Compromise

Wednesday 10 November 2010

Dave did some research into straw clay insulation (maybe a little late in the day) and discovered that the two things you don't want in your straw are mould and hay.  Surprise, surprise - we have mouldy hay!  If we continued with our insulation plans we would have walls full of fermenting mould. 

I already have Broncho-Pulmonary Aspergillosis (no, really!  it's an allergic reaction in the lungs to mould spores - developed from living in damp concrete buildings here in Greece)  so the last thing we want is mould in the walls.  We were stumped.  With the base in position on the blocks, the floorboards purchased and stacked up in the Camper truck, we were all fired up and ready to go ... with only these gaping holes between the joists to fill.

We did some more research on the net, and discovered the insulation to dream of is sheep's wool.  It's made in the Black Mountains in Wales and is highly desirable on all counts: efficiency, fire and infestation resistance, and cheapness - but it isn't available locally -despite all the sheep.  There's an American company setting up production in Italy, but not till next year.

So we investigated a product we can get locally: rockwool - some sort of extruded mineral fibre.  Sounds as if it needs nasty industrial processes to produce, but the websites are very upbeat about its sustainability: apparently it offers thermal, acoustic and fire resistant insulation, and is (quote):

• vapour permeable ("breathes")
• resistant to aging and decay
• resistant to micro organisms and insects
• resistant to chemical substances
• chemically inert and completely recyclable with an ecological production process

But it makes your skin itch.  And may go soggy if it gets wet - not so clever in a shower-shed.  Anyway, other than scouring the tip for reclaimed polystyrene (which has no fire resistance) this seemed to be our only option.

We crammed three bales into the back of the van, and got on with installing the floor. 

I painted the underneath and sides of each board and Dave nailed them down.  We'd picked a light coloured wood stain at random - selecting only for available quantity in the shop, on the vague principle that popularity must mean the colour's okay. 

It turned out to be this bright yellow!  We should've guessed from the number of bright pink apartment blocks around that the Greeks don't go in for colour subtlety!