Years before matts myhrman coauthored build it with bales with steve macdonald, long before he founded out on bale unltd with judy knox and they began publishing the last straw, and well before anything like a straw bale construction renaissance was sweeping across the nation and around the world, he and knox were working together in. Straw bale homes present special challenges, to be sure. A history of the strawbale resurgence the last straw journal. Whether you build an entire house or something more modest a home office or studio, a retreat cabin or guest cottageplastered straw bale construction imagine building a house with superior seismic stability, fire resistance, and thermal insulation, using an annually renewable resource, for half the cost of a. Authors athena swentzell steen and bill steen founded the canelo project, which promotes innovative building. Dec 23, 2014 build it with bales is a straw bale building classic, published in 1997. I contacted chris keefe of organicforms design and asked him to help me with the drawings, as he is an excellent straw bale designer. For someone like myself, with modest building experience, ready to build a straw bale house, straw bale building doesnt have enough detail.
The straw bales provide a less hazardous and more earthfriendly material that creates a beautiful, strong, and healthy space to live. Green building offers a wide range of options in achieving energy efficiency. Well, i did just that, and then the idea expanded and this book was born. Build it with bales is a straw bale building classic, published in 1997.
Straw is from harvested grain stalks never use bales of grass. Jane goodallfor more than a decade the red feather development group, a volunteerbased organization, has built and repaired straw bale houses for native americans. Straw bales are a natural material and do not smell. Building a home using straw bale construction mother earth news. What the straw bale industry is saying 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. 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. There isnt a lot of text in the book, just highquality drawings detailing how all the parts fit together in a straw bale house. See more ideas about straw bales, natural building and earth homes. Dec 28, 2012 building a shipping container home ep02 moving, cutting, and framing a container house duration. Whether you build an entire house or something more modest a home office or studio, a retreat cabin or guest cottageplastered straw bale construction is an exceptionally durable and inexpensive option. Research has shown that straw bale construction is a sustainable method for building, from the standpoint of both materials and energy. A remarkable group effort to bring lessons learned from architects. The straw bales, finished by plaster, have a high rvalue.
It covers the construction process from site preparation through to foundations, concrete slabs, strip footings and stumps. Andrew has a passion for straw bale construction that is matched only by his desire to teach his knowledge to others. Buy the straw bale house real goods independent living books by athena swentzell steen, bill steen, david bainbridge, david eisenberg isbn. Theres not much here, for instance on plumbing, heating, wiring and so on. It is a natural,breathable material that has no harmful effects. The straw bale house a real goods independent living book. 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. Following are some pros and cons of building a straw bale house. A video and book on how to build a straw bale home. Sam lives in a straw bale house and has for over a decade. One of the primary concerns of ownerbuilders is their capacity to deal with the structural issues associated with building a straw bale house. Having designed over 40 straw bale homes, he has a ton of experience. A straw bale home can save up to 75 percent on heating and cooling costs annually source. It is a practical book reflecting the authors personal experience, with tips and wisdom learned from his own pitfalls and mistakes.
A construction manual and inspiring story all wrapped into one, building a straw bale house. This book does not try to cover too wide an area, a trap that many other straw bale books have succumbed to. In this video i talk about the pros, cons and generally my thoughts on building with straw bales. Imagine building a house with superior seismic stability, fire. The book deals with every facet of building a straw bale house, from council approval.
My focus is always on designing and building a structure that is beautiful, durable, safe, efficient, healthy, natural, and inspiring. Building your straw bale home by hodge, brian ebook. My name is andrew morrison and welcome to my straw bale building site dedicated to anyone interested in building their own straw bale house. Plans for a small starter straw bale home or guest house. Michael judd explains the construction and efficiencies of his round straw bale house. A basic primer and a howto manual on specific techniques and detailing. Straw bale house construction dancing rabbit ecovillage. It uses a stepbystep approach, ensuring every critical part is outlined. The hardest part of building a straw bale house is knowing how to build a house. The lime plasters and washes on these straw walls look stunning adding a sensuousness to any straw bale design that would be hard to emulate with other materials.
Build it with bales, along with the straw bale house and the last straw journal, launched the modern straw bale building movement. Constructing a straw bale solar house requires the merging of solar design with alternative building techniques. David bainbridge is a california restoration ecologist. However, the purpose of this build goes far beyond just being a shed. Unlike many other straw bale construction books on the market, this one looks at building design issues from the perspective of the straw bale builders and considers the particular needs of the medium. You can use wood which is a very popular choice and that goes very well with the whole cozy and warm, earthy look. The straw bale house a real goods independent living book by athena swentzell steen, bill steen, et al. A practical manual for selfbuilders and architects sustainable building straw bale building is a radically different approach to the process of building. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Within the lower 48 states of the us, straw bales are almost always locally available.
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. Now i just need to gather the materials and bodies then get to work. A number of statescalifornia, arizona, colorado, texas, utah, etc. These range from funky sheds to family homes and commercial premises. 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. Approximate budget costs for starter straw bale house and utilities. Photos by james maidhof, courtesy of rothers design build. Bohdan dorniak, president of ausbale the australasian straw bale building association. This handbook is not exactly a complete primer on building a straw bale house, to me it is an idea book. These are external lime plasters and internal clay plasters, with limewash or claybased paints. Pros and cons of straw bale houses for those who prefer using natural materials, building a straw bale house may seem like a great option. Straw bale and straw panel building by strawbuild ltd. The energy savings of such a house are about 75% over. Though the book is a bit older now, it still has plenty of good information.
From foundations to the roof by brian hodge of straw bale houses published 2006. The straw bale house real goods independent living books. Sam vivers of vivahomes, is a professional builder who has been building houses since 1996. It seems to be a great instruction book for the very beginner. Building a straw bale house the red feather way was very informative. Click download or read online button to get straw bale construction book now. The straw bales will only be used to fill the frame. 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. Instead of pushing forward with the construction of the straw bales walls, were forced to take a hard look at the time line as well as the. This guide covers the materials and methods you might use to build a straw bale house, a house that. The first straw bale houses were load bearing, and the uss oldest existing straw bale house built circa 1896 is load bearing, but these days there are many more post and beam ones.
This construction method is commonly used in natural building or brown construction projects. Im currently reading your book as im wanting to build a straw bale house on a newly purchased block some distance from my current living arrangementmy concerns with this situation is keeping the straw bales dry during construction especially if i cant complete it all in a short time frame. Sam builds straw bale homes across nsw queensland and the act. In fact strawbale houses typically only save about 15% of the wood used in a conventionally framed house. Straw has been used as a building material for centuries for thatch roofing and also mixed with earth in cob and wattle and daub walls. Recently, an article titled, straw stuck was posted on the tyee stating, the myth of straw bale as an inferior building material is gradually changing as an increasing number of people in b. The last straw has made a pdf download of the book available for free online click here to view. Living in a straw house protects you from all that.
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. The strawbale search by jerilou and kingsley hammett. This book provides the metaphorical nuts and bolts of straw bale construction for homes and other buildings. Straw bale house building workshop strawbale construction. Building with straw bales has taught me a lot about the technical aspects of straw bale construction, and inspired me with its beautiful results. 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 the big bad wolf. Building with awareness how to build a solar straw bale. Welcome to sbuk the straw bale building association for the united kingdom.
This timber framed, straw walled guesthouse is one of five straw bale. Straw bales are a highly insulative, lowembodiedenergy, natural building material made from an agricultural waste product. Strawbale building an engineers perspective youtube. In addition, straw bale homes are covered with fire resistance stucco. Bohdan dorniak building your straw bale home is a howto book for people interested in straw bale building. The straw bale house is a great introduction to straw bale building. Straw is easy to work with for people new to construction as they are flexible and can be very forgiving. What this book does is talk about building the house itself, the wall structure, supporting the roof, the things that are unique to building with straw bales. This book highlights various benefits and critical points, allowing you to decide if this. For many, they are locally available and affordable. After years of building, he has moved his practice entirely to consulting and teaching.
This book is a timely and important tool for the empowerment of communities facing housing deficits. If youre looking for bales in the southwest, and are having trouble finding any suppliers, feel free to send me an email and ill do what i can to help you find some good quality bales to build a house. Sustainable compromises chronicles these two remarkable attempts to live simply in two disparate american eras. Now there are thousands of strawbale houses around the world, and strawbale building is now in the building codes. Click here if you are new to straw bale construction and want to start learning. Its the perfect time for a straw bale build tour and so i will be setting up an event very soon on zoom to give a tour of this two storey load bearing straw bale house. Build your own inexpensive straw bale dog house for your pets. A complete howto guide to alternative building methods earth plaster, straw bale, cordwood, cob, living roofs. Like any building material, it is always best to evaluate your needs and your goals before committing to a particular material. There are lots of pictures, illustrating lots of points that you wouldnt think of unless you had been there and done that. There are a couple of dated pieces of advice in there.
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. 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. 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. Hay fever sufferers are not affected by straw,as it does not contain pollens. Straw bale house construction why build a straw bale house. Committed to collaborative working, we can support you all the way from initial vision and design concept through to the finished build. Throughout the course you will learn key factors in building your own home, and almost more importantly, when and who to ask for help. The straw bale house to many people, the thoughts of a lovely home in a good neighborhood with a swimming pool and celebrity neighbors is the only way to live. The low afternoon sun cast a warm, rich light on the straw.
It has also convinced me that building with natural materials creates a healthy conscience and a healthy building, essential factors towards a healthy occupant. 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. The book deals with every facet of building a straw bale house, from council approval and insurance to construction and finishing. This practical guide is written especially for the ownerbuilder and provides stepbystep instructions supported by diagrams and photographs. Building a straw bale and plaster house is a lowcost and environmentally friendly way to create a home.
The book deals with every facet of building a straw bale house. 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. Straw bale construction proved to be incredibly resilient in recent fires in the western united states, sometimes being the only home left standing in an entire neighborhood. This book is a great volume for a layperson, with little or no construction experience, interested in straw bale building and other construction topics. Straw bale homes will catch fire too easily like a telephone book, condensed and packed straw will not catch fire due to lack of airoxygen flow through the material. The construction of a hybrid home dvd and guidebook by ted owens green designer and filmmaker list price. Erecting bale walls can go amazingly quickly, and does not take a lot of skill, but then the rest of the creation of the building is similar to any other wood framed house. 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. Imagine building a house with superior seismic stability, fire resistance, and thermal insulation, using an annually renewable resource, for half the cost of a. Straw bale construction download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl. Straw bale construction can be used in almost any climate to create a comfortable home.
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. Sam is a great communicator and our participants cover a great deal of detailed information during the 3 day course. Whether you build an entire house or something more modesta home office or studio, a retreat cabin or guest cottageplastered straw bale construction imagine building a house with superior seismic stability, fire resistance, and thermal insulation, using an annually renewable resource, for half the cost of a. 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. Building your straw bale home is a howto book for people interested in straw bale building. The rvalue measures the insulation resistance of the wall. The ebook rings in at 214 pages, contains 1 photographs to outline various points and steps, and has 22 professionally drawn architectural details created by chris keefe of organicforms design. The uk straw bale sector is vibrant and growing with more than buildings so far. Straw is derived from grasses and is regarded as a renewable building. I read it in one afternoon and have the concept down pretty good.
In a modern look at straw bale construction, i have presented what i believe are the best details for the highest quality construction available. To keep a straw bale house healthy, it must be plastered and decorated with vapour permeable breathable materials. Top 8 advantages and challenges of straw bale construction. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. He has a wealth of experience in designing and building conventional, tiny, and straw bale homes. Nonetheless, i am on the side of my coworker, the straw bale fan. Special techniques for straw bale construction and the integration of these techniques with those of conventional house building. It covers the improvement course of from site preparation by means of to foundations, concrete slabs, strip footings and stumps. This time, with an idealism tempered by experience and practical considerations, boye and his wife constructed an offthegrid, energyefficient, straw bale house in vermont. Like all innovative ideas, it has been pioneered by the passionate, and used experimentally by those with the vision to see its potential.
Make straw bale walls, not using hay, but using straw. My brand new straw bale book, a modern look at straw bale construction is complete. Central books distributors of books and magazines since 1939. This smart info is written notably for the proprietorbuilder and provides stepbystep instructions supported by diagrams and footage. If you are brand new to straw bale or are a straw bale construction specialist theres something for you at. Of course, no building material is an acrosstheboard ace in the hole. Building your straw bale home, brian hodge, 9780643093867. This practical guide is written especially for the own. How to build a straw bale house, our plans have changed. Straw bales were first used for building over a century ago by settlers in nebraska, usa, shortly after the invention of baling machines. Asthmatics too find a straw bale house a healthier environment to live in. The material is ecofriendly, fairly affordable, and reasonably easy to work with, making it an appealing approach to building a home. Building your own straw bale house an interview with the.
Straw bale building courses australian rural education centre. Building a home using straw bale construction mother. Everything you need to know about straw bale design. When appropriate for your project, straw bale construction has many benefits. Then, there are others who are friends of the earth, and make every effort to both fit in with nature and build a sustainable home that is energy efficient and lowcost. The red feather construction handbook is an important resource for anyone looking to build a straw bale house. Building your straw bale home meet your next favorite book. Whats more, its fun, because the technique is easy to learn and easy to do yourself.
Fair enough, those things are much the same for any house, and well understood by architects and contractors. These need to remain dry, less than 20% moisture content, and tightly bound to prevent moist air including fog getting in before plastering. Facebook is showing information to help you better understand the purpose of a page. We built it in place of our previous shed which was on the property and needed a bit of upgrading.
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