NATURAL BUILDING BOOKS

Here is a collection of books I, personally, like or which are relevant to natural building and timber framing:

Light Clay building

"Essential Light Straw Clay Construction: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide" by Lydia Doleman: This book is a comprehensive resource on light straw clay techniques, offering detailed guidance suitable for both DIY enthusiasts and professional builders. It covers various aspects including material specifications, estimating quantities and costs, detailed instructions for mixing and installation, and information on different wall systems. The author, Lydia Doleman, is a licensed contractor with extensive experience in natural and sustainable building. The book is part of the Sustainable Building Essentials Series by New Society Publishers and is available in both print and digital formats. You can find it at Barnes & Noble here and New Society Publishers here.

straw bale building

  1. ​ Straw Bale Building Details: An Illustrated Guide for Design and Construction - This book by the California Straw Building Association (CASBA) provides detailed information and illustrations covering the principles and processes of straw bale design and building. It's available for purchase from New Society Publishers​

  2. Strawbale Home Plans by Wayne J. Bingham and Colleen F Smith - This book offers a collection of architectural plans specifically for straw bale construction, featuring various floor plans and construction details for different styles and sizes of straw bale homes​

  3. More Straw Bale Buildings by Chris Magwood, Peter Mack, and Tina Therrin - This book showcases a collection of real-life case studies in straw bale construction, covering topics like hybrid construction, passive solar design, and alternative plastering techniques​

  4. A Complete Guide to Straw Bale Building by Rikki Nitzin and Maren Termens - A comprehensive guide covering many aspects of straw bale construction techniques, from planning and design to construction, insulation, plastering, and finishing​

  5. Building with Straw: Design and Technology of a Sustainable Architecture by Gernot Minke and Friedemann Mahlke - This book is a practical guide to building with straw, featuring international projects​

  6. Straw Bale Building: How to Plan, Design and Build with Straw - A comprehensive resource providing an overview of the construction process with plans, photos, and illustrations​​.

  7. DIY: How to Design Your Own Energy Efficient Green Home: Construction Alternatives and Sample Passive Solar Straw Bale House - This book discusses green building basics, building codes, and planning your home, along with a companion e-book​

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natural building and related

  1. The Hand-Sculpted House: A Practical & Philosophical Guide to Building a Cob Cottage by Ianto Evans, Michael G. Smith, and Linda Smiley - A guide that combines design strategies with practical how-to information.

  2. Complete Book of Cordwood Masonry Housebuilding: The Earthwood Method by Rob Roy - A comprehensive guide to cordwood masonry techniques.

  3. The House That Jill Built: A Woman’s Guide to Home Building by Judy Ostrow - A book that takes readers through the process of creating a personal dream house.

  4. Building Green: A Complete How-To Guide to Alternative Building Methods - A comprehensive guide to sustainable building materials and techniques.

  5. The Hempcrete Book: Designing and Building with Hemp-Lime - A detailed manual on how to use hempcrete in building projects.

  6. The Passivhaus Handbook: A practical guide to constructing and retrofitting buildings for ultra-low-energy performance - Focuses on creating buildings with ultra-low energy consumption.

  7. Solar & 12 Volt Power for beginners: off-grid power for everyone - A beginner-friendly guide to understanding and implementing off-grid power solutions.

  8. Water Storage & Create an Oasis with Greywater by Ant Ludwig - Books focused on sustainable water usage and recycling in building projects.

  9. Essential Composting Toilets: A Guide to Options, Design, Installation, and Use - A comprehensive guide on composting toilets, their types, and usage.

  10. Clay and Lime Renders, Plasters and Paints: A how-to guide to using natural finishes - A DIY handbook on using natural finishes in building projects.

  11. Eco-House Manual: A Guide to Making Environmental Friendly Improvements - Covers various aspects of eco-friendly home improvements.

Clay and lime plasters

The Natural Plaster Book: Earth, Lime, and Gypsum Plasters for Natural Homes by Cedar Rose Guelberth and Dan Chiras. This book is a comprehensive guide on natural plasters, ideal for those building natural homes. It covers a variety of topics, including the principles and practicalities of using earth, lime, and gypsum plasters. The book is heavily illustrated with practical drawings and photographs and includes an extensive resource guide. It's available for purchase on [Barnes & Noble](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-natural-plaster

international natural building

  1. "Adobe or Sun-Dried Brick for Farm Buildings" - A USDA guide on building adobe homes, available at naldc.nal.usda.gov.

  2. "The Architecture of Yemen" by Salma Samar Damluji - Focuses on the preservation and redesign of Earthen Architecture in Yemen. More information is available at eartharchitecture.org.

  3. "Earth Building: History, Science and Conservation" by Paul Jaquin - This book reviews the history of earth building and discusses strategies for the analysis and conservation of earth buildings. Available on Amazon.

  4. "Small Scale, Big Change" - Features earth-building projects in underserved communities by various architects. Details can be found on Amazon.

  5. "Arquitectura con Tierra en Uruguay" - Offers a tour of fifteen case studies of earth buildings in Uruguay, showcasing the living traditions of ancient construction technologies. More information is available at arquitecturacontierra.com.uy.

Timber Framing

  1. "Learn to Timber Frame" by Will Beemer: This book is ideal for beginners in timber framing. It guides you through the process of building a small timber-frame structure and modifying it to fit your needs. You can find it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Bookshop, Target, and Walmart​ link

  2. "Timber Frame Construction" by Jack Sobon and Roger Schroeder: This book offers a comprehensive examination of timber frame construction, covering historical aspects and various joinery details. It's available on Amazon​

  3. "A Timber Framer’s Workshop" by Steve Chappell: This book provides an in-depth introduction to timber framing, including structural design, joinery techniques, and properties of wood. It's available on Amazon​

  4. "The Timber-Frame Home" by Tedd Benson: This book delves into the design and structural aspects of timber frames and their impact on building. It also covers recent improvements in home insulation and various design details for timber frame spaces. Available on Amazon​

  5. "A Japanese Touch For Your Home" by Koji Yagi: Although not exclusively about timber framing, this book offers insights into incorporating Japanese design principles into homes, which could complement timber framing aesthetics​

  6. "Woodland Craft" by Ben Law: This book focuses on traditional woodland craftsmanship, including sustainable woodland management and making items from green wood. It's an excellent resource for those interested in hand-made carpentry​

    these books are available in many places online, but visit here and here for help finding them and other related books.

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