Material for frame construction: straw slabs (advantages of fire-resistant straw houses according to German technology)

Straw, being a by-product, has one useful property: when pressed into blocks, it becomes an interesting building material from which you can build environmentally friendly houses.

For Europeans, straw houses are not a novelty, they were built and are being built there to this day.

Only now the buildings are being erected from ready-made wall panels, the basis of which is pressed straw.

The principle of making a wall panel is quite simple. A double frame of wood is being prepared, where straw is laid. Wood for the manufacture of the frame is taken only well-dried and always calibrated.

With the help of any press, they begin to press in the straw, at the same time cutting and leveling it.

The straw is pressed so hard that there is no air left inside, which is why rodents are not afraid of a wall made of such material.

The thickness of the wall panel may vary. Such walls are load-bearing, they bear the load of the weight of their own roof and all loads from outside in the form of rain and snow.

Pros of straw slabs

If we compare straw slabs with wood slabs, then the former will be in an advantageous position:

• will last longer;
• environmentally friendly;
• minimum heating costs;
• inaccessible to pests;
• there are no conditions for the growth of mold and fungi.

The walls, made of slabs with pressed straw, are plastered with clay, which makes them fireproof. The walls covered with clay plaster create a microclimate in the house (clay has the ability to absorb excess moisture and give it to the room in case of increased dryness).

Thatched walls are excellent at absorbing sounds. Compressed straw is an ecological insulation material. In winter, such houses are warm, and in summer, when it's hot outside, the walls give coolness.

A straw panel house can be built in a matter of days. Any foundation is suitable in this case. It should not be too massive, since the structure itself will not be too heavy. The height of the foundation should not be less than 40 cm, so that in rainy weather the water does not wet the walls made of pressed straw. The thickness of the straw walls should not be less than 50 cm.

The assembly of the building begins with the installation of corner panels. The straw panels are installed on a wooden moisture-insulated Mauerlat (support boards mounted around the entire perimeter of the house), which is securely fastened to the base.

After all the panels are fastened together, they are pulled together at the top with a Mauerlat.

Inside and outside thatched walls are plastered with clay, in three layers. This process is considered the most time consuming.