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Summary: Great SB book
Review: I've really enjoyed this book, especially the color pictures, although I wish there were more of them.
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Summary: Good overall view. Enough to get a person interested.
Review: Probably the best book on straw bale construction around. The color pictures were beautiful, but I felt that they did not represent the mainstream of sb houses. I wanted a little more of the nuts and bolts.
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Summary: informative for the curious, not a build it manual
Review: The Steens have written two books on this subject, this one from 1994, is the most informative as far as actual construction information goes. I would say that if you think you might want to actually build a straw home get this book and their second book,The Beauty of Straw Bale Homes(from 2000). After reading these books you'll need more information both about straw bale work and other construction and carpentry books, Amazon has a selection of those.
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Summary: Beautiful. Describes possibilities for varying situations.
Review: The Straw Bale House is not a "how to" although it gives enough detailed info that it could be used that way. There is an excellent balance between environmental concerns, and human habitational needs. It doesn't fall into the guilt inducing that Build It With Bales does, ie that construction of human dwellings is destruction of of nature and should always be kept to the bare minimum. The straw bale House seeks to encourage non-builders to give building their own homes a reasonable try, and takes into account many possible variables such as materials availability, costs, skill level required, code requirements. Excellent book. I loved the short section on life-cycle cost comparisons between owner-built straw homes and contractor built framed homes. The author is so right when he or she says that we want that savings for our children's children.
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Summary: Beautiful. Describes possibilities for varying situations.
Review: The Straw Bale House is not a "how to" although it gives enough detailed info that it could be used that way. There is an excellent balance between environmental concerns, and human habitational needs. It doesn't fall into the guilt inducing that Build It With Bales does, ie that construction of human dwellings is destruction of of nature and should always be kept to the bare minimum. The straw bale House seeks to encourage non-builders to give building their own homes a reasonable try, and takes into account many possible variables such as materials availability, costs, skill level required, code requirements. Excellent book. I loved the short section on life-cycle cost comparisons between owner-built straw homes and contractor built framed homes. The author is so right when he or she says that we want that savings for our children's children.
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Summary: I have read this book and I give it a thumbs up.
Review: This book on straw bale constuction is very informative. Another consideration should be the use of flax straw. It is oily and rodents don't like to eat it. which isn't the same for straw from wheat or oats.
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Summary: I read this book and now I live in a SB house.
Review: This book was directly responsible for our decision, two years ago, to build the straw house featured in the photo album. My wife, daughter (9mos.) and I are now living in the 3,600 sq ft home that cost @ $20/sq ft to build. That includes radient floor heat, high quality windows and a 1000 sq ft great room with a 15' high cathedral ceiling. Most of the labor was done by myself, friends and family. If you are considering building with straw, buy THE book and go to Arizona to take a workshop given by the authors. Both are well worth the money.
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Summary: An inspiring and informative book
Review: This book would seem to be an indispensible starting point for anyone looking into the straw bale home concept. If the thought of a poorly-insulated, energy-guzzling, expensive, bland, mass-produced, contractor-built home doesn't quite appeal to you, this book is essential, for it shows that inexpensive doesn't have to mean low quality nor unattractive. In fact, bales and other "natural", low-cost building materials can yield attractively individual results in part because they are easy and fun to work with, enfranchising the future owner to be his or her own designer and builder. The inspiring photos included in the book help make the case for the aesthetic advantages. Of course, the most important function is to show how to build the straw bale home. In this respect, the book succeeds admirably, giving diagrams to illustrate the major techniques being used and showing how simple straw bale building is. Incidentally, this would make an attractive book for your coffee table even if you are just mildly interested in the subject. One warning though: even including the index and other back-of-the-book sections, there are only 297 pages, not 336!
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Summary: This is a great place to start.
Review: This is a must have. If you are totally new (as I was) then this book will give you a good solid understanding of the pros and cons of strawbale construction. It is obvious that the authors know what they are talking about.If you are vaguely interested in SB and haven't got this one you're really missing out. Thanks Steen Steen and Bainbridge for this wonderful contribution.
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Summary: Strawbale heaven!!
Review: This is a must have. If you are totally new (as I was) then this book will give you a good solid understanding of the pros and cons of strawbale construction. It is obvious that the authors know what they are talking about. If you are vaguely interested in SB and haven't got this one you're really missing out. Thanks Steen Steen and Bainbridge for this wonderful contribution.
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