2 minute read
TIPS+TRICKS
ONE WAY TO Compress Strawbales
UNDER A FIXED TOP BEAM
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Tips and tricks from a strawbale professional
BY PAT MAWSON
STEP 1
Fit bales for length up to the last row. Bales may have to be cut length ways and part bales used if the top plate/beam is not correct height to fit full bales (this is only practical if bales are on edge with strings exposed). Thump bales down as snugly as possible. In this case the gap between the bottom plates and underside of the beam is 2200mm to allow for 5 full bales on edge (provisional height of 450mm and nominal compression of 10mm per bale allowed – actual compression will be greater as a column of bales will usually be significantly higher than the nominal sum).
STEP 2
The remaining gap is just under 300mm. 150mm of compression required.
STEP 3
Temporary hooks made from brace strap offcuts screwed to bottom plates.
STEP 4
Truck strops laid over bales and attached but not tensioned. Usually 2 per bale.
STEP 5
Jacks with scrap timber to spread load used to compress bottom 4 rows. After a big enough gap is created the strops are tensioned to hold bales down and the jacks removed. It is not possible to create enough compression with the strops alone.
STEP 6
The gap is longer than 1 bale so 2 part bales are fitted. The gap created is still snug so metal trays and mallet used to guide bale into postion.
STEP 7
Strops can now be released and pulled through.
STEP 8
East wall finished and ready for plaster prep!
AUTHOR BIO Pat Mawson is a licensed builder living in Hawkes Bay with his partner and two young boys. Together with Nils Rock, their building company “R M Strawbale Ltd.” specialises in Strawbale houses with a focus on natural and non toxic materials. Pat has been plastering houses with clay plasters and lime plasters for the past ten years and loves learning and experimenting with both materials. Before becoming a builder Pat worked in the forest industry and still has a strong interest in trees and timber, especially NZ grown alternative timbers. Pat is the current Chair of EBANZ.
