© Carymoor Environmental Trust

Once the site had been selected (after months of debate), an earth mover was brought in to clear and level the spot.

After clearing and levelling, the foundations were started. These used old car tyres as stilts which hold the wooden floor above the ground. The tyres were rammed with earth and clay which had been sourced on site. They were then filled with stone to give extra strength and prevent any movement and then placed at 1 metre intervals (to centre) over the entire site to form the foundations.

The timber floor was then put in place. This was done as a normal suspended floor with the tyres as stilt supports. Once this was in place the floorboards (6 x 3 ply) could then be added.

By the end of the week Caroline, Alan, the Learning Gateway group and a few other volunteers had completed the foundations and floor - it was ready for the straw bales!

The bales arrived and were stacked ready for the 3-day course lead by Barbara Jones of Amazon Nails. 20 keen people from far and wide attended the course, and the building went swimmingly. The working atmosphere was excellent and everyone seemed to get stuck in as the first few bales were placed.

This is the finished straw bale house with its turfed roof.

Building with straw bales may be hard work but the structure can be erected efficiently and fast.

[Updated November 2005]