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Building a Straw Bale HomeThe recommended method of straw bale home construction begins by pouring concrete for a raised footing to place straw bales on, with framing or upright pole beams to support a roof structure. The raised footings combined with ample drainage are crucial to keep moisture from penetrating and condensing inside the straw bale walls. Straw bales are arranged on the footing in staggered layers, so that joints between bales in the underlying layer fall in the middle of the bales in the next layer. Bales are tied together with wooden stakes or bamboo pins which penetrate at least two bales. They are then wrapped on both sides with chicken wire or wire mesh, also pinned to the straw bales. Once the bales are positioned in between and around the framing supports, they are sealed using cement stucco made from sand and Portland cement. When properly sealed, the walls are durable; highly fire resistant and pest-proof. Utilities are either run inside the walls, the floor, or in the ceiling; doors and windows are set to either the inside or outside of the straw bale walls, with special care given to avoid excess moisture accumulation. This type construction is especially attractive for Spanish style home construction; it is also viable for stucco fence building. Locate a Contractor for Basic Tasks Undertaking a straw bale home construction project does not require extensive knowledge on how to apply stucco. Even so, those reluctant to engage in such a do it yourself project can enlist the services of a stucco contractor. Homeowners seeking the services of a local stucco service provider, plaster contractor, or even an Atlanta stucco repair contractor can locate a reliable contractor in their community through HandyAmerican.com. HandyAmerican.com’s online matchmaking service is fast, easy, and free! Homeowners sign up with no cost or obligation whatsoever. They can post their project online where it is immediately visible to local service providers 24/7. Local contractor members also receive e- mail notification of project information; they can provide competitive bids in days or even hours after project posting. At HandyAmerican.com, homeowners have the opportunity to view contractor profile pages, licensing/insurance/certification credentials, references, customer feedback, and photos of recently completed projects. And then make an informed hiring decision, or hire no one at all. Remember, there is no obligation whatsoever. 1. Polly Hudson: Named.. but not shamed data: 07.04.08 Unlikely style icon of the week 2. City: Severn Trent fined for lying to customers data: 10.04.08 Severn Trent has been fined a record £35.8million for fiddling its figures. 3. 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