Straw Bale Mini Build!

BUILD A MINI STRAW BALE BUILDING IN 5 DAYS!

Todmorden, UK

The straw bale mini build is back! We are thrilled to be bringing back the very popular (and fun) 5 Day Straw Bale Mini Building Course. Led by our co-founder Barbara Jones, this is a unique opportunity to explore the elements of straw bale construction by building a tiny building in 5 days.  

About the course: Designed to give participants practical insight and hands-on experience in all the key elements of building with straw.  The course will cover the basics of straw bale construction, from car tyre foundations to compression, including:

• Basic Carpentry:
  Including cutting and constructing the wall plate
• Straw Bale: Identifying a good construction bale, how to dress, customise and notch bales, how to infill straw bales around a timber frame, straightening and compression of the wall, preparing for plastering
• Natural Plasters:  A basic understanding of how to process fresh clay into plaster, the differences between key, body and finish coats, how to determine mixes for each type of coat, use of different types of plastering tools, practical application of key & body coat. 
• Theory: Including how to make windows & doors airtight, basics of roof construction and the importance of natural insulation.

The course runs Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm, with an early finish at 4pm on the final day. We ask participants to arrive 15 minutes early to ensure the teaching can begin on time.  

We pride ourselves on creating inclusive and welcoming build sites, open to all! Our courses welcome folk of all building abilities, whether you're a total beginner or an experienced craftsperson.

What's included? Our courses include tuition, all materials, tools and equipment, and daily refreshments (bring your own packed lunch).

About the trainer:
Barbara is the founder of SNaB (@schoolofnaturalbuilding), and the UK’s pre-eminent straw-bale building authority. She has decades of experience with straw bale building, clay and lime plastering, building physics and leading work on building sites across the UK and Europe. Her book, 'Building with Straw Bales; A Practical Manual for Self-Builders and Architects' is considered the essential guide to building with straw, and Barbara brings a wealth of knowledge and practical experience to every course. She will ensure course participants have a wonderful learning experience.

Booking:
We aim to keep our courses accessible and offer a limited number of subsidised places for those truly unable to afford the standard rate. We trust participants to use their judgement when selecting this option. Places are limited and we encourage early booking via the button below.

£400- Solidarity / income over 30k rate

£300 - Standard rate

£150 - Subsidised rate

See full Terms and Conditions here. Please note that for insurance reasons, all participants must be 16 or over.

Access: We welcome participants of all physical abilities and neurotypes, and aim to make our courses as accessible and inclusive as possible. As course sites and learning environments vary, we encourage anyone with specific access needs or requirements to get in touch so we can discuss how best to support your participation.

Transportation:
The college is a short walk from Todmorden station, which has regular direct trains to Manchester (25 mins) and Leeds (1 hour). There is car parking space at the college and locally.

The School of Natural Building is a not-for-profit BenCom established for community benefit and receives no external funding. We price our courses as fairly as possible to support accessibility and representation in the building industry.

For course questions and enquiries please contact us on hello@schoolofnaturalbuilding.co.uk