This practical guide is written especially for the owner-builder and provides step-by-step instructions supported by diagrams and photographs.
It covers the construction process from site preparation through to foundations, concrete slabs, strip footings and stumps. Special techniques for straw bale construction and the integration of these techniques with those of conventional house building are also covered, including floors, timber wall-frames, ceilings and roof framing. Advice is offered on plumbing and electrical work in a straw bale house.
Written with first-hand knowledge of the challenges that face the owner-builder, the author explores local council issues and requirements, the potential pitfalls of building and what to look for when ordering second-hand material, aided by a useful glossary of terms. The book concludes by covering the various safety issues that arise during construction, including fire prevention, equipment usage and the working environment.
Covers all the structural and straw bale techniques necessary to completely build a straw bale house
Extensive glossary of building methods and materials
Step-by-step instructions for the owner-builder
Introduction
1 - Councils and straw bale houses
2 - Site preparation and marking for foundations
3 - Floors and foundations
4 - Straw bale walls
5 - Window and door openings
6 - Timber framed walls
7 - Ceiling frame construction
8 - Roof frame
9 - Roof battens, roof insulation and roof cladding
Owner-builders, professional builders and tradespeople investigating straw bale construction, architects, local government planners, and environmentalists. The book will also have a place in public, secondary school, TAFE college and university libraries.
"This book does not try to cover too wide an area, a trap that many other straw bale books have succumbed to. It concentrates on providing detailed information that will allow even the most green owner builder to fully understand the process of building their own straw bale home." Linda Wilson, The Owner Builder, October-November 2006
"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 well-researched methods." Bohdan Dorniak, President of Ausbale (The Australasian Straw Bale Building Association)
"Building Your Straw Bale Home is a how-to book for people interested in straw bale building. It is a practical book reflecting the author’s personal experience, with tips and wisdom learned from his own pitfalls and mistakes. With admiration, I present to you this practical text on straw bale building." Dr John Zhang, Hillbridge Designers and Engineers
"One man’s journey from conventional construction to the methods and materials of natural builders may help readers work their way through the various stages of developing and completing their own project." Joyce Coppinger, The Last Straw Journal
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