Kern is a favorite due to his anti-authoritarian nature, pro owner-builder stance, and creative thinking in use of materials. In reading his books you can see where many other building-book writers today have incorporated his ideas. And Ken was probably the first to promote Cob construction in the US, long berfore Cob Cottage Co. and others reintroduced this earth building method. In another example, in his OB Workshop, Ken describes some unique recipes for ramming clay-lime walls, using straw too, and promotes sawdust as insulation for infilling double walls made with his slipforming tool . The slipform mold tool and other wall material recipes are described in several of his books, so you don't miss out on these ideas even if you purchase just one book.

Ken also built by combining many types of materials from salvaged and found, to alternative uses for exisiting free materials. In The Owner Built Home he covers many building methods from stone and wood to slipform rammed earth and ferrocement /concrete. He introduces new concepts, such as describing composit materials (one is the fore-runner of Papercrete! a paper-asphalt-clay combination), and the old cinva ram earth brick method. Personally, I think his manually tamped walls, combining insulative, natural materials are way ahead of the game, and easy for owner builders to attempt.
Curved slipform wall units, for single or double wall construction. (shown in OB Home)

Unfortunately Kern was killed when an unfinished, experimental structure collapsed on him during a massive rainstorm. However, his books are as popular today as when he wrote them in the 1970s.

Currently- Fireplaces, Owner Built Home and Owner Builder &the Code are in stock.

The Owner Built Home -40 Chapters: Building site, Climatology, Ventilation,Summer Cooling,Light & Shade, Space heat, Central heat, Fireplace heat, Landscape design, The Plan, Free form house, Court garden house, Group living space, Individual living space, Cooking and dining, Inside your Home, Adobe block, Pressed block (cinva ram) Rammed Earth, Stone Masonry, Masonry Block and brick, Concrete, Precast concrete panels, Wood, Wood frame, Pole frame, Composite materials (early papercrete ideas), Plastics (shell & foam houses), Salvage materials(includes "zome "car tops design), Tools, Foundations, Floors, Walls, Wood floors, Masonry roofs, Stairs, Plumbing, Wiring and lighting, Light and color, DIY painting, Conclusion, 374 pages, index, B&W photos and diagrams. (original book $27.00-35.00 WHEN Available)
Spriral house design from OB Home

Books of value to alternative builders:

• Architecture without Architects by Bernard Rudofsky- Available -$35.00
  
• The Encyclopedia of Architecture, 1867, by Joseph Gwilt
  
• The Story of Western Architecture by Bill Risebero- Available- $30.00
  
• Form and Purpose by Moshe Safdie
  
• Stone Shelters by Edward Allen -- IN STOCK
  
• Spectacular Vernacular by Jean-Louis Bourgeois, Carollee Pelos
  
• How the Greeks Built Cities by R.E. Wycherley
  
• How Buildings Learn by Stewart Brand
  
• Why Buildings Fall Down by Matthys Levy & Mario Salvadori
  

Most books are in good condition, some have age marks, signatures, scuffing, water stains and other signs of long use and circulation. These are not ment for collection, but for use and education.

I recommend that you email: tms@northcoast.com... to place a hold on the books you want, and to charge by credit card. Subject your email: "Ken Kern books, or Rare books"
I will email or call you to confirm your order.

Shipping $6.25 for one, $7.55 2-5, $12.50- 6-8 . Priority Mail service available.
How to order information sent by email: books@dirtcheapbuilder.com

All books are sold on availability basis, and are sold "as is". If the book is not available I will call and confirm, suggesting an alternate, or will perform a book search for you. (No charge to search, a modest fee is added to actual cost once located.) Checks to: Taylor Publishing, PO Box 375, Cutten, CA 95534--707-441-1632 12-4 PST

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Questions? email: tms@northcoast.com
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