Straw Bale Building: How to plan, design and build with straw

Straw Bale Building: How to plan, design and build with straw

• Used Book in Good Condition

Straw bale buildings speak to a part of us that insists that we should be able to build our own homes with our own hands. We look at pictures of a bale wall being raised and immediately think: I could do that! Straw bale houses are easy to build, inexpensive, super energy efficient, environmentally friendly, attractive, and - most of al l - can be designed to match the builder's personal space needs, aesthetics, and budget. It's no wonder that straw bale houses are growing in popularity. <P>Most straw bale books do a great job enticing us with beautiful photographs and "selling" the idea of straw-bale building - but they don't adequately address the most critical issues faced by bale house builders. In <I>Straw Bale Building</I>, professional bale builders Peter Mack and Chris Magwood lead the potential builder through the entire process of building a bale structure, tackling all the practical issues; from how to find and choose bales; developing sound building plans; costs; roofing; electrical, plumbing, and heating systems; building code compliance and working with building inspectors; and special concerns for builders in northern climates. <P>For those who do not see their lives and their values reflected in "standard" homes, Straw Bale Building offers a wide variety of aesthetic and building options, from multi-storey luxury to elegant simplicity. Over 100 professionally illustrated drawings, plus b&w photos and building plans provide an abundance of creative and practical ideas for novice and experienced builders alike. <P>Down-to-earth and complete, <I>Straw Bale Building</I> makes the remarkable benefits of straw bale building available to anyone bitten by the straw bale "bug."<P><P><B>Peter Mack</B> and <B>Chris Magwood</B> are professional bale house builders. Together they have constructed 15 straw bale houses and structures. They teach a popular, on-going straw bale building workshop in Ontario, Canada.<P><P><B>TABLE OF CONTENTS</B><P><P>Introduction<BR>1: Why Build With Straw?<BR>2: What Are Straw Bales?<BR>3: The "Red Flag" Questions<BR>4: Building Permits<BR>5: The Hotly-Debated, Often-Distorted Question of Cost<BR>6: Getting Focused<BR>7: Design Considerations<BR>8: The Many Styles of Bale Buildi