). The development plan does not allow more than that.

Does anyone here have a straw bale house or any experience with it in any way?

Regards Specki

I have a lot of experience with straw bales. But that's because I partly grew up on a farm ;D

I first had to google how exactly it is implemented. Sounds really interesting, but also like a niche hobby that is not financially worthwhile compared to the standard (e.g. thicker walls -> larger foundation). Although doing it yourself could definitely be worth it, the execution should certainly be foolproof. Sounds really interesting. I like the ecological intention.

We are fascinated by the idea of a straw bale house because there is hardly any other house with such a good ecological balance during the construction phase.

Keep in mind my mantra not to create a wall structure in which the structural builder is not experienced. So with a straw bale house, you are dealing with a completely different concept for which you need a specialized planner. Any local carpenter cannot do that, and many architects would also be planning such a thing for the first time. Pursuing such a concept therefore means choosing a planner and an implementer who may be scarce in the region. Otherwise, the idea sounds appealing.

I think going through a local carpenter can work very well. However, you need to convince him of the idea, and if he's interested and gets involved in the topic, it will surely turn out well.

Thank you all already for your comments! I am glad that the project has so far been received rather positively here. I would never undertake such a project without someone who already has considerable experience in straw bale construction. In fact, I can well imagine working with an experienced architect as well as an open-minded local carpenter. I am curious whether perhaps someone here might still be found who already has experience with straw bale construction. Regards Specki

Would still clarify what the straw bales are treated with.
Mold, fire protection, mice

And how the bales settle in 30 or 50 years. Not that someday your grandchildren have the best compost in the walls.

Otherwise, in our barn straw over 30 years old was stored. It settled over time (not pressed bales), partially moldy (although it was stored dry) and it was inhabited.