INTRODUCTION

Panelling is a millwork wall covering constructed from rigid or semi – rigid components. These
are traditionally interlocking wood but could be plastic or other materials. It is single piece of material,
usually flat and cut into a rectangular shape, that serves as the visible and exposed covering for a wall.
Wall panels are functional as well as decorative, providing insulation and soundproofing, combined with
uniformity of appearance, along with some measure of durability or ease of replaceability. And using
wall panels can reduce construction costs by providing a consistent appearance to the panelled surface
without requiring the application of paint or another finishing material.

One of the most common wall panel is the styromesh wall panel. It is an alternative building
system that can be used in place of wood or metal – framed walls, hollow block walls or pre – cast
panels. It consist of a polystyrene core sandwich in between a three – dimensional steel wire frame that
consists of two outer layers of welded wire mesh and a series of diagonal trusses that pierces the
polystyrene core and welded to each wire panel for strength and support. It becomes a structural wall
when concrete is put into place whether by hand or machine.

Polystyrene is made into a foam material, called expanded polystyrene (EPS) or extruded
polystyrene (XPS), which is valued for its insulating and cushioning properties. It is an amorphous,
colorless, and transparent commodity thermoplastic. And it is rigid, brittle, relatively hard and has
excellent gamma radiation resistance, good electrical properties but has poor chemical and UV
resistance. It can also be radiation sterilized.

The advantages of using styromesh in wall panel, first, due to its light weight, it can be easily be
carried by one man. Entire walls can be laid out in a day or two, instead of weeks. Second, the steel wire
trusses connecting the welded wire mesh over the full length of the panel forms a continuously
reinforced configuration, exhibiting structural strength. Third, losses due to breakage is eliminated. Cut
pieces can be used for other applications. Fourth, due to its polystyrene core, homes stay cooler in the
summer and also provides for a quieter interior. Fifth, it is easy to cut and shape doors and windows.
And lastly, it is easier to install or embed utility pipes.

Straw bales were first used for building over a century ago for thatch roofing and also mixed
with earth in cob and wattle and daub walls. Straw is the springy tubular stalk of grasses like wheat and
rice that are high in tensile strength. Straw bale walls are surprisingly resistant to fire, vermin and decay.
Rice straw can make more durable bales than wheat straw because its high silica content
improves rot resistance. And it is slightly denser, and therefore heavier, but can otherwise be treated
the same as straw bales.
 The advantages of using rice straw in wall panel, first, it is affordable. Second, it is very well
insulated depending on the thickness of the wall. Third, it is more fire retardant than traditional stick-
framed homes. Fourth, it is an agricultural by-product. Fifth, it is almost always locally available. Sixth,
it can be incredibly fast and easy. Seventh, are gorgeous and lastly, it is economical.
https://www.slideshare.net/akm420420/panelling
1. 1. PANELLING REPORT ON Submitted to- Shadilal Anjanaye sharma Submitted by-
Abhishek kr. Maurya b.Arch 4th year 131332390002
2. 2. PANELLING • PANELLING (OR PANELING IN THE U.S.) IS A MILLWORK
WALL COVERING CONSTRUCTED FROM RIGID OR SEMI-RIGID
COMPONENTS.[1] THESE ARE TRADITIONALLY INTERLOCKING WOOD, BUT
COULD BE PLASTIC OR OTHER MATERIALS. • PANELLING WAS DEVELOPED
IN ANTIQUITY TO MAKE ROOMS IN STONE BUILDINGS MORE
COMFORTABLE.[CITATION NEEDED] THE PANELS SERVED TO INSULATE THE
ROOM FROM THE COLD STONE. IN MORE MODERN BUILDINGS, SUCH
PANELLING IS OFTEN INSTALLED FOR DECORATIVE PURPOSES.
PANELLING, SUCH AS WAINSCOTING AND BOISERIE IN PARTICULAR, MAY
BE EXTREMELY ORNATE AND IS PARTICULARLY ASSOCIATED WITH
SEVENTEENTH AND EIGHTEENTH CENTURY INTERIOR DESIGN, VICTORIAN
ARCHITECTURE IN BRITAIN, AND ITS INTERNATIONAL CONTEMPORARIES.
3. 3. TYPES OF WALL PANELING • WALL PANELING IS AN ARCHITECTURAL
ELEMENT OFTEN INSTALLED IN RESIDENTIAL OR COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS.
DECORATIVE WALL PANELING IS INSTALLED OVER WALLS TO ADD
AESTHETIC APPEAL, WHILE OTHER TYPES OF PANELING MAY BE ADDED
FOR THEIR FUNCTIONAL OR STRUCTURAL CHARACTERISTICS. MANY
PANELING VARIETIES ARE AVAILABLE AT HOME IMPROVEMENT AND
HARDWARE STORES WHILE OTHERS MAY BE PURCHASED FROM
SPECIALTY DISTRIBUTORS.
4. 4. DECORATIVE WALL PANELS • DECORATIVE WALL PANELS ARE AVAILABLE
IN MANY DIFFERENT MATERIALS. THEY ARE OFTEN USED TO CHANGE THE
LOOK OF THE WALL, BUT MAY ALSO BE INSTALLED TO HELP PROTECT THE
WALL FROM DAMAGE. WAINSCOTING IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMONLY
USED WALL PANELS. IT IS MADE FROM WOOD OR SYNTHETIC MATERIALS
PATTERNED WITH CARVINGS AND DESIGNS. WAINSCOT IS USUALLY
INSTALLED ON THE LOWER HALF OF A WALL, BUT HEIGHTS AND STYLES
MAY VARY. PRE-FABRICATED PANELS MAY BE USED, OR THOSE FAMILIAR
WITH WOODWORKING CAN CREATE THEIR OWN VERSIONS. OTHER
COMMON MATERIALS USED FOR DECORATIVE PANELING INCLUDE
LAMINATE, STAINLESS STEEL AND PLASTICS. • TILEBOARD • TILEBOARD
PANELS ARE MADE FROM MELAMINE OR RESIN AND ARE USED TO MIMIC
THE LOOK OF CERAMIC TILE. THEY ARE TEXTURED AND COLORED TO LOOK
LIKE TILE, AND ARE ATTACHED TO A MOISTURE-RESISTANT BACKERBOARD.
THESE PANELS ARE AN AFFORDABLE ALTERNATIVE TO CERAMIC AND ARE
MUCH EASIER TO INSTALL. TILEBOARD PANELS ALSO DO NOT HAVE GROUT
LINES, WHICH MAKE
5. 5. . . TILEBOARD. DECORATIVE WALL PANELS.
6. 6. UTILITY PANELING • UTILITY PANELING, OFTEN CALLED PEGBOARD, IS
MADE FROM PERFORATED HARDBOARD AND IS USED FOR ITS FUNCTION
AND APPEARANCE. THESE PANELS CONTAIN ROWS OF SMALL HOLES THAT
CAN BE USED TO HANG OBJECTS FROM NAILS OR PEGS. THEY ARE
FREQUENTLY USED IN KITCHENS OR GARAGES, AS WELL AS IN
COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS. UTILITY PANELING IS AVAILABLE IN
STANDARD WHITE OR NATURAL WOOD FINISHES AND ALSO IN CUSTOM
 COLORS. THESE PANELS CAN BE INSTALLED OVER THE ENTIRE WALL OR
JUST IN SMALL AREAS AS NEEDED. • ACOUSTICAL PANELS • ACOUSTICAL
PANELS ARE USED TO CONTROL NOISE LEVELS IN A SPACE AND TO BLOCK
NOISE TRANSFER THROUGH WALLS. THEY'RE MADE FROM FOAM OR WOOD
CORES WRAPPED WITH A LAYER OF VINYL OR FABRIC. THE PANELS HELP
ABSORB SOUND AND ARE COMMONLY USED N SCHOOLS, AUDITORIUMS
AND HOTELS. THESE PANELS ARE AVAILABLE IN A WIDE VARIETY OF
COLORS AND TEXTURES TO MATCH THE ROOM'S DECOR. ACOUSTICAL
PANELS CAN BE INSTALLED TEMPORARILY USING CLIPS OR MAGNETS, OR
WITH NAILS OR ADHESIVE FOR MORE PERMANENT APPLICATIONS.
7. 7. . . UTILITY PANELLING…. ACOUSTICAL PANELLING….
8. 8. STRUCTURAL WALL PANELS • WHILE MOST TYPES OF WALL PANELING
ARE INSTALLED ON THE INTERIOR, OTHERS ARE USED TO CREATE
EXTERIOR WALLS. THESE PANELS ARE FREQUENTLY MADE FROM
PRECAST CONCRETE AND ALLOW FOR QUICK AND EASY FRAMING OF
HOMES AND BUSINESSES. SOME STRUCTURAL PANELS MAY BE USED TO
REPLACE BOTH INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR WALLS. STRUCTURAL INSULATED
PANELS (SIPS) TAKE THE PLACE OF WALL FRAMING, INTERIOR DRYWALL
AND EXTERIOR SHEATHING OR SIDING. THEY ARE MADE FROM SHEETS OF
RIGID FOAM INSULATION SANDWICHED BETWEEN LAYERS OF WOOD FIBER
BOARD.
9. 9. MATERIALS USED FOR PANELLING • WOOD VENEERS • METAL PANELS •
AZURE™ WOODS • GRAPHIC PANELS • DIMENSIONAL PANELS • MARLITE
FINISH • A3 CERAMICSTEEL • FRP PANELS • HIGH PRESSURE LAMINATES •
TRANSLUCENTS • PHENOLIC-ULTRA DURABLE • FABRIC
10. 10. . .
11. 11. WOOD PANELING NATURE OF WOOD PANELING • VERY HARD • WELL
SEASONED • DECORATIVE IN APPEARANCE • SOUND INSULATION • MAY BE
USED TO COVER A WALL COMPLETELY OR FORM A DADO • INSULATION
AGAINST HEAT • GIVES A WARM AND ELEGANT FEELING • WOOD PANELING
MAY BE SOLID OR VENEERED WOOD PANELING LASTS FOR YEARS WITH
LITTLE MAINTENANCE IF PROPER PRECAUTION ARE TAKEN AGAINST
WOODWORM CLEANING OF WOOD PANELING DUST SHOULD BE REMOVED
USING VACUUM CLEANER. WHEN THE PANELS BECOME DIRTY THEY
SHOULD BE WIPED OVER WITH WHITE SPIRIT, VINEGAR AND WATER AND
THEN POLISHED. METAL WALL COVERING • METALS MAY BE USED FOR
THEIR DECORATIVE AND HYGIENIC QUALITIES. • THE METALS NORMALLY
USED ARE COPPER, ANODIZED ALUMINUM AND STAINLESS STEEL •
OTHERS – LINOLEUM, CARPETS, MARBLE, GRANITE
12. 12. USES OF PANELLING • A WALL PANEL IS SINGLE PIECE OF MATERIAL,
USUALLY FLAT AND CUT INTO A RECTANGULAR SHAPE, THAT SERVES AS
THE VISIBLE AND EXPOSED COVERING FOR A WALL. WALL PANELS ARE
FUNCTIONAL AS WELL AS DECORATIVE, PROVIDING INSULATION AND
SOUNDPROOFING, COMBINED WITH UNIFORMITY OF APPEARANCE, ALONG
WITH SOME MEASURE OF DURABILITY OR EASE OF REPLACEABILITY.
WHILE THERE IS NO SET SIZE LIMIT FOR A PIECE OF MATERIAL FULFILLING
THESE FUNCTIONS, THE MAXIMUM PRACTICAL SIZE FOR WALL PANELS HAS
BEEN SUGGESTED TO BE 24 FEET BY 8 FEET, TO ALLOW FOR
TRANSPORTATION. • USE OF WALL PANELS CAN REDUCE CONSTRUCTION
 COSTS BY PROVIDING A CONSISTENT APPEARANCE TO THE PANELLED
SURFACE WITHOUT REQUIRING THE APPLICATION OF PAINT OR ANOTHER
FINISHING MATERIAL. WALL PANELS MAY BE FINISHED ON ONLY ONE SIDE,
IF THE OTHER SIDE IS GOING TO BE AGAINST A BRICK OR CONCRETE WALL,
OR A COMPARABLE STRUCTURE.[2] ALTERNATELY, THE PANELS MAY, IF
ASSEMBLED TO AN APPROPRIATE FRAMEWORK, SUBSTITUTE FOR HAVING
ANY OTHER KIND OF

wikepedia
A wall panel is single piece of material, usually flat and cut into a rectangular shape, that serves as the visible and
exposed covering for a wall. Wall panels are functional as well as decorative, providing insulation and soundproofing,
combined with uniformity of appearance, along with some measure of durability or ease of replaceability. While there
is no set size limit for a piece of material fulfilling these functions, the maximum practical size for wall panels has
been suggested to be 24 inches by 8 feet, to allow for transportation.[1]
Use of wall panels can reduce construction costs by providing a consistent appearance to the panelled surface
without requiring the application of paint or another finishing material. Wall panels may be finished on only one side, if
the other side is going to be against a brick or concrete wall, or a comparable structure. [2] Alternately, the panels may,
if assembled to an appropriate framework, substitute for having any other kind of wall at all. Holes may be cut or
drilled into a wall panel to accommodate electrical outlets and other devices coming out of the wall.
There is a new type of eco friendly 3d wall panel made out of the fibrous residue of sugarcane. This fibres of crushed
sugarcane stalks, remaining after raw sugar is extracted from the juice of the sugarcane by shredding it, is now the
raw material, called bagasse, that forms the base of this easily installed eco friendly product. The raw material used
for these 3d wall panel is 100% recycled, compostable and is therefore 100% biodegradable.[3]
Styromesh Wall Panel is an alternative building system that can be used in place of wood or metal-
framed walls, hollow block walls or pre-cast panels.
It consist of a polystyrene core sandwich in between a three-dimensional steel wire frame that consists
of two outer layers of welded wire mesh and a series of diagonal trusses that pierces the polystyrene
core and welded to each wire panel for strength and support. It becomes a structural wall when
concrete is put into place whether by hand or machine.

SPEEDY CONSTRUCTION - Due to its light weight, it can easily be carried by one man. Entire
walls can be laid out in a day or two, instead of weeks
HIGH STRENGTH - The steel wire trusses connecting the welded wire mesh over the full
length of the panel forms a continuously reinforced configuration, exhibiting structural
strength.
MINIMAL WASTAGE – Losses due to breakage is eliminated. Cut pieces can be used for other
applications.
BUILT-IN THERMAL & SOUND INSULATION – Due to its polystyrene core, homes stay cooler in
the summer and also provides for a quieter interior.
DESIGN VERSATILITY - Easy to cut and shape doors and windows.
EASE IN INSTALLATION – Easier to install or embed utility pipes.

http://supersonicgabions.ph/products/wire-products/supersonic-styromesh-wall-panel/

https://www.chemicalsafetyfacts.org/polystyrene/
Polystyrene is a versatile plastic used to make a wide
variety of consumer products. As a hard, solid plastic, it
is often used in products that require clarity, such as food
packaging and laboratory ware. When combined with
various colorants, additives or other plastics, polystyrene
is used to make appliances, electronics, automobile
parts, toys, gardening pots and equipment and more.
Polystyrene also is made into a foam material, called
expanded polystyrene (EPS) or extruded polystyrene
(XPS), which is valued for its insulating and cushioning
properties. Foam polystyrene can be more than 95
percent air and is widely used to make home and
appliance insulation, lightweight protective packaging,
surfboards, foodservice and food packaging, automobile
parts, roadway and roadbank stabilization systems and
more.
Polystyrene is made by stringing together, or
polymerizing, styrene, a building-block chemical used in
the manufacture of many products. Styrene also occurs
naturally in foods such as strawberries, cinnamon, coffee
and beef.
Follow Us on:FacebookTwitterYouTube
PRINT THIS PAGE
https://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=798

Polystyrene homopolymer, known as “crystal" polystyrene in the trade, is an

amorphous, colorless, and transparent commodity thermoplastic. It is rigid, brittle,
relatively hard and has excellent gamma radiation resistance, good electrical
properties but has poor chemical and UV resistance. It can also be radiation
sterilized.
Advantages
Advantages of Polystyrene include:

 Cheap, rigid, transparent, easy to mould and good dimensional stability.

 Good electrical properties, low dielectric loss.
 Excellent resistance to gamma radiation.

Disadvantages
Disadvantages of Polystyrene include:

 Brittle, poor chemical resistance especially to organics.

 Susceptible to UV degradation.
 Flammable.

Applications
Applications include toys, light diffusers, beakers, cutlery, general household
appliances, video/audio cassette cases, electronic housings, refrigerator liners,
housewares, containers, glazing, packaging and for HIPS.

Structural foam polystyrene moldings are used for business machine housings, tools,
cases and boxes. Expanded polystyrene beads are used for packaging and cushioning.
Foamed polystyrene is used for food trays, dishes, and egg boxes.

https://sciencestruck.com/polystyrene-properties

Polystyrene is produced by the polymerization of the monomer styrene, which is a

derivative of petroleum. If you look at the chemical structure of polystyrene, you'll
see that it is composed of carbon and hydrogen atoms only. Thus, it is classified as a
hydrocarbon. Now, if you observe the bonds in its chemical structure, you'll see that
the carbon atoms are linked to one another by covalent bonds. Every alternate
carbon atom on the polystyrene chain has a phenyl group (name given to benzene
ring) attached to it. It is a long-chain hydrocarbon, and its chemical formula is C8H8)n.
Given below is the chemical structure of polystyrene.
HTTPS://HOTWIRESYSTE
MS.COM/WHAT-IS-
POLYSTYRENE-EPS-XPS-
DIFFERENT-USES-OF-
POLYSTYRENE/
WHY POLYSTYRENE
FOAM?
There are several reasons why the abovementioned materials are so widely used.
TYPICALLY MEANS:
o Lightweight and portable,
o Easily recyclable,
o Easily laminated with epoxy resin,
o High thermal insulation,
o Ideal for outdoor/indoor works,
o Resistant to Moisture,
o Extremely durable,
o Compression resistant,
o Branded by printing or adhesive labeling,
o Easily recyclable,
o Versatile in strength,
o Low price,
o Manufactured into different shapes, sizes and compression materials,
o High shock absorbency characteristics,
o Possibility to apply different coating.
http://www.yourhome.gov.au/mat
erials/straw-bale
Straw bale
Straw bale [PDF 7.4 MB]
Straw has been used as a building material for centuries for thatch roofing and
also mixed with earth in cob and wattle and daub walls. Straw bales were first
used for building over a century ago by settlers in Nebraska, USA, shortly
after the invention of baling machines.
Straw is derived from grasses and is regarded as a renewable building
material since its primary energy input is solar and it can be grown and
harvested.
Straw bales were first used for building over a century ago.
Straw is the springy tubular stalk of grasses like wheat and rice that are high
in tensile strength. It is not hay, which is used for feeding livestock and
includes the grain head. Straw is composed of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignins
and silica. It breaks down in soil, so waste straw can be used as mulch.
Different grasses have slightly different qualities: rice straw for instance has a
significant amount of silica, which adds density and resistance to
decomposition.
Strawbale walls are surprisingly resistant to fire, vermin and decay. The
Australian straw bales suitable for domestic construction have two strings
(American how-to books often show three-string bales) and are typically
900mm long x 450mm wide x 350–400mm high, and weigh 16–20kg.
Agribusiness produces large round straw bales that are no use for building
purposes but rectangular ‘jumbo bales’ are available (2,400mm x 1,200mm x
1,200mm) which can be used for large structures and require mechanical
lifting.

Photo: Paul Downton

A ‘truth window’ is a common feature in strawbale homes, providing a glimpse
of the material that is otherwise completely rendered over and hidden in the
finished building

Performance summary
Appearance
Finished strawbale walls are invariably rendered with cement or earth so that
the straw is not visible. The final appearance of rendered straw bale can be
very smooth and almost indistinguishable from rendered masonry, or it can be
more expressive and textural.

Structural capability
The structural capability of straw bales is surprisingly good. In the loadbearing
(‘Nebraska’ style) strawbale method, walls of up to three storeys have been
constructed. Most strawbale construction uses a frame of timber or steel for
the building structure to comply with the Building Code of Australia (BCA) (see
Construction systems).
There are many examples of multi-storey buildings in framed strawbale
construction.

Photo: Paul Downton

Straw bales in the city. There is no location that strawbale building cannot
adapt to.

Thermal mass
Straw bales have very low thermal mass, being composed, by volume, mostly
of air. However, the cement and earth renders typically used on straw bales
result in finished walls having appreciable thermal mass in the masonry ‘skins’
either side of the insulated straw core. With earthen renders a thick render
skin of up to 75mm can be achieved, providing significant thermal mass (see
Thermal mass).
Insulation
Straw bales have excellent insulation properties, among the most cost
effective thermal insulation available (see Insulation).

 Centimetre for centimetre, straw has similar insulation value to

fibreglass batts.
 A typical strawbale wall has an R-value greater than 10.
 Dollar for dollar, the insulation value of a strawbale wall exceeds
conventional construction.

The design goal in any structure must be to complement the insulation

performance with the performance of the rest of the building. Thus, it is
essential to insulate roofs and windows to maintain the overall performance of
a strawbale building (see Design for climate; Orientation; Passive solar
heating; Passive cooling; Glazing).

Photo: Paul Downton

Straw bales can accommodate any window shape and occasionally be used
for internal walls.

Sound insulation
Straw bales also provide cost effective sound insulation, which contributes to
the liveability of this kind of construction and can be quite marked. Even
walking into the space created by an unfinished strawbale structure, one can
appreciate the quietness and hear the difference from conventional buildings
(see Noise control).

Fire resistance
Straw bales are tightly packed and covered with a skin of render. Fire can’t
burn without oxygen, and the dense walls provide a nearly airless
environment, so the fire resistance of compacted straw is very good.
Laboratory fire tests conducted at the Richmond Field Station in 1997 by
students at the University of California Berkeley rated a strawbale wall at two
hours. Strawbale homes survived Californian bush fires that destroyed
conventional structures. A fire that started in a Whyalla strawbale building did
not take hold, as it would have in a conventional structure, and the damage
caused was repaired with the cost covered by insurance.
Because the dense walls provide a nearly airless environment, the fire
resistance of compacted straw is very good.
Tests undertaken by the CSIRO on behalf of Ausbale and the South
Australian fire authority in July 2002 on three kinds of standard size rendered
straw bales (earth; lime and sand; lime, sand and cement) produced a two
hour fire rating. Samples were subjected to a simulated bushfire front with a
maximum heat intensity of 29kW per square metre — an accepted standard
under AS 3959, Construction of buildings in bushfire prone areas. Since the
2009 Victorian bushfires new standards have been set for testing materials for
bushfires.
Straw bales can burn (slowly) but the potential for fire to take hold can be
minimised. Try to cap walls by continuing render over the top of the bales and
plates so that an inadvertent flue effect does not support combustion by
bringing in air to fuel the fire.
Strawbale structures attract interest: sometimes that interest is not positive.
Maintain vigilance during construction and ensure that loose straw and
sawdust or other combustibles are not left in or around the structure at any
time. Some trades use fire, such as oxy cutters and welders. Take special
care to manage activities that are of high fire risk.

Vermin resistance
A completed wall has excellent resistance to vermin and the normal termite
protection measures required in the BCA are generally sufficient. However,
prevent infestation of mice during construction when the bales are relatively
unprotected. Most strawbale construction is coated with plaster or render
which is adequate to keep animals out, and if they do manage to get inside,
densely packed straw makes it hard for them to navigate through the space.
During construction, consider using traps and baits to ensure the finished
structure is sound and vermin-free.

Photo: Paul Downton

Laying straw bale.
Durability and moisture resistance
Provided the straw is protected and not allowed to get waterlogged, strawbale
buildings may have a lifetime of 100 years or more (Amazon Nails 2001).
The most detrimental factor affecting strawbale wall durability is long term or
repeated exposure to water. After two or three weeks the fungi in bales
produce enzymes that break down straw cellulose if the moisture content is
above 20% by weight. The best way to prevent rot in a finished structure is to
create a waterproof, breathable wall. The survival of historic strawbale
structures in Nebraska and Alabama demonstrates their durability in climates
with variable moisture and temperature.
Rice straw can make more durable bales than wheat straw because its high
silica content improves rot resistance. Rice straw bales are slightly denser,
and therefore heavier, but can otherwise be treated the same as straw bales.

Toxicity and breathability

The natural materials of strawbale construction are safe and biodegradable.
Some people are allergic to the dust created during strawbale building. No
toxic fumes are released when straw burns and there is no toxic end to the
strawbale construction cycle. Strawbale walls have good breathability,
allowing air to slowly permeate the structure without moisture penetration.
Earthen and some earth-lime renders may allow walls to ‘breathe’ better than
cement render, especially renders that have a high cement to sand ratio.

Photo: Alex Makayev Photography

Straw bale in the bush. Strawbale walls provide good insulation against cold
nights and hot days.

Environmental impacts
Straw is a waste product; it cannot be used for feed, like hay, and much of it is
burned at the end of the season. Using straw for building reduces air pollution
and stores carbon. The straw left over from building can be used as mulch so
that, overall, there is minimal waste from using the material (see Waste
minimisation).
Straw bales contain a high level of renewable material. Straw has a six month
growing cycle and is biodegradable. To be sustainable in the long term, straw
would need to be grown in a way that maintained the soil quality and
ecological integrity of its provenance.
Fertilisers and pesticides associated with industrial farming practices increase
the environmental impact of straw bales, as does the use of baling twine
made from petroleum products.
Straw bales are inherently low in embodied energy but most are produced by
fossil-fuelled machinery, tied together by plastic twine and transported long
distances — increasing their embodied energy. Strawbale walls often require
concrete footings that add further to the energy cost of their construction.
Rice straw is a by-product of irrigation agriculture that changes the flow and
water balance of catchments in Australia’s major river systems. Wheat straw
is less water-intensive.
Greenhouse gas emissions associated with straw bales are very low. One
tonne of concrete requires more than 50 times the amount of energy in its
manufacture than straw. Using straw for building stores carbon that would
otherwise be released but the amount sequestered per dwelling is relatively
small.
Straw’s primary value is as an insulating material that enables houses to use
less energy and have lower carbon dioxide emissions over the building’s life.

Buildability, availability and cost

Strawbale construction rates highly for buildability because it can be very
straightforward and is well suited to workshop and volunteer based building
programs. Many volunteer and workshop-based bale raisings happen around
Australia. The very active and informed network of straw balers constantly
explores ways to improve and quantify bale building technology. In 2002 the
non-profit association Ausbale was formed to develop and provide information
on strawbale building techniques and performance.
Strawbale construction rates highly for buildability because it can be very
straightforward and is well suited to workshop and volunteer based building
programs.
The general availability of straw bales is good, with many settled parts of
Australia being within an hour or so of wheat or rice straw supplies. Straw bale
is a low cost material but requires labour-intensive construction techniques.
Projects that incorporate some volunteer or workshop-based construction can
deliver cost savings. A large detached dwelling, with a high standard of fittings
and finishes and built through conventional building contractual arrangements,
costs about the same as if it were in double brick, but with a better cost-saving
thermal performance.

Typical domestic construction

Construction process
Strawbale construction methods are all variations on ways of achieving good
bale compression to minimise settlement and movement.
Bales must be well compacted and have a moisture content not exceeding
15% — below 10% is preferable. Straw bales must not get wet inside but
wetting the sides should not be a problem. Straw does not wick water into
itself like concrete. If rain is driven into the sides of bales, the natural
movement of air or wind around the bales is able to dry them out, and this
cycle of wetting and drying does not damage the bale.
While footings are being prepared, work can proceed on other aspects of the
building. Making frames and ‘bucks’ in advance of site works can speed up
construction.
The vertical and horizontal stability of strawbale walls needs to be secured by
tying bales to structural frames or pinning between bales and structural
elements. There is growing consensus that the extensive use of reinforced
steel bars and excessive pinning that characterised early strawbale
construction is not necessary and modern practice is thus more material and
resource efficient.
Bales are laid like giant bricks and, as with bricks, it is preferable to interlock
the bales for a stronger and more stable wall, whether or not it is loadbearing.

Typical details
All structural design should be prepared by a competent person and may
require preparation or checking by a qualified engineer. Qualified
professionals, architects and designers have years of experience and access
to intellectual property that can save house builders time and money as well
as help ensure environmental performance.
Source: Paul Downton
Strawbale wall panel — typical detail (simplified).

Footings
A strawbale wall requires footings with a similar load carrying capacity to that
required for a masonry wall, although a straw wall is generally lighter (one
mud brick weighs about the same as a straw bale). Footings are usually
concrete strips or slabs to facilitate compliance with the BCA. The width of a
footing under a nominal 500mm rendered strawbale wall is typically 450mm
(subject to soil conditions); this results in approximately 2m3 of additional
concrete for a 150m2 home, adding a one-off emission of about 300kg of
carbon dioxide (the average Australian household carbon footprint is a
recurring 15 tonnes a year) (see Embodied energy).
There have been successful experiments with rubble trench and rubber tyre
footings, and several strawbale buildings in Australia are built on piers,
bearers and joists. As with mud bricks, the non-loadbearing option means a
roof structure can be raised in advance of the walls to provide a protected
environment for building works (see Mud brick).

Source: Paul Downton

Bottom plate detail.

Loadbearing walls
The earliest strawbale buildings of over a century ago were loadbearing.
Australian strawbale experts recommend a maximum wall height of 2.5m
when using standard sized bales. Bales for loadbearing construction should
ideally have tighter strings than normal.
Loadbearing strawbale construction employs relatively simple techniques that
are forgiving to novice builders and yet have sufficient flexibility to allow the
creation of design features such as curved walls. Its limitations are that
openings for windows and doors should not exceed 50% of any given wall
surface area and the maximum unbraced wall length is about 6m.
Photo: Paul Downton
Another kind of base plate with a lower profile and no crosspieces. Note early
placement of conduit to accept wiring.
Bales should be laid like bricks in a ‘running bond’, i.e. butted end to end with
joints that fall in the middle of the bale on the rows above and below. Corners
should allow for at least a full bale return in each direction to give strength and
stability. After the walls are laid they have to be pre-compressed before taking
any structural loads. Of the variety of methods for achieving this, the most
popular and practical method is grippling.
Grippling runs 2.5mm high tensile fencing wire vertically around the bale walls
every 450mm. The wires are run through a bottom ‘plate’ (generally a ladder-
frame timber structure secured to the footings) and over a top plate (similar, or
as simple as a plank of wood). Gripples are proprietary soft metal clamps that
hold the wires in tension. They were invented for fencing use and are
available with the associated specialist tools through fencing suppliers.

Photo: Paul Downton

Ladder frame being filled with pea gravel before frame and bale placement.
Early experiments in bale building used excessive vertical reinforcement to tie
bales to footings and to each other. Good results with better economy in
materials can be achieved without reinforced steel bars, and the vertical
spiking of bales is largely unnecessary with the wire and grippling method.
Like giant bricks, straw bales need to be cut to fit into wall lengths, the fewer
cuts the better. Design walls in strawbale length modules and calculate
heights from working out strawbale dimensions and allowing for compression
of 50–75mm per single storey height of bales.
Slicing a bale requires that it is first ‘sewn’ at the desired finished length; the
original twine is then cut. The idea is to produce two short bales with the same
compression as the original, held by new sets of twine. The cutting and
trimming of bales can be done with hand tools, but the most popular and
effective method is to use a chain saw with a blade length of at least 400mm.

Frames
Although it is possible to build strong and effective single storey strawbale
structures, it is often easier to ensure BCA compliance and predictable
engineering outcomes if the walls are constructed as infill elements between
loadbearing frames. Non-loadbearing strawbale walls are similar to
loadbearing but are generally more complex and have to be connected to the
frames within which they sit. The frames allow more freedom in the design
and placement of openings and a running bond is not as critical as it is with
loadbearing walls. Pre-compression is still necessary to avoid problems with
the bales settling over time.
Framework and posts can be constructed off site and the frame can allow a
roof to be constructed in advance of the wall raising, providing shelter during
the wall construction process.

Photo: Paul Downton

A chain saw is the tool of choice for cutting and trimming straw bales.
Framed construction provides more design freedom for wall and opening
placement — in the example below, a large two-storey bay structure with a
partly cantilevered floor construction can be easily achieved that would not be
possible in the same way in a loadbearing strawbale structure.

Photo: Paul Downton

A typical frame. This two storey house uses only recycled and plantation
timbers.

Photo: Paul Downton

The use of frames makes almost any kind of opening possible in strawbale
construction.

Joints and connections

Strawbale walls can be joined to almost any construction provided attention is
paid to flashing details, preferably with the assistance of a competent architect
or designer. When one material joins another, accommodate for differential
movement and ensure there is no passage for moisture penetration.
The roof timbers or steel members can spring from the columns (particularly in
the case of steel) or bear on wall plates. It is recommended that roofs have a
considerable overhang to afford some protection to walls from driving rain. In
more sheltered areas this requirement is less important, but take care to use a
good quality render and waterproofing finish.

Photo: Paul Downton

The middle plate and compression wires can be seen in this detail of a timber
framed, three storey strawbale townhouse.

Fixings
It is possible to fix substantial loads to loadbearing and non-loadbearing
strawbale walls by forming clamps made from planks of timber on either side
of the bales, tied through the wall with high tensile wire and tensioned by
grippling or twisting. Other methods for fixing such things as shelves and
kitchen cupboards simply use elements connected to the loadbearing frame.
With cement rendered interior skins that are a nominal minimum of 30mm
thick, it is possible to hang pictures and other items off plugged holes in the
thin masonry skin.

Openings
Windows, doors and other openings in strawbale walls generally have to be
placed within a frame designed to withstand compression loads, unless the
window or door frames are themselves strong enough to do the job. These
frames are sometimes called ‘bucks’. With bucks to resist distortion, almost
any kind of window or door can be set into a straw wall, either ‘floating’ in the
bales or tied to frames. Until the walls have undergone final compression,
window and door frames and bucks must have adequate temporary cross-
bracing.
It is best to set any frames with their faces flush to the outside face of a wall to
improve weather protection. This also makes a deeper ‘reveal’ to the interior,
opening up possibilities for deep interior sills, window seats and angled or
sculpted surrounds to the openings that can do much to improve overall
daytime lighting qualities (see Lighting).
Source: Paul Downton
Typical buck placement.

Source: Paul Downton

Typical window opening detail.

Source: Paul Downton

Sill detail.
Use standard flashing materials and methods to weatherproof window
openings that are exposed to direct rainfall.
Niches can be cut into strawbale walls in almost any position or formation
provided care is taken not to cut into the twine that binds the bales together.

Finishes
Strawbale walls need render to protect them from rain, fire and vermin. Wall
claddings such as corrugated steel sheets cannot provide sufficient protection
as they do not seal the surface of the bales.

Photo: Paul Downton

Window reveals can be shaped to soften the entry of light and reduce glare.
Before any render is applied, the walls must achieve final compression and
licensed tradespeople must install electrical and plumbing conduits. Details of
these installations depend on the design of the building. Avoid placing water
pipes adjacent to unrendered bales to minimise potential problems with future
leaks.
Three main kinds of render are used in Australian strawbale construction:
cement, lime and sand; lime putty and sand; and earthen render (sometimes
incorporating lime).
Final finishes on cement renders can range from clear acrylic-based water
repellents to traditional coloured lime wash. Cement renders can be finished
with a lime putty render topcoat. The three layers of render should be
progressively weaker to reduce the potential for cracking caused by having
too brittle an external layer. Lime putty renders resist cracking and hold
coloured oxides well. Earth renders are gaining popularity as concerns about
their effectiveness have been addressed. The main advantages of using earth
renders are to do with minimising environmental impact and time spent in
preparation and application. Earth renders significantly reduce the embodied
energy of the building (see Mud brick).

Photo: Paul Downton

Strawbale walls can be sharp, smooth and even sloping.
Seek advice from experienced strawbale builders wherever possible.
Render can be applied directly to the face of a strawbale wall, particularly
earth renders. Cement has a long life but does not bond well with straw and
requires a supporting medium. A common method has been to fix chicken
wire to the wall surfaces to be rendered by sewing lighter gauge wire through
the walls at 450mm spacing and by pinning it with staples made from medium
gauge wire (2mm). A number of practitioners are moving away from the use of
chicken wire and emphasise working the render into the bale surface instead.
There are various ways of improving adhesion and reinforcing the render
skins, including the use of fibreglass netting instead of chicken wire.
Curved corners, window and door returns, and all junctions between dissimilar
materials are best dealt with by having expanded metal mesh as the substrate
for any render.
An increasingly popular method of applying render employs a concrete pump
or spray, as used to make swimming pools. Renders should not create non-
breathing skins that prevent the movement of air and encourage mould,
fungus and decomposition of the straw.

Photo: Alex Makayev Photography

The use of light colours in the finishes of this living room enhances the effect
of natural timber.

Things to watch out for

There are no formally established standards for strawbale building but, like
any building material, the best performance comes from following
acknowledged best practice.
  Build test walls before proceeding with the final construction.
 Keep bales dry during storage and construction.
 Try to eliminate vermin: straw attracts mice and it is not unusual to find
mice in strawbale deliveries.
 Keep on-site storage times to a minimum.
 Cover otherwise unprotected walls with tarpaulins or plastic sheets
(which should be kept ready for easy deployment).
 Ensure moisture content of straw bales is below 15%.
 Cover any exposed straw with render to keep out water and vermin.
 Continue render over the tops of walls to minimise the potential for
drawing air through the wall in the event of fire (allowing it to smoulder).
 Pick up and bag all loose straw (for use as mulch) during construction to
avoid creating a fire hazard.

Although it may not be ideal, if bales do get slightly wet they can often be
dried out sufficiently to be usable. Strawbale walls are very resilient and in the
event of damage they can be repaired. Wet bales can be taken out and
replaced and even fire damage can be repaired under insurance.
http://pajaconstruction.com/advantages-and-challenges-of-straw-bale-construction/

Straw Bale As A Science

Along the way, I realized I had to stop idealizing straw bale as a building material and start looking at it
critically, analytically—like a scientist, if you will.

The purpose of this post is to give a brief overview of the advantages and challenges of building with
straw. Some of this you may already know, some of this may be new. So whether you’re thinking about
starting a project, or whether you’re in the midst of your own, I hope you find something you enjoy.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. I offer a free initial consultation, and would
enjoy hearing about your project in the comments below.
EIGHT ADVANTAGES OF STRAW BALE
CONSTRUCTION
1. Straw bale construction is affordable
Straw bale homes cost almost exactly the same amount of money to build as traditional stick-frame
homes. If you’re interested in calculating and comparing the specific costs of building a straw bale home
vs a stick frame home, feel free to contact me.

2. Straw bale walls are very well insulated, when built correctly can have an R-
value between 40 and 60, depending on the thickness of the wall
There are many great resources out there that discuss the insulation characteristics of straw bale. The
quality of insulation that a straw bale wall provides depends on a number of factors including the way the
bales are stacked, the way the bales mesh with the roof’s insulation, the type of post-and-beam structure
or if loadbearing the type of top plate, the type of plaster used, the quality of the plaster work, and the
design of the house itself, among many others.

3 .Straw bale homes are more fire retardant than traditional stick-framed homes.
*
This can be a topic of much debate. There are a numerous studies testing the flammability of straw bale,
and even more articles talking about their results, including this Mother Earth News Article. The idea
behind the material’s resistance to fire comes from the concept that the bales are so tightly packed that
oxygen cannot enter in between the straws and fuel a fire. It is true there are tests that prove their inherent
resistance to fire. However, there are still numerous factors that will allow a straw bale house to burn,
especially during construction. This is not to discount the material’s flame retardant nature, but to remark
that they are not impossible to burn, especially in certain circumstances.

4. Straw bales are an agricultural by-product (wheat, oats, rye, barley, and rice),
If you’re looking to build with a small carbon-footprint, this is a note to consider in your green
conscience. Straw is an annually-renewable resource, not at all like lumber which can take decades to
produce trees capable of yielding 2×4’s. It takes almost no extra energy to harvest bales, as opposed to
the transportation-and-milling costs of lumber prior to producing the 2×4’s. The straw harvests are in flat
and previously-cultivated fields, not wrestled from forests, and therefore no environmental harm is done
during the harvesting process. Compared with other building products like wood, concrete or steel, bales
are extremely light and easy to transport from the field to the construction site. And unlike lumber,
concrete and steel, straw is produced in almost every state of the union, thus saving fuel costs and less
travel time to a work site.
5. Within the lower 48 states of the US, straw bales are almost always locally
available.
If you’re looking for bales in the southwest, and are having trouble finding any suppliers, feel free to send
me an email and I’ll do what I can to help you find some good quality bales to build a house.

6. Stacking bales can be incredibly fast and easy.

You will be amazed how fast an entire room can come to life when you’ve got several people working
together stacking bales. Over the years, I’ve developed a couple trade-secrets that can improve the
process dramatically. Contact me for some exclusive tips. Or attend one of my workshops.

7. Straw bale walls are gorgeous.

Most people love the look of the deep windows, niches, and bookcases that are made possible by straw
bale construction. One caveat, though: if you’re very concerned with perfectly straight lines, bales might
be rather frustrating for you.

8. Straw houses will save you money, year after year.

The walls are thick and will give you a cool house in the summer, a warm house in the winter. It has a
natural “trombe” effect, in other words it soaks up the coolness or the heat of the inside and stores
it/releases it like a giant heater or an efficient refrigerator. Places that confound stick-frame
construction’s ability to properly insulate, like around windows and doors, behind electrical fixtures, or
near the ceilings, they cease being places where heat can escape out of the house and are part of a
seamless high-quality insulation that will astonish you with low monthly utility bills. And because the
inside of the walls are almost always stuccoed rather than having thin sheetrock nailed to 2×4’s every
couple of feet, those interior walls are much stronger and will need much less repair during normal
household activities, especially when children or teenagers are around!

EIGHT CHALLENGES OF STRAW BALE

CONSTRUCTION
1. Building with straw is not fully-accepted as method of construction in many
parts of the country. **
Plenty of building officials, inspectors, structural engineers and local authorities have been known to
laugh in your face if you bring up the idea of building (or retrofitting) your home with straw. The nursery
rhyme of the three little piggies will invariably come up, along with some understandable concerns
regarding insects, mold, and longevity.

2. Talking of insects and mold…

Straw bales will harbor both of those things if they are consistently wet or relentlessly exposed to high-
humidity areas such a showers and sinks without adequate protection. Of course, a conventional house
 will also easily host insects and is susceptible to mold, too, if not built right. But straw is more sensitive
to such things than wood-constructed and fiberglass-insulated structures.

3. It may take more time to acquire a building permit for a straw bale structure
than it would a conventional one.
This is more to do with the social conception of the material, rather than the material itself. In some areas
of the country, especially the Southwest, straw bale building is a well-accepted method; in other areas
where there is more moisture, cities and counties may look askance at the use of bales and might require
additional assurances—such as paying a local structural engineer or requiring unnecessary moisture
testing—before releasing the building permit.

4. Because of the thickness of the bales, you will lose square-footage inside a home.
 A stick frame wall is around 6 inches thick
 A straw bale wall is around 18 inches thick.
So that extra-thick wall will indeed eat up some of your interior space. Most people simply make the
exterior footprint of the house a bit bigger to make up for that lost space, or they live with a little less
space inside. But designing the house a bit bigger will add some costs to the construction of the house:
you’ll need some extra concrete in your foundations, for example, and you’ll need to make your roof
trusses a bit longer.

5. If the bales aren’t stacked properly, there can be small gaps in the walls that
create thermal break-points in the otherwise well insulated walls.
Unless you’ve done a lot of work with straw, as you put up the bales you’ll tend to ignore those little
spaces between the bales, or places where the bales abut the post-and-beam, or the areas next to the
ceiling where the bales don’t quite fit, etc. Those places in the wall where solid straw bales stack firmly
on top of one another are going to provide the greatest insulation. But the areas around the doors and
windows are can be hard places to do the firm stacking, and sometimes loose straw gets stuffed into a
corner without being securely packed – and then settles over time. This becomes a spot for thermal
leakage. So when you’re stacking your bales, pay attention to the ‘hard-to-reach’ places. It really does
make a difference, and really is easy to overlook.

6. Plaster is the crucial point of the construction process, and is often done poorly.
I have experienced so many different problems with plaster throughout my 23 years of straw bale
construction. Both stucco and adobe have their pros and cons. Either way, the plaster job needs to be done
right, and a poor plaster job is going to prevent the material from performing like it should. Check out
my Adobe vs. Stucco article for more information on this one. And if you are going to do the plastering
yourself, get ready for a lot of fun –and even more hard hard work.

7. There are no studs at regular intervals

Alternate ‘hanging’ methods must be utilized to hang heavier pictures, mirrors, and
cabinets on, and putting up shelves in closets where one of the walls is next to the
bales needs to be done differently. This may be a bit frustrating at first, but there are
some cool alternative ways I’ve developed over the years.

8. Working with Straw is fun, but often becomes a skin irritant.

This can mean nothing much more than itchy skin, but working with bales for days on end will make you
want to have an air compressor or a hose nearby at all times. Breathing straw dust, especially as you cut
the bales with a chain saw, will set you coughing. Or straw flakes will get in your eyes as you put up the
top row of bales. Just a thought.