The first highly illustrated, comprehensive guide to light straw
clay - a high performance, low-impact, durable building material
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.
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.
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:
- Material specifications, performance, and when and where to use it
- Estimating quantities, costs, and sourcing
- Illustrated, step-by-step guidance for mixing and installation,
including "slip-chip" variations
- Detail drawings for various wall systems including stud, timber, and
pole framing, Larsen trusses, I-joists, plus retrofits
- Code references, compliance, and best practice
- Finishing and maintenance techniques
- Additional resources.
Lydia Doleman , 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 The Last Straw Journal and Permaculture Activist and
appeared on NBC News and HGTV's Off Beat America . Lydia lives in
southern Oregon.
