So....
I love the thought of bale construction but the more I read on it the less simple it seems.
I've got a pile of questions!
A; I know
concrete is the kiss of death as far as starting mold......but gunnite is such a sweet concept!
Aaand...lack of maintenance such an attractive proposition!
Could a wall be;
Concrete from floor to ceiling if the top of the wall was left open, and ventilation provided through the crawlspace to the bottom?
Or barring that, concrete on the exterior to 6' and then plastered above, and inside. (Assuming the eaves would protect the plastered upper 2' from wear and tear....and the upper reaches would get significantly less abrasion).
B: Would it be adequate to make a hybrid building from a pole barn and
straw bale, using bales under tension, with tin furred off the surface enough to promote airflow (1"?) and regular sheetrock furred off the interior? (the lack of maintenance on sheet steel is very attractive!) I.E. a cross section of sheetrock to vapor barrier to 1"x vertical furring on 2' centers on 1"x horizontal furring on 4' centers on straw with 1" x horizontal furring leading to 1" x vertical furring to vapor barrier to tin?
Assuming it was built on piers with a wooden floor and the entire area beneath loaded with
Diatomaceous Earth to minimize the bug load and D.E. liberally applied as the walls were built, and hardware cloth "vents" between crawlspace and wall, and attic and wall...
The hope is to make a hyper insulated house that can be left indefinitely and survive with a coat of paint every ten years.
