Strawbale Album Part 8. Earthen Floor Buildup. Spring to Fall 2014.

Part 8

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Beauty of God's creation!

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Simple water catch system.jpg Look them up on the web for specs and ideas

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Rock salt spread to deter bugs

Pink eco foam for the south, east and west walls.jpg.jpg.jpgit is partly bermed outside

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ready for crushed limestone

Rock salt spread to deter bugs

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Bobcat tracks on our property I think.jpg We see them once in a long while

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Snow drift layers against the loft window

Insulated wool cavity walled boxes for the cats.jpg.jpg.jpgthey prefer to be under the grandma's chicken shed

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Ciaran.jpg.jpg.jpgtrying out out temporary stove

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Spreading the crushed limestone...cheaper than sand here...

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limestone against the foam.jpg This type of lime is cheaper than sand here

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Most of the last holes in the walls and around windows have been now filled

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Here we are adding the 16 mil vapor barrier

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Wife transport!

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We store stuff outside temporarily while we prep our floor

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Nest we lay the foam board around the perimeter.jpg.jpg.jpghere it is under the vapor barrier.jpg Foam will be added to this foundation wall also

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Snowing AGAIN!

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I have the stove working in the mean time.jpg It will help the mortar set in the cold 30F weather

I love organic shapes.jpg.jpg.jpg

You need to use at least 2 inch high pressure foam on the floor. We could not afford to cover the floor with it..only the edges

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Now another layer of crushed limestone in place of the more expensive sand

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Fun time.jpg It was hard to take a day off but I made myself for the kids sake

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Cali (calico) lets us know that she wants in to eat every morning...in this insistent way

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Getting the bales in tight is important.jpg I used these things to help it squeeze in with force.jpg.jpg.jpg.jpgotherwise the straw can bunch up

This is our better stove.jpg Glass is broken so for the time being it has a metal _window_

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Insulated cat boxes with left over wool!

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A box in a box....

Building an internal straw bale wall. Since I do not need the full thickness I turn them on their side (uses less)

Shot from the north west corner.jpg The floor above.jpg.jpg.jpg.jpgnot nailed down yet.jpg.jpg.jpg.jpgwas cut from some old discarded 12 by 12 oak beams

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Squirky tries it out.

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Some wrens winter in our walls

This stove is only temporary

The straw needs to be off the ground.jpg Wool will fill the lower cavity

Nice to be able to get warm in cold winter weather even though the house needs much work yet

The rock displaces enough heat to contact the wood that contacts the stone. When the bench it built it will be even more dispersed

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Wall in.jpg.jpg.jpgtop rungs changed to normal orientation in order to fit the space

From the north east end!

The bales are steak through to bind them together vertically! You can use wooden stakes

The windows have a wool cavity below and above with a log exterior.jpg Straw sits atop that

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Finney the goat, and Rua the Sheep (Irish for red) are not too found of the snow. We love these pets...they love us and keep us laughing

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Hey..

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Rock salt spread to deter bugs