Response to straw bale constuction

Nothing wrong - or unconservationist - about using timber framing and wall coverings anywhere, but particularly inside where you don't need thermal insulation. Just use recycled timber, or plantation-grown. Actually, probably OK to use recycled (second-hand) wall-boards of any kind (except asbestos) - better than having them end up in landfill with all their remaining energy and resource investment wasted. I understand (reading, not experience) that for wall hangings on straw-bale walls, the trick is to let timber into/between the bales as you build (a layer of timber - well anchored, good depth into the wall), finish the walls, then attach an old-fashioned picture-rail to that. Alternatively, you could put timber baulks into the wall at the corners of bales as isolated attachment points for the rail, but you'd need to keep VERY careful track of where they were - maybe a long nail as a marker, only about a quarter inch into the end of the timber, so you could pull it out when you're putting up the rail. Same trick lower down if you're going to need to fasten kitchen cupboards to walls. If you're actually going to need to hang heavy things from wall, add timber uprights as well - all while the bales are going up. Keep track of where all these timbers are as you finish the walls.

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