Peter and Natasha

We've had a few questions about the actual building of the house, so here's a start:

Stumps:
* Timber - Treated Cypress Pine (termites don't like it)
* No of stumps - 104 plus 13 verandah posts
* Stump holes - 400mm diameter
* Depth of stump holes - 1000mm
* Depth of concrete pads in holes - 200mm
* The stumps were put on the concrete pads and held with packed earth

The land:
* Soil classification - H (highly reactive clay)

Stumps to sub-floor:
* Joists and Bearers - 140x45  (but we accidentally did joists at 190x45)
* Sub-floor - yellow tongue particle board (glued and nailed)
* Insulation - Pink Batts F2

Construction type:
* Post & Beam
* Pine posts 2 x 90x45 and 2 red iron bark feature posts, beams 190x45 & 290x45  

Internal walls:
* Timber stud walls with chicken wire on both sides (straw stuffed inside and rendered) Brian Hodge from Anvill created this type of wall and its registered trademark is Kram wall.

Roofing:
* Zincalume
* Insulation - sizalation + bulk

Rafters:
* I-Joists -300mm high

External Straw Bale Walls:
* Wheat Straw (Bickley Farms)
* Polyester strapping for compression and strength
* Bottom boxing with F2 insulation
* Intermediate and Top boxing
* 3 coats earthen render

Render:
* First coat: 9 parts red sand/clay mix, 1 parts local earth mix (sandy/clay).

* Second Coat:  8 parts local earth mix (sandy/clay), 4 parts triple washed sand, 1 part lime.

* Third Coat: 10 parts local earth mix (sandy/clay) 5 parts triple washed sand, 1.5 parts lime.