Learn About Straw-Bale Building At Workshop

Fri., July 9, 1999

By Michael Guilfoil mikegu@spokesman.com

Volunteers interested in learning about straw-bale construction are invited to participate in a free workshop in the Spokane Valley this weekend.

Owner-builder Rick Thornton hopes to attract a crew of workers willing to exchange their time and energy for the experience of cutting and stacking bales of straw. The addition to his conventional home is the first permitted use of straw bales for load-bearing walls in Spokane County, according to project designer Don Stephens. Other straw-bale houses in the county have relied on post-and-beam construction to carry the weight of the roof.

Canadian straw-bale expert Habib Gonzales will be on hand to oversee construction and lead the workshop.

Besides learning about bale-stacking, volunteers can try their hand at stuccoing and other skills related to straw-bale construction.

For information, call (509) 926-3702.

Also, anyone who wants to join the local EcoBuilding Guide’s database of those interested in straw-bale construction and other environmentally friendly building techniques can contact Stephens by phone at (509) 838-8222, by e-mail at dsteph@tincan.org, or by mail at P.O. Box 1441, Spokane, WA 99210-1441.

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