[Strawbale] [SB-r-us] Re: re: window construction (now other stuff)

[David Neeley]

Jeff,

Thanks for your response. With a reasonable system of precompression
of the roof plate, many of the issues regarding "non-level" box beams
disappear.

I must admit, though, that load bearing walls have always seemed to me
to be far more elegant as a solution. Better insulation, less
materials (if properly designed and detailed), easier all the way
around.

Regarding multistory, properly built load bearing walls are fine for a
two-story residence. Again personally, I would not want to go higher
for a house...and, at my age (soon to be 59), I'll stick to a single
story. In fact, I am designing my attic so that I will not need nor
have ready access to it, beyond some kind of limited access for
inspection and maintenance. Even that will be extremely seldom, as
none of the utilities will be run there with the possible exception of
a single lighting circuit. As I plan on having about 16" of insulation
on the floor, too, I would simply not want to compress it by walking
around up there!

(I am not currently sure whether I'll be using ridge vents or solar
powered vent fans for attic ventilation. It depends, really, upon
which roof style I opt for. Although a hip roof is more complex to
build, it also distributes the load on the outside walls better than
other designs--but has such a short ridge that it would likely require
solar vent fans.)

Regarding window bucks extending full height, too, that sounds like
either using other materials above and below the window or having bale
infill there--in either case a sub-optimal solution to me. Of course,
you could have windows extending from at or near the floor level to or
near the ceiling--a design used in some colonial Spanish buildings
that was quite lovely but with the obvious reduction in insulation
value.

David

On Sun, Apr 20, 2008 at 7:30 PM, Jeff Ruppert <jeff at odiseanet.com> wrote:
> David,
>
>  Many bale homes these days are being built by a contractor, and/or they
>  are financed by a bank, which places some constraints on how things are
>  built.