Framing

The base plate is on and we're ready for the walls.

Up go the walls. Now it will start to look like a house!

Lynn contemplates the view from the future kitchen window, and Will shows off his handy-work to the boys.


We are using a modified post and beam construction with larsen trusses - also called a ladder frame. The "ladders" are placed 36" apart to accommodate the straw bales, which will be laid horizontally between the ladders.

We learned this method at a workshop in Ontario with Jen Feigin (Green Hammer Construction) and Deirdre McGahern (Straworks). We liked this method better than the one used at the Kanata Healthy House where the bales were laid vertically in a balloon frame. The walls at the Kanata Healthy House are quite uneven because the vertical bales tended to buckle under the weight of the ones above. Live and learn!

Deirdre and her crew will be working with us during the straw bale finishing and stucco.

Here's a view of our first floor and load-bearing wall, a close-up of the ring-beam, and the porch where we plan to relax after a hard day's work.

Lynn and the boys stand in the entrance where we hope to greet many guests.

Here is a view of the floor joists.

Here she is... all framed up and ready for the roof trusses. Lookin' good!

Can you believe this was all done by the hands of only two guys? Will & Adam.

Lynn is impressed!!