The Forestry Forum

I've been trying to think of ways to build a kiln that would be both athstetically (spelling?) pleasing and cheap.  Then it hit me--strawbale infill.  I don't know why that wouldn't work either with solar or dehumidification and would look better than a reefer sitting in the back yard or back 40.

It will be something that I will definitely consider in the future when I build one.

From everything I've read about kilns, strawbale would not be an ideal choice for construction. "conventional" strawbale construction calls for stacking bales of straw up and smearing mortar or stucco on the surfaces. These are porous materials, and will wick moisture into the bales, causing mold and rotting, maybe even combustion.  Ya gotta keep in mind that a kiln is basically a big steam chamber. It is very hard to keep moisture from pervading any material that is used, so it's prudent to use only materials that are impervious to moisture.

I second Dang's moisture comments and add that straw bales give critters a great place to nest, especially in winter when it's nice and warm in those heated bales! :D

You guys are right.  I was just mulling cheap and decent looking ideas around in my head.