After the corner trusses and the window bucks are positioned and braced, the rest of the walls are framed with a Larsen Truss every 2 feet on centre. A window buck is also shown lying flat on the subfloor, ready to be lifted into place on another wall.
In July, Tim attended a workshop to learn the EcoNest style of clay/fibre building. The thick walls made of clay, straw, and wood chips offer an excellent combination of insulation and thermal mass.
The gravel in a rubble trench foundation allows any water in the ground under the building to flow to the bottom of the trench and away from the building through the drainage trench, preventing moisture problems or frost heave.
Concerned about the amount of embodied energy in concrete? An excellent way minimize concrete in the foundation for a building is to use a rubble trench.
In preparation for applying the natural clay plaster on the straw bale walls in this timber frame home, the walls had to be stuffed tightly between all the bales with packed straw. Air spaces in the straw bale walls allow a greater chance of fire, so these air pockets must be eliminated. The spaces can be no larger than an egg.
In a 1950s era home, the issue of creating sufficient headroom in a finished basement can be tricky. Framing closely around the furnace ducts helps maximize the height available, and including some angled framing will ensure that the drywall installation goes smoothly and the aesthetic of the room is pleasing to the eye.