Studio built of straw

I'm currently planning to turn my garage into a studio. I'm planning to do my soundproofing with straw bales. Other than the cheap cost and easy construction straw bales have excellent sound proofing properties. The average bale giving a 50db reduction. After building the walls by stacking the bales and pining them together with wooden spikes the bales are plastered with either lime plaster or a concrete render. Has anyone else considered this method? I'll be posting some images when I start construction.

Where are you getting the 50db reduction figure from? If that's an STC figure, then please research here the true meaning of STC and how it is practically worthless in terms of studio isolation. --Keith :mrgreen:

it achieves a Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC) of 1.15 and an overall Sound Transmission Class (STC) rating of 45, meaning that music and loud voices may be audible. source: http://greenbuilder.com/sbc/newsletters/nov2005.htm

jnrhacksaw, could you please follow forum rules and complete your profile showing your location - you could be at the north pole for all we now. I'm aware of straw-bale construction and I see the following problems. 1 - it takes up precious floor space as they are almost 2 feet thick. 2 - you still end up with a plaster wall that needs additional acoustic treatment. 3 - inundation with vermin, they love straw nests. 4 - they do Not save on labour as they are hard to surface, I've seen it done with a spray gun but it still takes as much labour as a standard stud wall. 5 - they must be used in conjunction with either a veranda or wide eaves as they don't like rain. 6 - they are non load bearing so additional structure is needed to support any ceiling system. cheers john

Hey everyone! I am planing on building a recording studio out of ice cubes! They have great acoustical properties... they freeze all those unwanted frequencies! Plus, there is a tonne of water available from my garden hose (and I have a big freezer) so it would cost next to nothing to build! I'm just teasing... No, but seriously, straw bales are a bad idea.

An Ice studio would be cool 8) I might add - if you have a garage you rehearse in and isolation isn't a factor but you want to tame the sound a wall or two of straw bales could be a cheap and easy acoustic treatment. Don't plaster them, just hang some blankets over them to eliminate the dust and put lots of vermin traps around :D. I've seen it done and it works. cheers john

jnrhacksaw wrote:

it achieves a Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC) of 1.15 and an overall Sound Transmission Class (STC) rating of 45, meaning that music and loud voices may be audible.

Ahem -- may be audible. In other words, "may be heard." I would restate that as:

• Music may be heard.
• Loud voices may be heard.
• Loud music will be heard.
• Singing will be heard.
• Amplified singing most definitely will be heard.
• Amplified band performances most definitely will be heard.
• Law enforcement authorities most definitely will be dispatched when neighbors complain.

I'll be posting some images when I start construction.

Might I suggest not starting construction until you have done all your research and shared your detailed plans here for discussion and comment? :shock: I spent nine months researching and planning (and posting many, many versions of my plans here) before applying for my building permit -- and that's just for a partial garage conversion. There is so much to learn and there are so many experts and knowledgeable amateurs here who are very generous with their time and are very willing to help you succeed... But you have to do the heavy lifting/learning yourself. Trust me -- it's much, much easier/cheaper/better to make all your mistakes on paper than to build and then attempt to fix the flaws after the fact. 8) --Keith :mrgreen:

on the points raised above: my intention is to build rendered straw walls within an existing brick structure. the bales will be played on the side giving a 12-14 inch thickness. The walls will not be load bearing. Although straw bales have excellent load bearing proprties and many houses are built without frames. The builder just waits for the weight of the roof to compress the bales and leaves the necesary tolerances. I've looked into vermin problems and builders of straw buildings report no problems with infestation. The bales have no spaces inside them and when rendered will be as diffcult to knaw into as a plaster wall. Stud walls on the other hand have voids within them than provide excellent rat hotels. I'm guessing that a rat would like to have a nice rockwool bed especially as they are oblivious to the health risks. I'm sure plastering the bales willl be a tedious process, covering them with chicken wire will help the plaster to key. I'm not going to need a building permit as I am using an existing structure. So long as I leave the doors on it is still classed as a garage in the UK. I'm sure a lot of the people on the forum find the idea of a straw bale studio amusing. But I am serious about doing this. The low costs and Idea of using an organic waste material appeal to me. Personally I'd rather be in an environment free of toxic materials. I appreciate eveyrones views and can stand plenty of piss taking so I'm sure my stay here will be entertaining.

I say good on yay!! Just ask heaps of questions here and see how it goes. It's your money!! JohnG

Heres my plans. The side wall are angled in by 2 degrees is that ok? I'm not sure what to do with the ceiling. I might use bales and cover it with fabric so it works as an absorber. Or I might use a conventional method. feedback please!

Personally, I find the use of alternative and (supposedly?) more environmentally friendly construction products to be very interesting -- not amusing to me at all. So I hope you don't discount the points I made with the belief that I somehow think it's silly or amusing to want to use a product such as straw bales. To the contrary, I actually have heard of straw bale construction and its purported benfits in home construction are impressive. However, in a studio context, I don't think it would be wise, for the reasons I stated. Better in my opinion to stick (no pun intended) with tried and true construction techniques that have lab tests to prove their worthiness for your project. --Keith :mrgreen:

I didnt see anyone mention the first concern that comes to my mind.... BIG FIRE HAZARD!!!!!!!

Nope -- fire needs oxygen, but the bales are so compact. "The bale walls achieve a high degree of fire resistance due to the dense packing of bales and to the cover of cement mortar/stucco . . ." (Source) --Keith :mrgreen:

well, Ya learn something new everyday.