Hi,
I met a lady from Victoria, Australia who described to me a method of wall infill / insulation employed in her 1850's fachwerk house built in Victoria state by German or maybe Dutch immigrants. The method employed involved wrapping short length planks with straw and mud to form a biscuit a bit like a shreaded wheat (Shreddies) and then somehow securing these between the timbers. On doing a web search I came across a Google reference to a book making mention of this type of construction being found in Indianna. Check out :-

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=8iFZ90Uw3jEC&pg=PA244&lpg=PA244&dq=Dutch+biscuits%2Broofing&source=bl&ots=T34yHQUP5F&sig=36UiuFfF0E5Bm6UHUuVv1ZdFS48&hl=en&ei=i4spSvCWJYfLjAeBwvnzCg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6#PPA244,M2

Can anyone throw any further light on this practice ?

Regards

Ken Hume

Ken, a recent book I have been using, did I mention I was messing around with clay, describes a similar method of wrapping sling straw strands coated in a light clay slip for use in the roof or ceilings. On the other hand I think it could have been a link on the web, something from Frank Andersen, the German fellow that worked with Fox Maple. I thought it might be in this link....

http://www.networkearth.org/naturalbuilding/overview.html

Try browsing the side bar, there is a lot of stuff there, I have only glimpsed at it.

The method you point out make a lot of sense. I had always thought I could just lath up a wall and mash on a coat of clay mix, well the new book says it doesn't work like lime plaster, the key is not strong enough. So wrapping straw around a flexible, spring board and wedging it in between rafters is a very reasonable method. This would allow the next coat of clay to adhere to the Shreddies. Very reasonable, and worth a experiment.

The link you posted didn't take, I am going to look into it, I must, or I won't sleep tonight.

Tim

Is this the link?

http://books.google.com/books?id=8iFZ90U...VTK2E&sig=1

We need more information, for sure.

Tim

I will be able to sleep tonight.

http://www.mileslewis.net/australian-building/pdfs/hybrid-types/hybrid-types-lehmwickel.pdf

Is this what you are looking for, Ken?

Tim

Hi Tim,

I know that you are trying your best to be helpful but I did not want to introduce the forum to the thoughts of Miles Lewis in Australia just yet.

The web reference that you provided for the Indiana book reference is correct.

I am actively seeking and would very much value Germanic (Deutz) American perspective and input on this matter.

I met Frank Anderson in Brownville, Maine some years back when he was working at Fox Maple but I think that he overstayed his visa and was asked to return to Germany.

My friend Chris How from Australia has been in Germany and Silesia this past couple of weeks with Miles Lewis and he is due back here next week. He has been examining this design matter first hand and we intend to swap notes.

Chris and Miles were making a joint presentation at the Construction History Society conference in Cottbus and so his paper on the Eubank nail is now available for distribution in *.pdf file format now that this has been formally presented.

Get some sleep !

Regards

Ken Hume

Sorry to have let the cat out of the bag, I'm not sure how he got in there. As you can tell I think I have found a new medium, I couldn't help myself. A floor system made up of clay and straw, traditionally used, is important information. I am most curious to its viability of use in modern days, I am hopeful and will be using this type of construction on some of my personal work. Will others be open to its use is a question still to be answered.

It appears the author of the last article is interested in the historical aspects. I am wanting information to promote the use of this type of building material. It shouldn't just be a new green fad, historically and traditionally it has been used, why give it up? What is the down falls of clay? What caused it to fall out of use?

I can't help wondering why there is no infilled houses around my home area. They had no insulation at all, or nothing to speak of. I did just hear, at TTRAG, the use of swale grass used with clay in Nova Scotia. Most likely French influenced. No detail at to how it was used, it was in the walls, but no specifics. I will be using swale grass as well for it grows nicely right here and I have the ability to harvest it and already use it in other ways.

Tim