Customer Reviews

Small Strawbale: Natural Homes, Projects & Designs

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I first became interested in straw construction after seeing Steve McDonald's small but functional house in the Strawbale Tour video -- it wasn't anything to brag about except for its superinsulation and especially its cost, something like four or five grand. Now this was something even I could do if I scrimped and scrounged and did most of the work myself. But since then, it seems most of the books on strawbale have backed away from the affordable owner-built homes and toward more visually appealing (and expensive) houses. Catherine Wanek's newest book, THE NEW STRAWBALE HOME, is a very nice coffeetable hardback and I'm glad I have it, but when it comes to cost there's only a few houses in it I could ever hope to afford. Sure, it becomes more cost-effective down the line when you factor in the energy savings straw permits, but let's face it, if the upfront cost is out of reach, long-term value becomes a moot point. For that reason I slowly drifted away from straw and started looking at cob construction instead. (And let me recommend an excellent book in that regard, THE HAND SCULPTED HOUSE by Ianto Evans et al.)

But SMALL STRAWBALE by the Steens has helped revive my interest. It showcases projects that are a lot more accessible to the average person or inexperienced builder -- from fences and sheds to workshops, offices, and finally small one-and-two room houses. There are helpful diagrams and floorplans but it's not a construction manual per se; for that, I still suggest BUILD IT WITH BALES by McDonald and Matts Myrhman. This book is more to show what's possible with a little straw and a little enthusiasm and a whole lot of effort, and that there's a lot to be said for building small and within one's means. The photos are top quality and very inspirational. In fact, between this and Evans' cob book, I think it's time I start shopping for land again...

Like one of the other reviewers, I too have read most every book on strawbale construction, as well as the 'ideas' books. This one though was different. The focus was more on efficient building by concentrating on a smaller-sized home than on the fact that the method or building material was strawbale, (although that too was highlighted.) Many of the other books on the subject of strawbale seem to simply replace stick-frame construction with bale walls, but leave the rest of the designs virtually unchanged. One the things that drew me to strawbale to begin with was the lowered impact on the environment by using a more sustainable product to build the walls. If we then turn around and build an inefficient home that wastes resources in other areas, what have we really acheived?

the book does NOT go into detail on either the construction methods used or the plus of using strawbale as an insulator, (all of which is covered in great detail in other books,) It does give conceptual ideas on how to make a smaller home that is efficient and esthetically pleasing to live in however, and some ideas on how to take that initial small home and 'grow' it over time to meet the changing needs of a family.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who is interested in more sustainable living, and reducing our impact on the planet by living more efficiently off the land.

I have read most of the available books on strawbale building and I rate this as one of the best. I especially liked the way this book was arranged. It included some unexpected bonus photos and information on garden walls and other small, usefull free-standing structures that were also artistically inspiring. Another unusual inclusion in this book ( and also in "The Beauty of Strawbale") were informational segments ie.Porches, Basic Design Guidelines for Small Houses, Built-in Furniture, and a very unusual segment on the sawdust toilet! These segments also seemed to give some insight into the author's evolutionary experiences.
Finally, it seems important to understand what the author's intention was in creating this book. One of the overriding challenges in spreading the potential of strawbale building is to be able to demonstrate what has been accomplished to date and to relate in an inspirational manner just how an ordinary person may duplicate these efforts. In this regard, the book succeeds admirably. If you want to find a book that tells you all you need to know about the building process then you will do better by reading one of the many fine books whose purpose that is. This book will inspire folks to begin to build with strawbales, and that beginning is the book's most valuable gift

I'm another one of those readers who has most of Amazon's strawbale books, I decided to get this one just in case it had something useful to add.In reading through it I think many of the projects described are by/for the Steens themselves although I did recognize a couple of other names.

Each project gets 3 or 4 pages with a main photo of the subject and possibly some detail shots as well as a sort of floor plan. There are even a few related sections between these that are connected to the subject but not actually a part of it, these might actually be the parts you most need to read.

Several other people contributed chapters , some of these have websites but as for resources you're pretty much on your own. You do get a few diagrams on some bits but there's not much of a resource list (an item or two), you'll need to get some other books on just about any facet of building your strawbale structure.

I gave it four stars because it is a nice looking book and does have some worthwhile pointers. I do wish someone would write something that gives you a do it all bibliography concerning everything from foundation design/construction through the finish work- no book that I've seen at Amazon does that in my experience.

With so many eco-yuppies building strawbale versions of "McMansions", buildings that are far too large with spaces that serve nothing but the vanity of their owners, it was a pleasure to find a book that espoused the virtues of building only what you need to live comfortably, instead of what you have been told you should want. These small strawbale buildings are within the financial grasp of so many more people yearning to live well on this planet, instead of trying to fill 3000 square feet of inflated ego and empty dreams. Go for it!

Smaller is good, when it comes to building homes. Showing readers that some people can live just fine with less, is good. However, there will be many people who will believe that this volume will provide instruction in building a proper long-lasting strawbale building, but they would be wrong. This book is really another pretty coffee table book for the Eco-chic crowd. It has lots of color pictures, however, in many of the pictures shown, they don't give me a feel for the shape or essence of the building. I would have liked to see for each house shown a more inclusive description of the entire building methods employed, including all materials used and foundation details.

Maybe the subtitle should have been "Natural Homes Ideas Book".

We live in a Strawbale home and have taken classes from the Steens at their home/workshop in Canelo, Arizona.

This book is a very attractive and well put-together and very accurately describes many of the beautiful homes and buildings that we saw in Canelo, and that we have seen since we started building our own.

Even if you don't ever plan on building anything, this book shows many, many excellent ideas for decorating and enhancing the home that you have. And it may even convince you to try your own hand at building.

William and Colleen
Buena Vista Colorado

Purchased this book for my husband, and he's enjoyed keeping it on our coffee table and using it for inspiration toward a future small eco-cabin we are planning. Good practical information, as well as fodder for dreaming.

This was a good book, but I don't think it was as good as the other Steen books. There always seems to be something left out and questions that are still unanswered. But, it was OK.

This book has a handful of straw bale homes that the vast majority of people would never want to live in. There is also no real technical or design information.

It is basically a storybook of a few people that decided to embrace a very minimal lifestyle. It may work for a few that would have lived in a commune or co-op in the sixties.