Building your straw bale home is a howto book for people interested in straw bale building. However, since i already have a house to live in, i am thinking of building a dog house with this book as a guide. A video and book on how to build a straw bale home. The pros and cons of straw bale wall construction in green building following are some pros and cons of building a straw bale house. This practical guide has been written by the most experienced straw bale builder in the uk. Straw bale construction is a green building method that uses whole or partial bales of straw as a major part of a homes walls. If you are brand new to straw bale or are a straw bale construction specialist theres something for you at stra. Ive written this book so that you can get a precise look at the details i recommend for building a high quality, long lasting straw bale home. Viva homes is one of australias most respected and trusted straw bale and earth builders. Care must be taken to protect the straw bale wall from moisture.
The disadvantages of straw bale construction hunker. The latest research in the field of straw bale design and construction is presented. Get a leg up on the first little pig with the straw bale house, your guide to inexpensive, durable, earthfriendly construction that will stand up to much more than. This book is a good reference for anyone who has a desire to understand building construction or a desire to build a straw bale house to a high standard using wellresearched methods. Plenty of building officials, inspectors, structural engineers and local authorities have been known to laugh in your face if you bring up the idea of building or retrofitting your home with straw. It covers the construction process from site preparation through to foundations, concrete slabs, strip footings and stumps. Whether you build an entire house or something more modesta home office or studio, a retreat cabin or guest cottageplastered straw bale construction is an exceptionally durable and inexpensive option. Our members are people interested in andor dedicated to straw building including ownerbuilders, architects, engineers, and contractors. This guide covers the materials and methods you might use to build a straw bale house, a house that can last hundreds of years, is.
Strawbale construction curriculum by katia lemone and dr. He has a wealth of experience in designing and building conventional, tiny, and straw bale homes. These award winning 9 star strawbale homes have been featured in the. We cover reciprocal roofs, green roofs, earth floors and many other natural building techniques. Building a home using straw bale construction solid, rugged, inexpensive, and twice as fireproof as conventional lumber, straw bale construction is. The straw is the stalk of the grain without the grain head. Annie and jay warmke have taught numerous straw bale workshops.
The very active and informed network of straw balers constantly explores ways to improve and quantify bale building technology. Home straw bale construction since 1991 paja construction. Special techniques for straw bale construction and the integration of these techniques with those of conventional house building are also covered, including floors, timber wallframes, ceilings and roof framing. What will the building with straw bales course cover. Everything you need to know about straw bale design.
In a modern look at straw bale construction, i have presented. The builders without borders bwb strawbale construction guide was created to meet the growing demand for easytounderstand instructions on building strawbale homes. How to plan, design and build with straw ebook written by chris magwood, peter mack. Top 8 advantages and challenges of straw bale construction. Her practical skills include strawbale building, clay and lime plastering, carpentry and roofing.
Straw bales have good insulation properties and keep the building warm in winter and cool in summer, with rvalues between 40. A construction manual and inspiring story all wrapped into one, building a straw bale house. Despite mushrooming interest in the technique, however, most straw bale books focus on selling the dream of straw bale building, but dont adequately address the most critical issues faced by bale house builders. Straw bale house construction why build a straw bale house.
She looks at construction methods, design and costs of working with straw bales. Straw bale constructiontechniqueswalls wikibooks, open. In 2002 the nonprofit association ausbale was formed to develop and provide information on strawbale building techniques and performance. I contacted chris keefe of organicforms design and asked him to help me with the drawings, as he is an excellent straw bale designer. These are the construction techniques i have used and finetuned over the years building, teaching, and consulting on hundreds of straw bale projects from. I wouldnt go taking on house construction with this book alone but, its a good idea of the possibilities. Could be the best book ive read on sustainable construction methods. Straw bale construction download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. This practical guide is written especially for the ownerbuilder and provides stepbystep instructions supported by diagrams and photographs. Fortunately, designing a straw bale house is no longer rocket science and after many years of handson building and teaching experience, ive seen where the pitfalls lie and discovered new innovations along the way. This intensive threeday straw bale building course is designed to inspire you and give you the basic skills required for straw bale construction. This book is a pictorial howto guide on strawbale construction basics that emphasizes lowcost methods to help those in the greatest need for affordable housing.
This course is a natural building course so you can learn and practise how to build your own rammed earth, cob, lightclay straw, straw bale home. If youre looking for detailed and experienced cob building tuition with great food and a stunning view then get in touch to book on one of our courses today. If you are wondering whether a straw bale house may be right for you, here are some pros and cons to consider. Building with straw bales brighton permaculture trust. The beauty of straw bale homes athena swentzell steen, bill. Constructing a straw bale solar house requires the merging of solar design with alternative building techniques. Practitioners designers academics enthusiasts trainers who have banded together to provide a resource hub to aid you on your straw bale building journey. A home construction guide for all climates real goods solar living book at. Building a straw bale and plaster house is a lowcost and environmentally friendly way to create a home.
The straw bale housedescribes the many benefits of building with straw bales. Ive written this straw bale book so that you can get a precise look at the details i recommend for building a high quality, long lasting straw bale home. I read it in one afternoon and have the concept down pretty good. Straw is easy to work with for people new to construction as they are flexible and can be very forgiving. This book offers the nuts and bolts of rammed earth and straw bale building techniques, and why they are so spectacular, durable, and earth. It includes special construction requirements of earth and straw, design capabilities and limitations of these materials, and documentation of testing data for use in addressing the concerns of officials. The authors draw upon years of experience with natural materials and experimental techniques, and present a compelling rationale for building with strawone. Comprehensive information on planning and building with straw.
Building a shipping container home ep02 moving, cutting, and framing a container house duration. The straw bale house a real goods independent living book. The red feather construction handbook is an important resource for anyone looking to build a straw bale house. Building your straw bale home, brian hodge, 9780643093867. Innovative tips and techniques on all phases of wall building from design to finish. This new edition of the book building with straw bales by our director barbara jones contains the most up to date strawbale building techniques, including. If you have an urge to build a planetfriendly house that will give you great pleasure and satisfaction both to construct and to live in, then this is the book for you. Building your own straw bale house an interview with the. Building a home using straw bale construction mother earth news. Straw bale construction is a building method that uses bales of straw commonly wheat, rice, rye and oats straw as structural elements, building insulation, or both. Now i just need to gather the materials and bodies then get to work.
We have architects, designers and engineers on our team for modest designs to grand designs. By chris magwood, pete mack and tina therrien, new society publishers, 2005. Read building with straw bales a practical manual for selfbuilders and architects. They have constructed and live in a 2,200 sq ft earthship. Books are great for acquiring information on these topics quickly and easily, while videos are essential for showing the actual building methods and techniques firsthand. The construction of a hybrid home dvd and guidebook by ted owens green designer and filmmaker list price. Timber frame structures are frequently used in combination with other natural building techniques, such as cob, straw bale, or cordwoodmasonry. Instead, houses are built by specialists using expensive tools and expensive, highly refined materials extracted and transported long distances, often at great ecological cost. Building with awareness how to build a solar straw bale. Hay fever sufferers are not affected by straw,as it does not contain pollens. Straw bale house construction dancing rabbit ecovillage.
Straw bale construction is a building method that commonly uses straw from wheat, rice, rye and oats, as building insulation. Like any building material, it is always best to evaluate your needs and your goals before committing to a particular material. It is a natural,breathable material that has no harmful effects. A good stepbystep guide to construction details and processes used by the red feather foundation for simple, well designed straw bale houses they build. In 1994, when chelsea green published the straw bale house, the response from many people was a loud, huh those days are gone. They are not overly expensive to build and tend to be energyefficient. Building with straw is not fullyaccepted as method of construction in many parts of the country. The comprehensive guide to building with straw bales post and beam infill 2 hours 50minutes on 2 dvds this comprehensive dvd set contains invaluable information to help you save time and money on your straw bale building projects. Whats more, its fun, because the technique is easy to learn and easy to do yourself.
Many have stood for hundreds of years without the benefits of modern construction techniques. Space your three arches with a distance of one bale s length between each arch. Living in a straw house protects you from all that. Straw bale construction is a sustainable construction technique, with straw as a renewable material that is readily available. Straw bale building is a radically different approach to construction. The thing that i like about it is explained in this example. We pride ourselves in providing professional, fun and empowering cob and straw bale building courses in one of the most beautiful and unspoilt locations in the uk. The book deals with every facet of building a straw bale house, from council approval. Research has shown that strawbale construction is a sustainable method for building, from the standpoint of both materials and energy needed for heating and cooling. He shares his expertise on the straw bale expert blog. Bohdan dorniak, president of ausbale the australasian straw bale building association. The low afternoon sun cast a warm, rich light on the straw bale walls of a newly completed structure. Straw bale construction is a relatively sustainable construction method, with straw being a renewable material that is readily available.
Building a home using straw bale construction mother. The original nebraska straw bale building technique was one in which walls of straw bales actually provided the support for the roofstructure above, so these are now referred to as loadbearing, and straw bale homes of this style continue to be built and permitted. Today, building your own house is the exception to the norm, and it is almost unheard of to build with local materials. Animals sorry no animals allowed as it is a private venue. Bergeron and lacinskis new book serious straw bale is the first to look carefully at the specific design considerations critical to success with a straw bale building in more extreme climateswhere seasonal changes in temperature, precipitation, and humidity create special stresses that builders must understand and address. This book introduced me to the techniques of straw bale building, and it was very informative and useful to me as a beginner. The red feather construction handbook corum, nathaniel, goodall, jane on. This book is serious about building straw bale house anyplace and from many construction approaches. Building a vaulted straw bale wall blue rock station. These are the construction techniques i have used and finetuned over the years building, teaching, and consulting on hundreds of straw bale projects from australia to europe and canada to the united. Building your straw bale home by hodge, brian ebook. My brand new straw bale book, a modern look at straw bale construction is complete.
The course covers building walls with straw bales and basic carpentry. It uses a stepbystep approach, ensuring every critical part is outlined and that the manual remains easy to follow. Aug 18, 2016 straw bale building is a radically different approach to construction, and this book explains, in straightforward and commonsense terms, the principles of the technique, which was pioneered in the uni. If you want a chance to get a free copy, be sure to read this whole post or skip to the end if you prefer. After years of building, he has moved his practice entirely to consulting and teaching. Advice is offered on plumbing and electrical work in a straw bale house. The straw bale wall contains a truth window showing the straw bale and mud construction. It gives details of all the main construction methods, and includes. Having designed over 40 straw bale homes, he has a ton of experience. It uses a stepbystep approach, ensuring every critical part is outlined. Im eager to know your thoughts and opinions on the advantages and challenges of straw bale construction, and if youre starting a project please let me know what youre up to in the comments, or send me an email if you have any questions. This construction method is commonly used in natural building or brown construction projects.
A great first glimpse into building a straw bale structure. This book explains in straightforward terms the principles of strawbale building for selfbuilders, architects and construction industry professionals. Straw bales could be a real contender for your selfbuild or extension project, says barbara jones, an expert on building with straw bale. Nov 30, 1994 a great first glimpse into building a straw bale structure. Straw bale constructiontechniquesfinishes wikibooks, open. For many, they are locally available and affordable. However, there are also pitfalls to using straw bales for construction. These are the construction techniques i have used and finetuned over the years building, teaching, and consulting on hundreds of straw bale projects from australia to europe and canada to the united states. Straw bale construction has many advantages, including the carbon sequestration of the material, low cost, availability, fireresistance, and insulation values. Andrew has a passion for straw bale construction that is matched only by his desire to teach his knowledge to others. Building a straw bale house the red feather way was very informative. The authors dedication shows through in every page. Barbara runs her own company, straw works, designing natural. The authors draw upon years of experience with natural materials and experimental techniques, and present a compelling rationale for building with strawone of natures.
Humidity the arch enemy of any straw bale construction will accumulate inside bales covered in cement stucco. More that half of all the buildings on this planet are constructed using earth and straw. Review bruce king has produced a book that is both long overdue and quite timely. We are using a lot of the principles from your book which is a fantastic source of information and assisting majorly with our further understanding of straw bale construction. Strawbale construction is a building method that uses bales of straw commonly wheat, rice, rye and oats straw as structural elements, building insulation, or both.
Clay plaster allow higher water vapour permeability through the walls than lime plaster, which in turn is much more than cement plasters. Our aim to promote straw bale building and best practice within the sector sbuk is an association of. Some builders construct frames around the bales and use the bales for insulation, while others eliminate the framing altogether. This wall uses a cement stucco base coat since it is located in the splash zone of the shower. Straw bale constructiontechniquespushing the limit. There isnt a lot of text in the book, just highquality drawings detailing how all the parts fit together in a straw bale house.
Buy a cheap copy of the straw bale house a real goods. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read more straw bale building. A complete guide to designing and building with straw, updated edition. If youre thinking of building a straw bale house on an exposed site a hill or a lakeshore, or any site where you might consider using a wind turbine. Driving rain is the enemy of straw bale houses, and gable ends are particularly susceptible. It is a practical book reflecting the authors personal experience, with tips and wisdom learned from his own pitfalls and mistakes. A home construction guide for all climates real goods solar living book paul lacinski, michel bergeron on. Welcome to my name is andrew morrison and welcome to my straw bale building site dedicated to anyone interested in building their own straw bale house. This guide covers the materials and methods you might use to build a straw bale house, a house that can last hundreds of years, is energy efficient and is cheap to maintain. Bale stacking is often done in community bale raisings, where family and friends pitch in together to raise the walls in a weekend or two. Well, i did just that, and then the idea expanded and this book was born. Cadmon whitty, owner and operator of paja construction, was a founding member of the new mexico straw bale construction association.
It seems to be a great instruction book for the very beginner. Special techniques for straw bale construction and the integration of these techniques with those of conventional house building. Details on the latest straw bale engineering, window flashing, electrical wiring, and much more. The book explores many variations on the straw bale theme, with honest evaluations of the pros and cons of each. After the edible part of grains have been harvested, their stalks are disposed of by farmers and in many areas, they are burned.
Straw bales are a highly insulative, lowembodiedenergy, natural building material made from an agricultural waste product. Asthmatics too find a straw bale house a healthier environment to live in. Athena and bill steen, coauthors of the straw bale house chelsea green, 1994, a book widely credited with popularizing and legitimizing straw bale construction, celebrate in gorgeous color photography the accomplishments of straw bale artisans. The california straw building association casba is an allvolunteer nonprofit organization committed to straw bale building.
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