Straw bale building courses are available throughout the country, but before you rush in there are some drawbacks to the material that should be understood.
Believe it or not, fire is not the major enemy. Instead, water will ruin a straw house. If water gets inside a bale then it will rot no matter what you do. Fortunately, as Kester pointed out, they are accessible and easily replaced, as well as being cheap. To prevent rotting, make sure your bales are coated in waterproof material. And don't worry about rodents eating all of your walls! Mice and rats like hay, not straw. However, straw does make excellent bedding for the little critters so if you've got tiny holes everywhere then make sure to plug them all up and keep the mice at bay.
If you thought these ancient methods were all a bit outdated and simple then you'd be wrong. A former Grand Design in Islington, London has entire walls made from straw, and in this case they are left on show for everybody to see. Inside, you'd never know.
People are a little afraid of taking the plunge with materials like straw bale, but in truth it is a green, clean and cheap way of building a home. It costs about half of the bricks and mortar equivalent, and if kept dry can even outlast them! Then of course there's the bonus that you don't need to insulate straw walls.
We're only just relearning how to use straw bales in modern building. It is an ancient material that has consistently proved itself through the ages. While it might have its disadvantages, you won't find anything more sustainable. We just need to learn to be a bit more creative and a bit less scared to try something new. Use it right and no amount of huffing and puffing will blow your house in.
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