Build Your Own Workshop

Like a lot of tinkerers I've been wanting the "Dream" shop for years. I tried several different shop ideas over the years and was never really happy. So I decided to build what I wanted and I had to figure out how to do it. This project is still in progress as it's being built as I get the money and the time.
This is a real basic overview on my solution

Step 1: Getting the barebones up

After the site was selected and leveled, holes were dug for the posts. The first few were dug with a hand post hole digger, than I borrowed an auger for my old tractor.
The wood came from the property and was milled with a WoodMizer bandsaw sawmill. I had always heard that the fastest route to a roof was a post and beam structure...so that's what I did.

Comments

[Strawbale Shop]

* The extra time you put into a strawbale structure to smooth the walls will pay you back many times over when you plaster.
File under things I would do differently

[Strawbale Shop]

The pex used in the floor is 7/8's ID. It was installed in three 300 foot loops

[vincent7520]

Congratulations …
Lucky man who has so much space available : would you like to know that your workshop is at least twice (if not more) the size of house ?
;D

[Strawbale Shop]

all things are relative

[vincent7520]

Nonetheless, your project is great !

[tinker234]

could you get free contre slabs from company's that are extras

[Strawbale Shop]

Don't know about free labs...

[ssleeper]

Wow Very nice job. Would you say the labor involved is more or about the same as a stick built shop?
How much would you say it cost you to build this building as aposed to a stick built or a pole building?

[tinker234]

wow nice is the foundation safe and could i ask how do you power it

[Strawbale Shop]

Safe? it's a 6 inch slab of concrete sitting on 4 to 5 inches of tamped rock. Yeah seems pretty safe. The shop is currently powered on the grid, but, I made sure the roof was aligned and fortified for the possibility of solar when the financial gods are in agreement. Thanks for your comment.
PS: today it's 95º outside and inside the shop is a cool 69º

[tinker234]

(removed by author or community request)

[tinker234]

also do you have a theme for your shop

[Strawbale Shop]

No air conditioner here I use an exhaust fan in the morning to pull in the cool air, but pretty much it's just the thick walls of the straw bales.
Theme?
Never thought of one....hmmmm...
"do it yourself"? or maybe "re-purpose/re-use"?
People who visit the shop think it has an "old" feel. I think it's probably because of the big round walls and post and beam structure

[tinker234]

old fashiond theme then ever thought of air conditoing where i live it is a must

[coopgrl88]

 I think it is great you are showing a straw-bale structure.  They don't get enough exposure.  Cheap and efficient homes and structures.  Fire and pest resistant.  They also breathe, so you don't feel stuffy like you can in a modern structure.  Awesome.  I really look forward to seeing your final product and layout of your workshop!

[bowmaster]

Straw is fire resistant? I was looking at this and thinking, "Aw man, you're screwed if you drop a hot tool, have a sparks from a grinder or something, or anything like that."

[Strawbale Shop]

That would be a problem if there were any exposed straw, but, there isn't . All straw is covered by at least 2 inches of plaster.

[coopgrl88]

Thank you, you are correct :) The straw being tightly packed and completely sealed in by plaster or cob, this creates a fire resistant environment. Even if somehow fire were to get to the straw, with it being so dense in the wall, it would get snuffed out before damage would be done.

[sabr686]

This is amazing. I am so jealous, though. You could have at least invited me for the spray plaster part! Seriously, I love what you've done so far. I look forward to getting the chance to see what fixtures are going inside. Hopefully as useful and efficient as the outside. You have my respect, sir.

[vestie]

Nice Job. Always wanted to do something like this. Really liked the radiant heating, it's a nice ecofriendly way of heating. Awesome design concepts. Is it the lack of oxygen that prevents the straw bales from rotting? What kind of shop are you building? If it where my shop I might have included in wall pneumatic lines. Great job your instructions where very clear. Sorry for asking to many questions. As far as fire goes ultimately it comes down to not being stupid and outfitting a space with adequate fire extinguishers. Most buildings will burn but with 2" of plaster on either side it would have to burn for a long time at high temperatures to penetrate the sides.(unless of course it finds another route. I.E Power Outlets or the posts) and by that time all of the stuff inside would be destroyed so theirs no point in making the structure any more fireproof. (sorry for this excessively long comment)

[Strawbale Shop]

Hi Vestie It's not so much lack of oxygen that keeps them from rotting it's keeping them dry. The bales are sitting on raised bucks on the concrete pad and there are vapor barriers everywhere that bale touches wood to prevent wicking. Also, the NHL plaster tends to migrate any moisture out of the bales. The pneumatic lines are just going in now. Like the electrical, they are exposed in case I need to modify or add to them later. As to fire protection , Yes, extinguishers are in place for more on straw bale and fire read my comment on May 12 09 Thanks again

[vestie]

Yah I read the article. Cool stuff. Just wondering, where did you get all your info on this stuff because I'd like to learn more about it. Thanks, Vestie

[Strawbale Shop]

Years of research, everything from yahoo groups "strawbale-r-us" to just about every book on the subject to talking to people who had built with straw. A good place to start are these books: Straw Bale Building: How to plan, design and build with straw by Chris Magwood and Peter Mack More Straw Bale Building: A Complete Guide to Designing and Building with Straw (Mother Earth News Wiser Living Series) by Chris Magwood Serious Straw Bale: A Home Construction Guide for All Climates (Real Goods Solar Living Book) by Paul Lacinski

[Allowance10]

Sweet Project! You must have put a lot of time in!

[Strawbale Shop]

Thanks. Yes, and I still am putting in lots of time...

[Dr.Legume]

This is a great project, straw bale buildings have been around for centuries. As to the comments regarding whether it's fireproof, well, log cabins and wood frame houses are not fireproof either....even the World Trade Center burned, and that probably wasn't made from straw bales. Bugger the naysayers and their schadenfreude, if my dog had thumbs and an internet connection, he'd be an expert too :) Great job, Codini, I look forward to seeing the progress on this.

[Strawbale Shop]

LOL! no kidding!

[outoforder2day]

Don't you worry about mice or other critters chewing through the hay at some point down the line? What about water and the potential for mold and decay? Awesome building and wonderful job!

[Strawbale Shop]

Hi,
It's straw not hay, and as such there isn't very much edible stuff to attract the varmints . The bales are sealed behind 2 inches of plaster .
The bales are up off the slab on pressure treated bucks and separated from the bucks by layers of barrier. The roof overhangs are very generous and lastly the lime plaster migrates any water out of the bales.
See:http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-Your-Own-Workshop-Part-2-Lime-Plaster/

Thanks

[outoforder2day]

Ah, ok. Thanks for the clarification. I always thought mice ate everything. Again, very nice shop!

[Strawbale Shop]

Part 2 is now up
How to: Natural Hydraulic Lime Plaster
http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-Your-Own-Workshop-Part-2-Lime-Plaster/

[Cthulu]

all I can say is...........wow.......and freaking awsome.

[The Porsche Fan]

This is awesome, It would probably win if it was finished with more details

[Strawbale Shop]

Yeah, you may have something there. I'm spending too much time actually working on the shop to work on the instructable.I'll go into more detail soon...promise

[The Porsche Fan]

the walls of this remind me of the walls at a house in this Ecovillage that I visited called Dancing Rabbit.
(http://www.dancingrabbit.org/) they have some REALLY interesting building ideas there if that helps you at all.

[blakeredfield]

Question about the radiant heating system. You have used plastic tubing, but wouldnt metallic tubes be better, as they conduct heat better. Im wondering how much that'll matter, given that I'm assuming that the plastic hoses are specially designed to be used for this reason. I cant see any heating upstairs. Could you tell us how well it worked? I want to install a diy under-concrete heating system in my garage that flooded and is a mess atm - thats why all the questions. Also, what heating engine/system did you use? (very nice work)

[Fixerdad]

I've been in the building trades over 25 years, and only a lunatic would actually use metal. Please understand that my harsh remark is just a kind of knee jerk panic reaction to a bad idea, nothing personal at all. Metal would be more expensive, time consuming and harder to work with, and definitely not freeze proof. When PEX (the type of tube used in the picture) 1st came out, some contractors I know put a piece that they had filled with water and capped at each end in their deep freezer (well below zero). Once solid, they beat the Cr** out of it with big hammers. It didn't leak. And that was the 1st generation of PEX. All hydronic slab systems use PEX, as there ain't nothing better out there. Just FYI. I'm calmed down now, sorry.

[blakeredfield]

Easy tiger. Im a n00b way over my head, shooting ideas around. Plex is the way to go, then 100% . Thank you. I'll update my mental database.

[Fixerdad]

Sorry again, just spazzed out at the thought of metal - I've drilled into regular water lines that some **^&%$##*@@!!!'s have put into slabs for unknowable reasons. i did over react.+see last sentence of 1st reply

[scarabeetle101]

If I was rich and not fourteen, I would build myself one of these.

[Strawbale Shop]

You don't have to be rich to build stuff, you just need to be determined and stubborn.

[robbtoberfest]

Beautiful and classic!

[Strawbale Shop]

Thanks

[thund3rcock]

Hey well done on your workshop, I am a huge fan of straw bale housing and i was wondering if you could give a rough estimated all in all price the project cost you. great job

[roynlois]

Would love to have the complete details. Think I would like to build a shop like this. Do you have conventional air conditioning or just use fans? If you have a set of plans let me know. Thanks...Roy

[hydrnium.h2]

A workshop insulated by straw and held up by a wood framing. Isn't this a little flammable? Or did you add some retardants?

[Strawbale Shop]

Less flamable than a traditional stick built structure. The plaster is a retardant and keeps the air out. You could probably spray your bales with a boric acid mix Thanks

[sugeri-instructables]

Do you have any details about the posts and their footings. What size posts - 8" or ...? What about the footings? What is the frost level, if any? How deep are the holes, are they backfilled with gravel, concrete ...? I have been dreaming of building a workshop too, post and beam seems to make the most sense, but I keep finding contradictory descriptions of the physical building. I think that this idea is marvelous. Gary

[Strawbale Shop]

What size posts?:--6"x6" All lumber was harvested directly from the property. • sunk 3 ft in the ground back filled w/ gravel- tamped • Frost level is 18" around here this method of construction is also called pole building (used for a lot of barns) and is probably the fastest way to a roof. Thanks

[Rossiroller]

I saw a house in the mountains that they just took the whole house, moved it up a story, then built a garage underneath it with straw bales. How much does a straw bale cost?

[Strawbale Shop]

I paid $2.65 ea delivered. Your mileage may vary Thanks

[battlewagon]

It's really wonderful to see someone doing all this work themselves. Great Job.

[Strawbale Shop]

Thanks! It would have been nice (and way quicker) to have a crew, but, I didn't have the budget §

[jongscx]

Anyone know how this construction method fits in with US building code? I'm curious, as it would be a shame to have to tear it down when someone reports to the local planning office...

[Strawbale Shop]

Hi
It's generally a good idea to check your local codes before undertaking a project of this scale. Codes vary by location, but, strawbale construction is gaining acceptance.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=building+codes+for+straw+bale+buildings&btnG=Search

In my case this is a work shop not a dwelling,
It conforms to the codes where I live.
Thanks

[Foxtrot70]

What kind of R-Value do you have with the bale construction? What is your location? I am curious about you winter temps. That should be warm enough to go in stocking feet!

[Strawbale Shop]

• somewhere around R-40 to R-50.
• WV

• They're predicting 3 for tomorrow right now it's 28
• yup! I tried the stocking feet idea whilst welding...didn't work out to good.

[carpespasm]

Fantastic shop. Hope I can get one like it made one day.

[alinke]

wow! this is awesome, I'd never heard of straw bale construction before, seems very intriguing. I'd love to see some more pictures when its all done. Thanks for sharing.

[Strawbale Shop]

Thanks I'm working on part 2 now.

[woodfinery]

Straw bale construction is something I have considered for sure. You do need to check your local building codes. Mother Earth News magazine has some great articles and resources on straw bale construction. Nice job, thanks!

[Strawbale Shop]

Thanks WF. You can really put some walls up quick when you start laying these big straw "bricks" Thanks

[kitsuken]

How does this deal with the damp? Wouldn't the hay bails absorb any rising damp and cause problems? Still, an awesome instructable and definately something I'd love to try if I had the land. Definately worth the vote

[Strawbale Shop]

The straw bales are sitting on 6 inch high bucks made of pressure treated wood. There is a moisture barrier between the wood and the straw. There is also a moisture barrior between the wood and the concrete slab. The lime plaster will actually migrate any interior moisture out, effectively letting the walls breathe.

[jmahoney]

Looks cool! Actually sounds like it will be very warm. Howz about the summertime when the living is easy, will it really be cool? Musical minds will want to know, will it have good acoustics?

[Strawbale Shop]

Haven't really tested the acoustics ,but, it should be good. It's a real quite bulding

[jeff-o]

Great! Now all I need is a large plot of land...

[Strawbale Shop]

It doesn't have to be that large, a small shed would make a great first strawbale project

[jeff-o]

I'm thinking of tacking an addition to the back of my detached garage. I'm not sure if the look would be right, though.

[Strawbale Shop]

You can use furring strips over the plaster to attach siding etc to match the look of your garage. You can also veneer w/ bricks or stone

[jeff-o]

Hmmm, that's true... I'll keep strawbale construction in mind then. R40 would be great in the winter!

[moisture]

Whoa, I've never heard of the hay bale insulation wall. Can you write more about it? Is it cost-saving? useful for renovation work? a fire hazard? Would it pass code? Are those electrical boxes in the last picture? Really cool stuff.

[Strawbale Shop]

Thanks, yes I realize that I need to expand this instructable for more detail .• It is cost saving ,but, labor intensive. •Properly plastered bales would smolder for 2 or 3 hours before they ever burst into flames. • Codes are different you would need to check locally, but, people are realizing the advantages of a well insulated structure • I'm planning a small add-on for my kitchen using bales and passive solar techniques • Yes those are electrical boxes- you can hog out grooves in the straw to accommodate your elect runs

[Phil B]

PBS's "This Old House" did a program once on using straw bale construction in the Southwest. The insulation R factor is very high. The Southwest is a dry climate, too. I grew up in the Midwest and farmers had to be very careful about putting hay into the barn when it was too green and had too much moisture content yet. It would heat up by itself and burn the barn down if it also got enough oxygen.

[Strawbale Shop]

Good point Phil. The bales need to be dry when you build with them.

[lasersage]

Lots of people do it, it is very "green". Supposed to be pretty good insulation and obviously very cheap. Suitably rendered it can be used in houses and all sorts. Problems can occur with damp and vermin. Properly damp proofed and kept off the floor this needn't ever be a problem, but get it wrong and it will be a disaster. Bales take a very long time to dry out. Not a fire hazard as too dense to burn well.

[Strawbale Shop]

Actually it is excellent insulation having an R rating of between 40 and 50. About the best you can get with traditional stick frame is from R-11 to R 16. You are correct that moisture can be an issue just like moisture is an issue in stick framing.The bales in my structure are sitting on 6" pressure treated bucks and the building has 2 foot overhangs.Vermin are not a problem as The bales are very tightly baled and plastered with hydraulic lime plaster. Also since it's straw, not hay there are no seed heads to attract rodents. Indeed the lime plaster keeps away most bugs. Thanks again

[lasersage]

if only I had the land to try some of this stuff out myself. I'd love a big bail barn to keep a few extra motorbikes etc in. Nice ible A+

[Strawbale Shop]

It doesn't take much to heat this building and last summer when we had a couple of weeks of 100 degree days the building maintained between 68 and 74 with the doors open.

[Strawbale Shop]

All I'm trying to get across here is that you can do it if you want to