I have designed & built my Strawbale Shed for the past 2½ yrs at the back of my small property (My home is at the front).
I needed a studio for my business (Natural Soaps & Body Products) as the business was taking over my home.
After going through all my options, I settled on designing my own building.
I have been on a continuous learning curve through every element of the build so I could complete all the work myself.
Sustainable features of my building:
- 75mm of lime render (40mm outside, 35mm inside) ensure the infill Strawbale walls are extremely fire resistant.
- Built with Strawbales direct from the farmer.
- Passive Solar, North facing.
- No heating or cooling appliances necessary as Strawbale walls insulate so well.
- 150mm Insulated Solarspan Roof Panels.
- Large roof overhangs
- 2 internal plasterboard walls are lined with Pure Sheep's Wool Insulation & lime rendered to match the Strawbale walls.
- I used ground screws for piers - no concrete needed
- All design, project managing, building & labour was completed by me & my 11 year old son - now 13.
- Some great friends helped me carry & install the 8 roof panels by hand.
- I recycled feature tiles & turned a ceramic fruit bowl into a hand basin.
- I made the Strawbale truth window from timber off cuts & glass from an old photo frame.
- Made all benches from timber panels. A friend & I cut them to size, stained & varnished them.
- I rendered the whole building by hand for the first 2 coats, then found a talented renderer who also did the final coat by hand & I worked as his labourer to ensure a beautiful finish.
- Tank water.
- Designing & installing an off grid solar & battery system.
- I designed & built a work table that folds away.
- I built the 2 sliding barn doors from merbau decking boards.
- Deck handrails made from tree branches from my property.
- I documented my processes throughout each stage so I could sell my plans & detailed information to others who want to construct their own Strawbale build
