Straw & Cob Course: 22nd-26th May 2006
To build with straw it has to be kept dry; no moisture must penetrate during construction. This meant it was carefully stored and when the walls were going up a tarpaulin canopy was erected to keep off any rain from above and from the sides, and from wind that might blow in moisture even if it's not raining. At the end of each day the walls were carefully covered and protected so the sides were kept dry until properly rendered. Unfortunately early on some of the bales got wet after their proximity to the timber post caused them to wick, but this was immediately rectified and precautions taken so this would not happen again.
Many of the straw bales had to be cut and resized manually to fit the frame. They were mounted onto hazel stubs on the floor plate and when a height of 3 bales was reached hazel stakes were pinned down through the bales giving the wall its integrity. A mixed week of weather, some sunshine, some rain, but good progress was made despite this. By Friday two bays were up to 4th course, the cob wall raised above floor level, the hazel stakes prepared, the sheep's wool insulation stuffed into the baseplate and many of the bales resized for fitting round the posts.
We also had border TV along!
