Big Bad Canis

I thought y'all only built houses with brick and concrete.

literal tinder boxes....

If you are jokeing and referring to the fairytale then I get it.

Otherwise: no it's not a tinderbox. I work in construction as a carpenter and we encounter this building method and the fire argument sometimes. Fire needs fuel and an oxidant. No oxygen after the little that is in there and the worst thing is a slow glim and even that won't happen. The walls covering this straw are made from f30 material that can withstand fire, you guessed it, for 30 minutes. So no flash fires In seconds.

Another example is blow in inaulwyion insulation ~smartasses~ made from cellulose recycling. News paper. It has been used for at least two decades in Germany and is never thr cause for a fire.

Warum liegt denn hier Stroh?

What if the f30 material is damaged or air gaps left by installer?

How resilient and sensitive to flaws in construction?

It’s also treated with a fire retardant.

Then you violated the building code. Regarding fire and arguably more importantly air tightness to prevent condensation and resulting water damage.

In attics its mandatory to do a blow out test where you create overpressure and search for air movement and leaks with a smoke machine.

Rule of thumb is outer walls wind tight, inside perimeter walls air tight. (Diffusion open)

Another example is blow in inaulwyion made from cellulose recycling.

Ugh, I guess you meant insulation? And yes, this stuff is widely used in Finland, too.

Little pig little pig, let me in

Massively well built for insulation properties. The biggest thing to bedevil this building material is water. Would absolutely love a small house built with packed straw or even better, cob.

Lol. This from the people who accuse us of living in cardboard houses.

People in construction know what they're doing and in general know what they're talking about.

Unfortunately, that excellently constructed home they spent so much effort on will still be sitting there in 5, 15, maybe 50 years from now. And all that time it's definitely not getting all it's proper maintenance, and will slowly be dropping in quality.

I doubt these buildings would go up hindenburg style, but after a decade or two of being lived in, fires will not be as easy to put out in a home like this.

Source: not a construction worker, but have worked in construction for a few years here and there and have been working with fire for several decades (and working to make fire safe to handle and trying to fireproof a couple garages)

Great London fire part deux electric boogaloo

Or i'll roast you whole.

That reminds me, I should add some more inaulwyion to my attic this fall.

And all that time it's definitely not getting all it's proper maintenance

That’s a human problem, not a problem with the material and would affect any home built with any material. Also, what kind of maintenance requires you to open up the walls?

I doubt these buildings would go up hindenburg style, but after a decade or two of being lived in, fires will not be as easy to put out in a home like this.

Anything to support this besides your assumptions? Straw has been in use for a very long time and, generally speaking, this statement doesn’t hold up.

https://www.nachi.org/straw-bale-home-basics-history.htm

That seems like a lot more ecological than concrete, and is great insulation at same time

I watched a strawbale building demonstration 20 years ago where they torched a stuccoed strawbale structure that had no treatments: the fire reached over 2000°f and when it was cooled, they cut open the stawbales and showed the fire didn't burn the bale more than an inch deep. They really do not burn due to the lack of oxygen.

Water on the other hand can rot out a whole wall if it's not sealed.

I assume it's cheaper and easier to build with, but is it as structurally sound?

Warum hast du ne Maske auf?

That was ever since the first wolf incident, but it seems history is doomed to repeat itself.

and what if the owner added a hole because they felt like it?

a good material for a house will survive neglect.

Thanks. I just figured this was some obscure building material I had never heard of. Maybe Icelandic in origin.

Oh it is. Only known to the very few initiated.

It is usually in between timber frames. Standalone I haven't encountered it.

Edit: it is foremost used because of the great insulation and room climate properties. Also it is renewable and local. So a bunch of pluses.

Same with wood in fires. Large crossections have a great fire rating because the outer layer chars and keeps oxygen away.

Uh, I don't think so. But maybe you can teach me something. Do you have an example of a structure that is exposed to the elements and doesn't need Amy maintenance? while providing good living xonditions of course.

That wouldn't be good for a bunch of reasons. Mainly because the owner is obviously stupid.

That being said, I'd argue that Cars aren't safe because if you light a fire under it and wait for a few minutes it goes up in flames.

Same reasoning.

Water in any kind of insulation or basic material (even concrete) would be bad in terms of insulation properties but also in lasting damage to the building substance.

Please do. Before it's too late.

Do you know if the straw is treated as well?

Signed - Mold and fire

What an absolutely ridiculous statement to make. I can only assume you’re trolling.

The straw is finished over with lime or clay, which is breathable, but also seals it from moisture. And the straw by itself is more fire resistant than a traditional wood frame because the straw is dense and a couple feet thick

And flammable insulation*.

Everybody's talking about fire, likely due to London's track record, but honestly I think this stuff is going to get soggy, mold, and fill with rot long before any reasonable structural lifespan.

It can be, it was/is in Canada, treated for rodent resistance, so not hard to do flame too.

Straw has its own issues, if it gets wet, it can spontaneously combust. The heat from decomposition is enough, and it’s self oxidizing too iirc. It being sealed is what makes it easier, the heat can’t escape.

You're an idiot.

Natural fibre insulation provides excellent thermal and acoustic performance, creating more comfortable and energy-efficient living spaces. Made from eco-friendly materials such as hemp, wool, wood fibre, grass and cellulose, it regulates temperature effectively and prevents moisture buildup and mould. Its hygroscopic nature and breathability reduce the risk of condensation, contributing to a healthier indoor environment. With no harmful chemicals, it promotes better air quality and is safer to handle, promoting healthy indoor environments while improving the overall sustainability of buildings.

You could have said all that without being rude. I'll give you a hint, leave insults to the vent end of the post. You cunt.

In a country that starting to have wildfire seasons.

If you put it in a compost bin: composts

If you put it in an enclosed box with out sunlight: doesn't compost

Make it make sense. Rather than assume the material resists moisture accumulation, we should be building structures in the assumption that moisture WILL accumulate without failure. Even wood, fiberglass, and drywall buildings fall apart too damn easily if nobody is around to keep the roof patched up and air circulating.

These materials have been used in construction for thousands of years, we know how to do ventilation and preventing water from getting there

Fire yes, but we can restrict the spread of fire to reduce the damage by not building like Norwegians

I loved the Green Jelly version

https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2019-21/hay-and-straw-barn-fires-real-danger

You can be an ass and call him an idiot all you want but wet straw is a serious fire hazard.

Farmers have known for thousands of years that wet straw can spontaneously combust and you're saying people can't put a nail in their wall or install a new outdoor light?

What happens if you have a pinhole leak in a pipe?

Here is my opinion on a matter that is based off my existing knowledge of a subject. I am not speaking as an expert on this subject.

“You fucking imbecile! You absolute scum-eating fool!”

I think you might need to work on your conversation skills mate.

Wet straw is a problem. Which is why you would use appropriate levels of sheathing moisture barriers and vapor barriers to manage the levels of humidity inside the building and inside the walls.

So it's not a problem as long as you don't need to hang a picture, install some lights, get into your wall for any reason, have a pipe leak, or ever have any pests.