How long do straw bale buildings last?

Well-designed straw bale buildings will last for hundreds of years - the oldest standing straw bale buildings are in Nebraska and dating from the late 1800s, they are as old as bailing machines. The oldest straw bale building in Europe is The Feuillette House, built in France in 1920. The key to long lasting straw bale buildings is keeping the bales dry through careful design details and using breathable renders and plasters - allowing water vapour to pass out through the walls.

Cost savings

Not only can a straw bale home often cost a little less money up-front than a brick-built home, if you build it yourself, by far the biggest financial savings come over time with energy efficiency. A straw bale home can significantly cut down on annual heating and cooling costs because it is so highly insulating. Straw bale far outstrips even the most stringent building regulations that have so far been adopted in the UK. If the regulations are made even tighter in future.

Sustainability

Enough straw is created in the UK each year to build about 600,000 houses. Currently we only build about 100,000 houses per year. That’s a lot of bricks and concrete we could be avoiding creating and using. Although a lot of straw is harvested for various uses, a great deal of it is just ploughed back in (it often used to be burned, but that is no longer allowed).

Are straw bales a fire risk?

A straw bale is surprisingly fire-resistant. First of all there is not a lot of oxygen present in a bale because the straw is so tightly packed. Secondly, in a building, the bales are covered, normally with a thick layer of lime or clay render, adding even more protection. Rendered straw bale has frequently been shown in formal tests to have a fire resistance in excess of two hours (well beyond what is required for building regulations). In some international tests rendered straw bale has been given a fire rating of up to two hours.

SBUK is an association of: Practitioners Designers Academics Enthusiasts Trainers. We provide a resource hub to aid you on your straw-bale building journey.