[Strawbale] 3-string bales...

[Jeff Ruppert]

Marcus,

It is interesting that Matt described the 2-string walls as being 
plastered better than the 3-string, because I do not recall this in such 
stark contrast..  I do recall both common and different people working 
on the 2-string bales, but the level of quality on all of the walls was 
sub-par IMHO.  I do remember walking between two of the 3-string walls 
and seeing bare straw after the first coat on one of the walls.  I think 
we looked at this and realized that the spacing was so close it was 
difficult to see with the lighting in the lab.  However, when we applied 
the second coat, it went on ok and the overall thickness was similar on 
all the walls.  That's just my humble opinion from partial (maybe 
selective) recall after 7 years (I think I am out of my mind at times).

The bales were not short stemmed straw.  It may appear so in a pic or 
two, but these bales were the legenday Albert Francis bales from the San 
Luis Valley here in CO. 

jeff





Marcus wrote:
> Thanks, Jeff, for putting up the report. I just skimmed it 
> but what it seems to me it shows is that this was a test of 
> wall systems which had as their main difference the quality 
> of the plastering. I suspect the 2SB versus 3SB performance 
> is misleading. I'm guessing that if the 3SB walls were 
> plastered by the crew with stucco experience the results 
> would have been reversed. I appreciate the difficulties of 
> the constraints of the lab space &c.
>
> In my mind (which I may be totally out of) the tests don't 
> necessarily demonstrate that 2SB's are better (or worse) 
> than 3SB's. They certainly demonstrate that the quality of 
> the plaster work and the details of fastening the wall 
> system together are very important.
>
> One small observation, judging from some pics it appears 
> that the straw was short stemmed as results from the grain 
> being harvested with a combine using a 'chopper'. When the 
> stucco does bond well with the straw, long stem straw (not 
> chopped) will be substantially stronger.
>
> Thanks again for sharing the report,
>
> Marcus
>
>
>
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>
>
>   


-- 
Jeff Ruppert, P.E.
Principal

Odisea LLC
Engineering and Consulting

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