FRAMING a STRAW BALE HOME

[@kristakaufman-y6j]

This frame and roof design is much better than the other one!

[@davehowells9310]

Logan, i wish you and your crew lived near me... I'm always impressed with your build quality and thoughtfulness... keep it up!

[@HeirloomBuilders]

Thanks, Dave! We definitely take pride in our work and have a lot of fun building. I wish we could have a bigger service area, but everyone on my team has a farm/gardens that keep us close to home. 😁thanks for watching ; and reaching out to say hello. cheers!

[@harvdog5669]

@@HeirloomBuilders Question,, Where I am able to build an Adobe or Cob house, Can I build a Straw Bale house, even though it gets single digits & snows some, a fare amount of rain during the 12 month year.. My property neighbor hand built his own Adobe cabin and he is warm & cozy and just thrilled with his mud house as he calls it..please comment on my question.. Thankyou so much.

[@HeirloomBuilders]

@@harvdog5669 You can build with strawbales anywhere that adobe or cob homes are built. Strawbale walls will also perform better than adobe or cob in the winter months.

[@harvdog5669]

@@HeirloomBuilders Thankyou for responding so quickly sir.. This is rare, but my neighbor dug a hole & made a basement 300 square feet with cement, cement blocks , then built the Adobe on the top floor I believe.. He is going to show it to me, then I can see & feel for myself just how comfy he says it is.. He is 76 yrs old..and he keeps improving on the house as he goes. He seems to be genuinely comfortable and happy. He has no electricity,but has a wood burning cook stove. He has some solar. Anyway I am 60 and I bought the Acre lot behind him at a great price, it has volcanic rock,gravel, mountain grasses, pinon pines and a few ponderosa's.. We are at about 6900 ft elevation. It has the clay like dirt too, like the neighbor. I figured I could build a small one or two room cabin from Adobe or Cob.,, And do my best to use as much natural material from my property or buy what I need from others that have the same material. The neighbor used the gravel, soil from land, & bought cement, & cement blocks and some needed beams and such for roof & doors, windows.. So I always thought I would be comfy with straw, or Adobe,or Cob for a comfy cabin with a small wood stove for the single digits and cold & hot months here in northern Arizona in the trees below the grand canyon.. I am a poor guy..so I want to try and not buy anything, but only what is needed, to build a Small 20x 30 one shower room, and the rest a open floor plan. I would not think there are really a big difference between the Adobe, cob or straw insulation walls in my mind... I might be wrong. I don't know. I just figured all that I have heard about any of these, I would be cozy in winter & cool in summer , using any of them.. I kinda am leaning of what seems to be the more natural dirt way and it is here for free.. Otherwise I might consider the straw.. me too am trying to stay away from man made building materials, as much as possible because of any chemicals and such.. I figured dirt or straw, some solar, solar generator, a root cellar, a composting toilet, I could do some stepping back in the time. Maybe a propane frig & stove too. An outside oven kitchen area would be grand when the weather was permitting..LOL LOL 🤠🤠 I am just an old cowboy wanting to finish this life really simple and maybe give tours to the elementary schools in this area. Maybe expand there thinking or get them thinking..I want to have a working hand pump in kitchen for water & modern with solar pump , that way I can use both to draw water from my underground water tank. No county or city water here in this area. This area has Alot of agriculture and Ranching history that goes way way back. Two miles away was a post office, stage coach stop, trading post, we have had explorers and wagon trains, presidents in this area because of the great grand canyon, long before automobiles we're made.. Sorry for going off on a tangent.. I just want simple, and live in the old ways & stay away from doctors..I want the least modern stuff as much as possible, I like KZbin when needed. I am learning banjo & acoustic guitar for front porch pickin. I want to bring to life the old ways, we should in a free world, be able to live in the old ways, if we want to.. Pleas msg me anytime, Maybe a letter here and there would be great. Now that is going back in time. Letter are great, they are very personal and meaningful..Letters are so real and in your heart.. I guess I might a romantic. Really, I don't know why I am cackleing about stuff, other then the simple life really wakes folks up...If GOD is willing ,I can share my passion with folks and change some lives for the better...God bless you. Your fan Harvey, a simple man..

[@harvdog5669]

@@HeirloomBuilders just how much different is there between the Strawbale heating VS. Cob heating bill. Is there a real big difference in the year round temperatures inside between the cob or Adobe vs Strawbale. Can I do straw bales and cob. I have to try and figure out what is cheeper & cheeper to heat, and cheeper to build on my low budget. I do want a fairly low heating bill ,mostly in winter months. For I am a poor older American..I thought the three types are very similar when it came to a heating bill.? I am new at this concept of cob. I have good soil here at property and up here on mountain I could buy and truck in if need be.. Thankyou for your good advice in advance.. From Harvey, your KZbin fan..

[@shelaghsaurman9046]

You were very clear and precise. This is the future! Thank you….shelagh

[@HeirloomBuilders]

Thanks, Shelagh! I too believe this is the future.

[@jordierising4923]

Logan thank you for these videos. I'm going to build a small community of 8 homes. Your my number one pick! Talk to you soon bud!

[@HeirloomBuilders]

That sounds like a fun project!

[@nathantonning]

Such a professional build: you fellas really know what you're doing!

[@HeirloomBuilders]

Thanks, Nathan!

[@DerpMcDerp101]

Great informative video.

[@sharrablackfire7337]

Amazing work! The kind of home I've always dreamed of having!

[@richardhoner7842]

We built our home much like you did. I think it makes sense. One difference was that we used rough cut hemlock instead of dimensional lumber for everything except the roof rafters. This saved us a lot if $$$. Your attention to detail is commendable! The only thing I don't quite understand is the rocks under the bales. I used foamboard to fill in that space. Why rocks?

[@HeirloomBuilders]

Thanks, Richard! We only used 2” strip of foam insulation between the two 4x4 mud sill sand filled the rest with rock, to provide drainage space for any moisture that accumulates in the walls. Foam is a good option, I just modeled this style from Andrew Morrisons work.

[@jamesponder872]

Awesome recommendation thankyou a little while since I built something so really good easy to follow video love from NZ

[@HeirloomBuilders]

Thanks James! It makes my day to hear that. I try to make videos that are clear and helpful.

[@garylanders1470]

Awsome build!

[@HeirloomBuilders]

Thanks!

[@davidklimek7999]

I have heard that they are warmer in winter and cooler in summer without external, heating or cooling! Even if one does not use straw bales , having thick exterior walls is a good idea in any kind of construction!

[@lanelakey3581]

Appreciate the video. We've been wanting to build a straw bale cabin and this seems doable with a few carpentry skills!

[@maaingan]

If you follow a diagram for how to frame walls, it’s really not very hard and can be learned in a few hours. It’s the labor that is so expensive lol it’s hard work lifting heavy things quickly. A team of only two can, in theory, build a house using pulleys, but it’s a huge pain in the ass

[@hopesky3035]

很棒的建筑工程！环保，经济，自然，暖和。👍👏

[@clivemichie2638]

Nice job -- quality workmanship and materials...

[@HeirloomBuilders]

Thanks, Clive!

[@clivemichie2638]

@@HeirloomBuilders It is said that a poor workman will blame his tools...that's because they use inferior tools... Build for life...

[@khandam7709]

wow amazing content

[@HeirloomBuilders]

Thanks, Kahn!

[@timhuwe7756]

Thank you so much for making these video's. I'm studying the straw bale ways because hopefully next year we'll be building one ourselves here in Italy. Combining your expertise with different techniques used here we hopefully will be able to get a great result. How much livable space has the house you're building in the video?

[@HeirloomBuilders]

This one is about 1000 sq ft of liveable space, including the loft

[@hayleydwyer6768]

Finally, more strawbale content!!! Love it!!! So helpful! I am hoping you do a detailed one on running water and electric for a strawbale too! Also - Can you come build me a house in Arkansas?! 😅😅

[@HeirloomBuilders]

You’re welcome Hayley! I thought about you when I put this together and hope it’s helpful for you to review as you plan your new home. I’ll definitely be making one on water and power in a Strawbale home. Cheers!

[@BrightSlug]

Look like you used PT lumber or treated your posts. Also looks like you wrapped them in building paper before you installed the bales. Precautionary measures, or is there a regular issue when not including these steps?

[@MasculinityMindset]

What is the cost to build price range in 2025? I live in Portugal.

[@kristakaufman-y6j]

DO YOU EVER USE THE I BEAMS IN THE DESIGNS AT TOP INSTEAD OF THEM FLAT ?

[@chewdoobautomotivedetailtm2883]

Wow amazing structure insane techniques. Your a beast bro. I enjoy your builds. Only if I had money to buy one😭🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🎯

[@HeirloomBuilders]

Thanks! We had a lot of fun building this frame. Thanks for reaching out with the kind words. Cheers!

[@Lee-lx2qy]

Is this cheaper than a traditional wood frame home and would it hold up well in a place like Alaska, with its extreme weather?

[@haleye1787]

God bless you. Thank you so much.

[@HeirloomBuilders]

Thanks for watching!

[@KatieMacWho]

Hey Logan, do you offer classes? Even online classes a out these strawbale homes?

[@seacitadel]

How did you insulate the mini floor section (I think you called it a wind beam) between the first storey and the vaulted ceiling? Straw bales go right up into the joist and against the osb flooring? Does this mean you have a 3/4 inch thermal bridge (the edge of the osb) all along that wall?

[@HeirloomBuilders]

You can insulate with any type of insulation in the wind beam, we used fiberglass batts. The thermal bridging of the plywood top is fairly insignificant.

[@ThatOneLadyOverHere]

would steel framing work or is wood better for straw bail? Edit: did some research, it's condensation, so you can if you cover them in wood. But how much support do the walls themselves need if the roof is fully supported by steel framing? Like if you leave the beams outside the walls, kinda like porch roof supports and then have the walls farther in with the wood to raise it off the concrete, wood at the top where it meats the roof, and wherever there are windows and doors. How much wooden support would the walls need? Also, can you make rounded walls?

[@moondog573]

when I first started learning about cob/adobe/strawbail etc. there was a consensus that it was very important to have no metal what so ever within the system. The warning is that as moisture moved through the walls it would condensate on the metal, causing mold/mildew rot etc. You're not the first person I've seen recently using metal fasteners in the wall. Is the concern about condensation inaccurate?

[@izizzlefuhRizzle]

Looks great so far. I have just started researching hay bale homes. How much did this house in particular cost to build? If you aren't allowed to say an exact number, a range would be fine, 170-225k.

[@HeirloomBuilders]

This one in particular cost about $210k, with all the custom cabinetry, stairs, hydronic radiant heat, and offsets with owner sweat equity.

[@izizzlefuhRizzle]

Awesome, thank you so much. I'm self-employed and on the lower end of the income bracket, so getting a home loan is a challenge 😬. Lol I've started researching alternative building methods that might be less costly. Do you have any suggestions on legitimate places to do research?

[@joshnabours9102]

Does this home meet 2006 international energy conservation code and the 2018 version of the IRC building code?

[@sparkyin3d]

So inspiring! Thank you!

[@katrinaperry1807]

is there a site or anything where you can locate local strawbale home builders? I'm not sure we are up to doing it ourselves, but I love everything about strawbale homes.

[@katrinaperry1807]

I did try google, but it wasn't helpful.

[@HeirloomBuilders]

Strawbale.com has some good resources

[@katrinaperry1807]

@@HeirloomBuilders yeah, I've been to their site. I don't see anything about builders, just workshops and diy. I'll reach out to them. Thanks!

[@beckyrehman1059]

So beautiful.

[@squeekhobby4571]

Awesome. Can straw bale be used as insulation in pole barn type of construction. Exterior will be a plywood sheathing and interior will be a drywall. Considering the health benefits of straw why can’t it replace the conventional fiberglass insulation

[@HeirloomBuilders]

Hey Squeek Hobby! It certainly could be used in pole barn construction. But the plywood sheathing and drywall would leave a lot of potential for air leakage (unless you apply a slip coat of plaster on the bales and fill all the gaps between bales). Most people are drawn to the aesthetic and finishing character of plaster, so I’ve never seen an example of what you describe. Honestly though, if all you are replacing is the fiberglass insulation, the cost would likely be much higher than conventional fiberglass insulated building. I’d be interested to see how it turns out if you go that route. Please stay in touch. 😃

[@squeekhobby4571]

@@HeirloomBuilders : many thanks for taking time to answer.

[@joshnabours9102]

What size straw bales were used? What weight were they? Were they 24" x 12" x 16" and 50lbs each?

[@johnnynephrite6147]

I have three questions. 1. how many square feet not including the loft? 2. total cost of materials? 3. total man hours?

[@michaelkirkpatrick8258]

Just curious, although that looks like a really good build, I would classify the house as a timber frame with straw infill not a straw bale as per say.

[@HeirloomBuilders]

Pretty much. That’s how our structural engineers like it 🙃

[@scocassovegetus]

Curious to see how they insulate the roof.

[@HeirloomBuilders]

Check out the new vid to see a few details on the roof insulation! Spoiler alert: We keep a 1" airspace and use open cell spray foam.

[@Mike61259]

Good job guys. Did anybody try to make the block pressed by hydraulic press?

[@projektspark5353]

Hey Logan, great video as always ! I had a question though: what do you make of houses made without a wooden frame ? They sure look easier to build by yourself !

[@HeirloomBuilders]

Most of the homes my construction business builds are stick framed homes. They are way easier to build, especially for a DIYer. And if you detail them well, they can be just as energy efficient as a Strawbale home. The main difference is the high embodied energy in conventional lumber and plywood.

[@projektspark5353]

@@HeirloomBuilders Thanks for the answer ! Could you explain how strawbales would be harder for a DIYer please ? I really don't understand how that is !

[@HeirloomBuilders]

I misunderstood your original question about building a strawbale home without framing. We call that a load bearing straw bale building. It's very easy for a DIYer to build this way, but I don't feel comfortable with the roof anchoring methods I've seen and used on small buildings as a method for new home construction.

[@juergenstein2067]

Yes you can it is called a load bearing strawbale

[@hetedeleambacht6608]

yes, i also didnt understand how you could put a roof on that without the structure collapsing eventually.....I guess when the structure is small and the place isnt very windy it should be ok?@@HeirloomBuilders

[@AhkemG]

Do you have any free manual or guideline about constructing/building strawbale house? Writing you from Turkey, here strawbale house is very rare; therefore i need to search foreign sources.

[@GreyDeathVaccine]

The roof appears crooked @13:24

[@HeirloomBuilders]

I saw that too, good eye! I think we had to re-plumb the post to get it back to straight

[@DDL2728]

This is impressive!! How did you learn to build a house this way?? Great video 👍

[@HeirloomBuilders]

Hey Dianne! I learned to build a home with straw bales while living in California 14 years ago. There’s much more of this out west, but it’s a great way to build in most (but not super wet/dark) climates.

[@DDL2728]

@@HeirloomBuilders We're so humid in South Louisiana that we'd all die from mold bacteria!! 😬 Well, you really know what you're doing - great job👍❤

[@hetedeleambacht6608]

dark?? Like polar regions i suppose...why so? @@HeirloomBuilders

[@HeirloomBuilders]

@@hetedeleambacht6608 regions with limited sunshine (think humid and dark places like rainforests), don’t have the drying potential needed to drive moisture out of the walls

[@PeterRanieriII]

cool build, just know heat is lost the most at roof then windows and doors. walls are last

[@finestus]

I am interested to buy building plan, schematics and cut list for lumber, if you can provide. Thanks

[@HeirloomBuilders]

Certainly, please visit www.heirloombuilders.com/designs-for-sale/24-x-36-straw-bale-house-plan-w-loft

[@Foxtrot1967]

Beautiful. Are there cost savings associated with a straw bale house?

[@HeirloomBuilders]

@@Foxtrot1967 straw bale homes are more complicated to build than a conventional home, and they are very labor intensive. A lot of cost can be offset with sweat equity. But if you hire 100% of the build to contractors, the cost will be higher than a normal home

[@arthendrickson4860]

How about making the rafter template shorter to accommodate the circular saw’s base plate eliminating the need to mark the cut line and rely on the operator’s skill to cut to the line using the template’s edge to guide the saw?

[@HeirloomBuilders]

Sounds like a good idea, so long as you can spare the template board that’s cut shorter than the rest of them. In this case, we still had to cut the birds mouth after scribing the cut with the template, so it just made sense to scribe and cut the top Plumb cut

[@jeffpruden3234]

If you use insulation with mortar exterior finish , hay bales are irrelevant ? Unless you reside in Siberia maybe ??

[@jenniferbunker2757]

How many square feet is this house? How much did it cost in total to make it ?

[@HeirloomBuilders]

It’s about 1150 sq ft including a loft. Total cost to build with a lot of owner sweat equity was just over $200k

[@AhkemG]

One more question 😇 What kind of timber/lumber do you use? Is poplar tree timber appropriate for framing?

[@HeirloomBuilders]

We usually use pine, but poplar is ok for framing, as long as you don’t use it for applications where it would contact the ground or concrete.

[@ihsancolak6234]

saw this question and said this guy is Turkish:))

[@ihsancolak6234]

Poplar is good for framing but the base of the framing has to be the treated one.

[@AhkemG]

@@ihsancolak6234 ahahaha yes, 😇 bu yapıyı çok beğeniyorum, ısıtma soğutma derdi olmayan , yemyeşil bir ev modeli, Adana’da yapmak istiyorum kısmet olursa

[@ihsancolak6234]

Bu yapinin da kendine gore sorunlari var. Ben USA'da yasiyorum. agactan ev yapmayi ogrendim. Bir de tiny house yaptim. ALternatif ev yapma metodlarini ogrenmeyi seviyorum ama. Baska bir yorumda dile getirdigim bir konunun cevabini bekliyorum bu videodaki kisiden. Isi kaybinin %60 i catidan oluyor. Duvarlar onemli ama asil guclu yalitim catida olmali. Oraya klasik yalitim malzemesi kullandiktan sonra gerisi fantaziye donusuyor. Kaldi ki, Turkiye'de saman balyasi da ucuz degil. Burada oldukca ucuz. ben hala 5x10 arasi yalitim+turkiyedeki dis cephe mantolamasinin yeterli olacagini dusunuyorum. @@AhkemG

[@almaavila7109]

Is it expensive to build?

[@HeirloomBuilders]

Yes, if you hire it all out to contractors

[@jessicadjonne2687]

What’s the price per sq ft for a new build, roughly?

[@HeirloomBuilders]

Depends on a lot of factors (number of stories, quality of finishes, how much sweat equity you can put in yourself,etc). For a fully custom Strawbale home with high end finishes, appliances, renewable energy systems, you could easily spend $300+/sq ft. You could get that down to just the cost of materials if you scrounge for good deals and second hand components. If you hire it out completely, even for a basic layout and basic finishes, I would budget at least $150/sq ft.

[@jessicadjonne2687]

@@HeirloomBuilders thanks!!!

[@leebstill]

Who does your plans for these houses?

[@HeirloomBuilders]

Hi Liora! We design the homes we build in 3D SketchUp.

[@leebstill]

@@HeirloomBuilders do you do plans for the electrical and all for these as well? We are looking for an architect to help us with this style build but we are in another state. Do you do consulting?

[@antiatrevino1130]

Nice

[@zadmat5372]

O.K. Logan: I'm never going to be a general contractor like you. I watch your videos but am overcome by the complexity of carpentry. But I do want a straw bale house. How do I find a G.C. who can build me one in Skamania County, Washington? Everyone wants to do stickbuilt here. One architect told me to move to New Mexico if I wanted an adobe house. I'm no closer to an environmentally friendly house than I was when I started. How do you get responsible people to build adobe or straw bale houses for you? No lender needed. I can pay for it myself. Z.

[@HeirloomBuilders]

Skilled builders willing to build outside the stick frame box are hard to find. It may be best to talk with Strawbale.Com about their builder resources in your area.

[@jimmytwizzle7836]

Unless I missed it I think you neglected to mention how all that straw and timber was fire proof.

[@andrzejmroz7153]

Can I join your team ?

[@ihsancolak6234]

It is fantastic, but %60 of the heat escapes from the roof and yet you are insulating the roof with a conventional system.

[@KatieMacWho]

Hey Logan! I sent you an email a few weeks ago! I hope you will have a chance to read it! Thanks!

[@he7is7at7hand]

I'm kind of disappointed to see that you still have to use the Wood Construction in the inside. So basically it's going to cost more than a normal house because you have all the same walls in the inside and then you have all this other stuff. Thanks for the video.

[@garrisonkelley7053]

So could you guage the difference in price for the same house built conventionally?

[@HeirloomBuilders]

It’s about $20/sq ft more expensive to build a straw bale house, hiring everything out.

[@garrisonkelley7053]

@@HeirloomBuilders thanks for the reply!