My brand new book, “A Modern Look at Straw Bale Construction” is complete! We sent it off to the printing company this morning and printing is underway! If you want a chance to get a free copy, be sure to read this whole post (or skip to the end if you prefer!). The book rings in at 214 pages, contains 113 photographs to outline various points and steps, and has 22 professionally drawn architectural details created by Chris Keefe of Organicforms Design. I’ve written this book so that you can get a precise look at the details I recommend for building a high quality, long lasting straw bale home. These are the construction techniques I have used and fine-tuned over the years building, teaching, and consulting on hundreds of straw bale projects from Australia to Europe and Canada to the United States. The book discusses, in detail, many aspects of working with straw, including the following:

• Advantages and debunking myths
• Working with lenders and building departments so that they become your allies
• Building your foundation (raised floor, rubble trench, concrete slab)
• Finishing your floor (earthen floor, acid staining, radiant heat floor systems)
• Engineering options (lateral, knee & X bracing, moment & brace frames)
• Working with subcontractors (electrical, foundation, radiant heat, plumbing and cabinetry)
• Framing (post & beam, timber frame, toe ups, openings, box beams, multiple stories, hose bibs, wall heights, humid climate considerations)
• Solutions and strategies for challenging/extreme climates
• Baling techniques including notching, re-tying, efficiency, and stacking bales
• Truth windows and niches
• Proper wall preparation for plaster
• Window and door flashing to keep your home investment safe
• Meshing and simple but super comfy window seats

The book includes 22 full detail architectural drawings for you to use on your job site and when applying for a building permit. These drawings cover the most common details for straw bale construction and knowing how to address those details properly will speed your approvals and your construction. These drawings are so important that we also include an instant download, PDF packet of just the drawings when you purchase the book.

Here’s the even more exciting news:  you have a chance to get the book for free! We are releasing the book, along with the 2013 workshop schedule, during our upcoming sale. We are offering everything in the StrawBale.com store at discounted prices. This includes the book; however, there’s even more to it than that. Here’s what we’ve created:

1. The official sale launch is at 9AM EST on Friday, November 23rd. However, we have set up an early notification option to give those that would like a better chance to win the book for free. The early launch will begin at 9PM EST on Thursday, November 22nd (12 hours before the regular launch).
2. The first 25 people to visit our book’s sales page and then to go into the shopping cart, will be able to enter the Coupon Code we have created just for our early notification list. Once those 25 coupons are used up, the coupon code will automatically expire and you will know right away if you made it in time to get your free copy. There is of course no obligation to make a purchase if you are not one of the first 25.

Please click here to sign up for the early notification list and your chance to win a free copy of the book. You will also get to preview a chapter from the book about flooring options in a straw bale home (including acid staining, earthen floors and radiant floor systems).

Happy Baling!

About the Author

Andrew Morison is a specialist in straw bale and green construction. He has shown thousands of people how to build their own straw bale projects through his comprehensive series of instructional straw bale, concrete foundation, and plastering DVDs, as well as his hands on workshops. You can check these out at www.StrawBale.com/store.

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