RE: SB: RE: RE: did I miss something???

[Rick & Katy Blanchard <urbaneagle@cybermesa.com>]

David,

As we can see on this list, we lay persons (that like to lay on the 
couch and think of this stuff) are learning not only about current 
built structure technology but also revisiting traditional vernacular 
approaches to shelter and trying to integrate the best of both. The 
people on this list who have already created their own home are the 
neo-pioneers that are out there taking the chances and walking the 
walk. Helping them with their structures has helped me prepare for 
our own small charge into the next century and hopefully with eyes 
wide open. There's lots that is new to me but it is both challenging 
and scary. I'm on it for the long ride wherever I end up.

Whatever I do will be designed to outlast me safely, but not be 
considered something that is forever. Whatever I do that is closer to 
sustainable, green, low-embodied responsible building is my 
contribution to the planet, but I am not going to worry it out to the 
last hand-made nail. I am the founder of the "Halflistic Health Club" 
with the motto: "Half of it would be enough". I'll go after a healthy 
life style but not beat myself up if I break down and have a Snickers 
bar one afternoon. Same with building. If I have to use a bit of OSB 
because that's all I can find, I do it but limit it to the minimum.

Structurally though, I am not willing to go with the lowest common 
denominator with building systems. With current building trends there 
is a lot of redundancy built in. If one system can't take the strain 
another may temporarily assist. Where the dynamics may be very 
complex at a joint, overbuilding can compensate some for 
understanding. I'd just as soon have the framing carry the major load 
and the 1" thick layer of mud be the backup system.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned when talking about the 
structural strength of the plaster skin is that it is keyed to the 
straw bales in millions of points where the load and stresses have 
the opportunity to be transferred to the bales. I don't think I'd be 
comfy in a load bearing house where all the bales had been extracted 
leaving only the two thin coats of plaster, strong as they may be.

-Rick-


>I didn't mean to alarm anybody with prophesies of doom and decay.  We
>know, properly built, a strawbale structure made with limited
>resources can last a long time.  What I am trying to understand is how
>to most efficiently (in life-cycle resource-use terms) build a
>structure within the specific parameters of my individual situation.
>To continue Rob Tom's excellent analogy, why should I waste time,
>resources, and money on big toothpicks and angelneers to hold up the
>bread if it can stand up for itself with a little support from the
>meat?  (IMHO, some angelneers are maybe not so smart, or perhaps too
>scared, and instead of understanding and working with the sandwich,
>limit themselves to working with toothpicks around the sandwich.)
>
>The most important thing we have learned about construction in the
>last century is how to make composites to take advantage of the best
>properties of individual materials by combining them into a whole new
>material.  Without the meat to hold it together, the bread crumples
>and folds; without the bread, well, you could just call me Patty.
>
>If the sandwich is not quite strong enough in one way or another, why
>build a whole separate toothpick structure to relieve the sandwich of
>all load and waste its inherent strength entirely?  It makes far more
>sense (at least to me) to integrate just enough toothpicks to
>reinforce your sandwich where it's needed.  Does this make any sense?

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