CORRESPONDENCE WITH DAWN KILLOUGH, TREEHUGGER CONSULTING ABOUT OREGON'S STRAW BALE CONSTRUCTION CODE.

Dawn:

Item 1. I clicked on the link and got no results. The URL for the link as shown by "Properties" is: http://www2.iccsafe.org/states/oregon/08_Residential/08Res_main.html, which is the page announcing the new code. So where is the new code?

Item 2. A have read Appendix R and posed some questions. The discourse is published at:
Both the City of Corvallis and the State are evading the issue of who gives the response to technical questions.

Item 3. As Sven stated, there is no prescriptive code for staw bale construction. My point is that there ought to be a prescriptive code and it needs to be designed by a licensed architect or structural engineer. I can do some of the design work, but cannot publish it without running afoul of the license law -- nor would I want any liability on my shoulders.

Item 4. The main point of straw bale construction is that people of common education can build their own houses. This raises the issues of license laws. Hiring licensed sub-contractors who engage in the typical construction feeding frenzy, are way over pricing their products and gouging the heck out of customers.

My approach is to obtain a general contractor's license, and have the owner/builder obtain the simple "license" which would be normally issued to an apprentice craftsman. The owner/builder could go to school or be self-taught. There are thousands of construction workers who, over time, learn many of the trades necessary to build a SFR. Let them build their own houses. It is not rocket science.

So, some work needs to be done on the owner/builder license issue.

I need the name and email of your contact so I can email h/h about the failure of the hyperlink and other items. Thanks for your time.
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===================================================\ JAMES E. MILLER 530 NW 13th St. Corvallis, OR 97330 Skype: jimmiller5417 cell: 541-971-0403 Email: jimmiller5417@yahoo.com
August 15, 2008
Oregon codes

Re: Appendix AR: http://www2.iccsafe.org/states/oregon/08_Residential/08Res_Frameset.html
Dear Oregon Codes:
I am interested in building my own house using post and beam and non-load bearing straw bale exterior walls for a curtain wall. With reference to the Appendix AR at the above URL, I have questions which bear on how the house is designed and the process of construction, which I would appreciate your answering:

1. AR104.4. Moisture meter. I would want to use a moisture meter on site. Please give me a list of approved meters: manufacture and model and contact information.
2. AR 105.1 Foundation. I intend to have a perimeter concrete stem wall about 2.5 feet high. A metal flashing (termite, moisture) will be installed between the concrete and the pressure treated mud sill. The stem wall will be 10” wide. TJI's will rest on the mudsill and 1 and 1/8” T & G plywood applied as the decking. The bales will rest on parallel rows of 4 x 4'x with the outside layered neat to the outside edge of the stem wall. The bales will overhang 3” to allow for sheet insulation on the outside of the foundation. The appendix seems to require a second stem wall to bear immediately below the inside face of the bales. This does not seem to be necessary as the weight of the straw is borne by the plywood and TJI set at 24 inches OC.
3. AR 109.1 Moisture barrier. I plan to wrap the outside of the bales with Tyvek and also on the inside of the bales in any bathroom. OK?
4. AAR 108.4 Anchors. 4.1 Bale anchors. The type of anchors is not mentioned, and the section is not clear how the anchors are placed. A diagram or picture would help. In any event, the section needs to be reworded; its too vague for good communication. 4.2. Connections to frame. The wording does not make it very clear on how the metal lath is to be installed. Again a picture would do better. The wording is not clear.
5. AR 108.7. Wall height. I need to build a two story house, each wall will be about 8' high, so the “wall” on the first floor is 8' and a second “wall” is on the second floor which will be 8' high. OK?
6. AR 111.1 Electric. I will use grey PVC conduit which, for wall outlets, I will bury between the top of the first course of straw bales and the bottom of the second course with sweeps coming out near the end of a bale. I plan mount the box directly to a 1/2” piece of OSB, the majority of which matches the butt end of a bale and is fixed to the bale by long spikes made from 3/8” rebar with a flattened “heat” The box will protrude so that the face of the box will be flush with the surface of the plaster to be applied later. For light switches, I'll use a router to cut a grove in the straw bale to bring the conduit to the box for the switch, route out a depression for the box, and pot the box and the conduit with soy caulking. I will drive 6” x 2” heavy wire staples along the conduit to keep it nested while the caulking sets. These staples are the same as used by landscapers to pin down geofabric such as “Weed Stop”. I can drive two, 6” to 12” steel spikes through the back of the box into the straw for added strength. This approach seems better than one wood stake which can, over time, wobble and allow the box to creep away from its original anchorage. All electrical fixtures and outlets will be grounded.

I would then propose to run conduit from the switch box, up the same type of grove (potted in) to and through the ceiling to a sweep, then along a rafter cord, over to the room's ceiling light fixture. OK? The wires will be THHN.

7. Lateral support. Rather than depending on the bales for lateral support, I plan to use electro coated 10 gauge steel straps, 3” wide on an “X” pattern on each wall, with two to three sets, depending on the length of the wall and the number and size of the openings. OK?
8. AR 109.2. 2.1 Stucco. I plan to install expanded diamond mesh at all corners along the top of each wall to the beam and along the bottom of the wall to the mud sill; also at each door and window frame. I'll use strips 12” wide and fix with 6” x 2” wire staples mentioned above. Over all of the inside and outside walls, I'll install standard stucco wire. Both sets are installed over Tyvek. I want to use clay, sand, pea gravel and as a binder, soy glue. At present, it is not clear what the proportions are, because all of the books I've read, indicate that clays are different and one must create several test boards, about 4' x 4' and see how each different mixture does. Thus far, and in general the mixture is 5 parts sand, 3 parts pea gravel, 2 parts clay and one part soy binder. I'll use a standard plaster mixer to mix. I plan to put on three coats: scratch, brown and colored finish, with a bit more soy binder in it. After drying, I plan to add a soy-based sealer on the outside for moisture protection. Alternatively, I can use an elastomeric material as a finish coat, which goes on to about 40 to 60 mills and has a life of about 50 years and never cracks. Grayco's biggest airless will do the job. This latter produce is commonly used on commercial buildings over foam boards. OK

I realize that I will need the material specs and drawings to present to the building official and he/she will make the initial ruling on “equivalent”. Straw house construction is hundreds of years old and some bale houses over a hundred years are still functional, I want seek all of the “best practices” I can and incorporate them in my house. Thus, I am seeking general guidance. I've been researching straw bale construction codes all over North America and have plenth of research notes to share with the building official and your agency.
Sincerely yours,

James E. Miller





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