Iowa Couple Likes Their Straw Bale House

Iowa Couple Likes Their Straw Bale House AG WORLD Ag World 20-6-21 "It has all the style and comfort of a conventional wood framed house but cost much less to put up," says Julie Babb about the straw bale house she and her husband Ed built. The Brighton, Iowa, couple began building their 2,000 sq. ft., single-story, three-bedroom house two years ago. They're still working to complete the interior. The exterior walls of the house are built from 500 small rectangular oat straw bales bought from an area farmer. The two-string bales are a uniform 18 in. deep by 14 in. tall but vary from 36 to 42 in. long. "It's recommended you find a supply of uniform-size bales to make construction easier," Babb notes. The bales provide up to R57 insulation value in walls and also allow walls to breathe. Bales are covered inside and out with a wire mesh, Three layers of stucco are applied to the outside walls and two layers to interior walls. Metal roofing material resembling tiles rests on trusses. The roof is supported in part by metal rods running from the concrete foundation, up through bales to the trusses. The Babbs plan to add a porch, patio and garage to the house when they've finished the interior. Contact: Ed and Julie Babb, 1307 Red-wood Ave., Brighton, Iowa 52540 (319 694-4502).

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