FAQ
Questions and answers
Here are the questions that usually come up for people who are seriously considering a house made of natural materials for the first time: who we are, how reliable clay and straw are, what you can do with your own hands and where the line lies beyond which you need a professional. The answers are general: specific decisions for your house are made in the design.
A good question before the build costs less than any redo after it.
About the guide
Is Make Stroy connected to the former website on this domain?
No. A different website used to run on this domain, and later unrelated spam pages appeared here. Their content has not been preserved and is not reproduced; the guide's name simply came with the domain.
Are you a school or a workshop organizer?
No. We do not offer paid training, do not run workshops or hands-on courses and do not take building orders. The guide explains general principles to make it easier for you to choose and to ask the right questions.
Why are there no mix ratios or dimensions?
Because they depend on the specific clay, climate and structure. Ratios are found by testing, while dimensions and member sizes come from a professional's calculations; general figures from an article would more likely do harm here.
Can I suggest a topic?
Yes. Readers' questions help us decide what to write about next, and the topics already in progress are listed on the Materials page.
Building with natural materials
Will a clay house wash away in the rain?
If the wall is protected by a high plinth, wide overhangs and a breathable finish, rain is no threat. The danger is constant moisture: from the ground, from leaks or from a dense coating that will not let water out.
Won't the straw catch fire?
Loose straw burns easily, but how a finished wall behaves depends on its construction and finish. Check fire safety requirements against your local rules and discuss them with your designer.
Can I build it myself?
Much of the wet work, such as mixing, building up walls and plastering, is done by hand. Structural calculations, a foundation built to the design, the stove, the chimney and the electrics remain with professionals.
When is the best time for wet work?
In warm, dry weather, when the walls have time to dry before the cold arrives. Working in damp, cold weather drags out drying and raises the risk of cracks and mold.
Safety
Why is lime dangerous?
Fresh lime is caustic to skin and eyes. Work in gloves, goggles and long sleeves, and if lime gets into your eyes, rinse them with clean water and see a doctor.
Do I need a mask when working with clay?
Wet clay does not make dust, but sifting dry soil, sanding and handling dry mixes raise fine dust. In those cases you need a mask.
Can I build a stove myself?
No. The stove and chimney are designed and built by a professional with the fire requirements and the house structure in mind, and that same professional checks them before the first fire.
How should I work at height?
With fall protection, from sturdy scaffolding and with a helper on the ground. Never climb onto the roof or walls without fall protection, even for a moment.
Read next
- Planning
The order of works from idea and plot to final inspection: local rules, a professional design, the wet-work season and your budget of time and energy.
- How-to
A test clay mix, checking a wall for moisture and refreshing clay plaster, step by step and in general terms.
- Materials
Clay, cob, straw bales, timber, lime plasters and natural insulation: their properties and weak spots. The article catalog lives here too.
What we rely on
- General knowledge about building with natural materials
- Local building and fire safety rules
- Make Stroy editorial materials
Make Stroy retells widely accepted knowledge about building with clay, straw, timber and lime in its own words, without mix ratios, dimensions or calculations. Load-bearing structures, the foundation and the roof are designed and calculated by a professional; stoves, chimneys, wiring and gas are handled only by professionals. Look up your local building and fire rules before the first shovel goes into the ground, because the rules differ by country.