Stefan Backa had long had an interest in alternative construction methods when he began the construction of a straw holiday home on Fröholmen outside Västerås. The house was a hobby project that he built on for 12 years, and was able to move into it in 2020. Two years later, the house caught fire, probably due to sparks from the chimney.
– The roof was on fire, but not the ham walls. They were plastered with clay and sand plaster which is fire resistant, Stefan Backa says.
When the walls had been damaged by smoke, he decided to demolish and build a new straw house. The new house took only two years to build, and has cost him around SEK 2 million.
Skip the plastic for the sake of the environment
It was never relevant for Stefan to build a conventional house, despite the fire.
– No, then you would have given up. The point was to do something good for the environment and learn from yourself and others. A normal house is too much plastic.
In his new straw house, he has tried to use as little plastic as possible. Instead of waterproofing in the shower, he uses glass, and the house has no waterproofing in the walls, but the moisture is allowed to travel through plaster and straw. The house will be insurable, except for the bathroom – which is not approved by the insurance company.
In the clip: Come along to Stefan Backa’s thatched house by Mälaren and hear how the fire made him build a new thatched house.
List: How straw houses work