Essential Light Straw Clay Construction

<p><b> The first highly illustrated, comprehensive guide to light straw clay - a high performance, low-impact, durable building material </b></p><p> Light straw clay - straw mixed with clay slip - is a versatile, easy-to-use wall building material. Also called "slip-straw", its durability has been proven in beautiful, centuries-old buildings across Northern Europe and in modern high-performance buildings in North America. </p><p> Building code compliant in the US and using "waste" materials with high insulation value and excellent moisture handling qualities, it's both high-performance and low-impact. Yet until now, there has been no practical guide to using the material in a wide variety of construction and renovation projects. </p><p> Distilling decades of experience, Essential Light Straw Clay Construction is a fully illustrated step-by-step guide, ideal for both the DIYer and professional designer and builder alike. It covers: </p><ul><li> Material specifications, performance, and when and where to use it </li><li> Estimating quantities, costs, and sourcing </li><li> Illustrated, step-by-step guidance for mixing and installation, including "slip-chip" variations </li><li> Detail drawings for various wall systems including stud, timber, and pole framing, Larsen trusses, I-joists, plus retrofits </li><li> Code references, compliance, and best practice </li><li> Finishing and maintenance techniques </li><li> Additional resources. </li></ul><p><b> Lydia Doleman </b> , a licenced contractor, taught carpentry and natural building at Solar Energy International in Colorado and was lead ecological builder for Portland's City Repair project. She's created beautiful, high-performance, low-impact buildings across the Northwest, from Portland's first permitted straw bale home and The Rebuilding Center's cob entryway, to a 3,300-sq. f light clay straw brewery. She's written for <i> The Last Straw Journal and Permaculture Activist </i> and appeared on NBC News and HGTV's <i> Off Beat America </i> . Lydia lives in southern Oregon. </p>