SB: Re: Vault in the desert -- was pinning

["John Swearingen" <john@skillful-means.com>]

Kirk,

Yes, the ambient moisture is low (it is a desert after all) but when it
rains it POURS!  We have a coating of a product called "Acrylink" over the
top of the vault.  This is a paint-on, membrane, chosen for a few reasons:
it doesn't interrupt the bale/plaster bond, which in this design is crucial,
it is fairly breathable, and it can be inspected visually, because it is
applied on top of the stucco, like paint.

I wouldn't try this outside of a desert environment, where it might rain
continuously for a few days.  In those cases, a little roof above the vault
might be more appropriate.

John



----- Original Message -----
From: "Kirk Haines" <khaines@Io.NANC.com>
To: "John Swearingen" <john@skillful-means.com>
Cc: <straw@iugroup.com>; <strawbale@crest.org>
Sent: Monday, October 29, 2001 8:27 AM
Subject: Vault in the desert -- was pinning


> On Fri, 26 Oct 2001, John Swearingen wrote:
>
> > We did specify external pins once--horizontally over the mesh on the SB
> > vault.  The reason was just to provide something to wrap the thru-ties
> > around (the ties held the interior and exterior mesh layers together and
> > could have popped the wire on the mesh).  These rebars were horizontal,
> > along the course lines (which also seems like the direction you would
most
> > benefit from running them).
>
> John, I've wondered about something with regard to that vault.  The
> moisture protection for the vault appears to be just the plaster itself.
> How much rain falls in the area where the vault was built?  I assume that
> the average ambient humidity level is low.  Was there anything special
> applied to the vault or the plaster to enhance it's resistance to water
> penetration?
>
>
> Kirk Haines
>
>


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