Читать книгу More Straw Bale Building - Peter Mack - Страница 76

All of the above is true of baled, plastered straw. Unbaled, loose straw, however, is extremely combustible, and the large amounts of loose straw that accumulate during construction are a serious fire hazard. Smoking, welding, grinding, or any other spark- or flame-producing activities should not be undertaken in the vicinity of loose straw. During construction, always be sure to have fire extinguishers and enough water available to deal with potential fires in your loose straw. Also, keep loose straw raked away from the walls to minimize the risk of any accidental fire spreading into the unplastered walls.

This is not just an idle warning. Several bale homes have burned to the ground while the straw was exposed and the site covered in loose straw, ignited most often by work site activity like soldering pipes and metal grinding.

4.2: This single, plastered bale shows how the plaster penetrates into the bale, gripping the straw. The two “columns” of plaster carry most of the loads imposed on the finished walls.

Loose straw (especially organic straw) makes excellent garden mulch. Rake it up, keep it under control, and don’t let it catch on fire.