Straw Bale and Timber Frame House Plans

In 2012, we will be hosting two natural building workshops to help construct our second home: a timber frame straw bale house. Here’s a look at the house plans.

Timber Frame House Plans

The Strawtron timber frame plans! (SE corner view)

Strawtron is a passive solar, straw bale-insulated house with a timber frame, greenhouse for passive heat and extended living space, screened-in north porch with mud room, and 1/2 story loft with a west-facing balcony.

Timber Frame House Design Features

  • Building elements: straw bale insulation, timber frame with local wood (including round wood), concrete pier foundation, living roof, earthen and lime plasters, light clay straw interior wall
  • Interior 1st story living area rough dimensions are 13′x24′ (about 300 square feet, east end of house is rounded)
  • Greenhouse is planned to be about 10′x14′ — serves as heat source, additional living space with solar shower, sink, etc., & space for growing lovely things
  • Spiral staircase leads up to lofted story above main living space, with a walk out to 6 ft. deep balcony on the west
  • Sheltered work area under balcony on west
  • North porch is screened in, with bed platform for summer sleeping, and walled-in mud room
  • Storage area above porch (or additional sleeping space for guests?)
  • Heat to be provided by small wood stove (Morso 1410 stove initially), with possible plans for small masonry heater
Timber Frame House Plans 2

The NW corner view

And here’s a full set of our building plans — including 3D images, floor plans, elevation drawings, etc.: Timber Frame House Floor Plans & Design.

And: check out my Strawtron photo album for a more construction images. (Check them out full size for better quality, by the way.)

Want to Help Build This Timber Frame Straw Bale House?

Check out our offering of Natural Building Workshops in summer 2012, including a Timber Frame Workshop and a Straw Bale Workshop. Only 12 spots available in each — apply now!

{ 4 comments }

onesojourner September 13, 2011 at 12:38 am

You should seriously reconsider the west facing balcony. We love to sit outside in the summer months but the west direction that our deck faces makes it insanely hot in the evening.

ziggy September 14, 2011 at 10:17 pm

Well… the balcony will be used seasonally, I think — we’ll probably be watching sunsets off the balcony at times other than mid-summer. Also, a roof over the balcony will help keep it shaded, so it won’t be fully exposed.

The balcony is also useful on the west because it provides good wall coverage below. Many of our storms come out of that direction.

Peggy September 16, 2011 at 9:12 am

Ziggy thank you for doing what some of us only dream about, Dancing Rabbit is such a beautiful place to be ~ you are lucky!

freefractionsworksheets September 21, 2011 at 8:53 am

I’ll be watching 2012 project anxiously. The model itself is very attractive and when it will get life in it, it will be beautiful natural (organic) building. This is really I can dream of only as said by Peggy, but you are doing it in real time so you are very lucky to have time to do such a great job.

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