Journal
- 2026-10-28
Studs or solid panels? Follow the load through the house
A house does not need a solid timber panel simply because the roof and floors are heavy. A well-designed stud wall can carry those loads down to the foundations, while sheathing or
- 2026-10-28
What a straw wall asks of the rest of the building
A straw-bale infill wall is one part of a coordinated enclosure. In the common non-loadbearing arrangement, a timber frame carries the roof and floor loads while straw bales fill t
- 2026-10-28
What changes when timber posts carry the building?
A post-and-beam frame changes the wall’s job by giving the main vertical loads a separate route through posts and beams to the foundations. In this system, columns and beams form a
- 2026-10-28
Straw Panels: Which Connections Must the Specification Show?
When straw is packed into framed panels, the bales stop being the whole wall-making system. The frame, panel joints and connections to floors, roof and adjoining walls must carry t