Complete Guide To Straw Bale Building

A soup-to-nuts guide to straw bale construction, written by the founders of the Spanish Straw Bale Network Straw bale buildings are warm in winter and cool in summer. The natural materials used create beautiful healthy homes that also have a low environmental impact. Highly affordable for self-builders, in professional construction, the relationship between quality, price, and long-term savings can easily be achieved. Straw bale is also especially suited to community-based projects as it generates curiosity and often needs groups of enthusiastic volunteers. This complete guide gives detailed descriptions about how straw bales react to different applications and enables anyone to design and build these natural homes in different climates. Included are: Step-by-step instructions for many processes Tips, tricks, advice and warnings Over 600 photos, drawings and diagrams Materials, tools and building techniques Solutions to common problems Plans for a practice straw bale building Since every build is unique (availability of materials, skills, budget, climate etc.), many different and varied building techniques are explained. Self-builders will learn a vast array of skills and the confidence to build their own, while professionals will be enabled to successfully incorporate bale building into their portfolios.

The devil is in the details-the science and art of designing and building durable, efficient, straw bale buildings Straw bale buildings promise superior insulation and flexibility across a range of design aesthetics, while using a typically local and abundant low-embodied energy material that sequesters carbon-an important part of mitigating climate change. However, some early straw bale designs and construction methods resulted in buildings that failed to meet design goals for energy efficiency and durability. This led to improved building practices and a deeper understanding of the building science underlying this building system. Distilling two decades of site-built straw bale design and construction experience, Straw Bale Building Details is an illustrated guide that covers: Principles and process of straw bale design and building, options, and alternatives Building science of straw bale wall systems How design impacts cost, building efficiency, and durability Avoiding costly mistakes and increasing construction efficiency Dozens of time-tested detailed drawings for straw bale wall assemblies, including foundations, windows and doors, and roofs. Whether you're an architect, engineer, contractor, or owner-builder interested in making informed choices, Straw Bale Building Details is the indispensable guide to current practice in straw bale design and construction.

Bergeron and Lacinski's 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 climates-where seasonal changes in temperature, precipitation, and humidity create special stresses that builders must understand and address. The authors draw upon years of experience with natural materials and experimental techniques, and present a compelling rationale for building with straw-one of nature's most resilient, available, and affordable byproducts.

Two professional builders go through the process of building a bale structure, tackling all the practical issues--from how to find and choose bales to special concerns for northern climates. Architectural drawings & photos.

Many copies in stock but still heavy demand; only a few titles published on this subject. Very popular in rural WA too.

"Filled with comprehensive case studies selected from over thirty-five of Red Feather's successfully completed housing and community-based building projects, Building a Straw Bale House documents the organization's collaboration with reservation communities and provides a step-by-step, bale-by-bale construction handbook - from initial site selection to finished product. Complete with information on safety, design, tools, and materials, it is an inspiring lesson for anybody interested in this technique of constructing a house and a hopeful redefinition of the fundamental ideas of architecture and the home."--BOOK JACKET.