In many war torn and poverty stricken regions, the indigenous architecture has been heavy mud and wattle roofs on thick mud walls. These structures, while cool in the summer, are of very low strength, are maintenance intensive, are time consuming to build, and are largely in massive disrepair. Replacing these mud structures with the light weight roofs of latex concrete produces a permanent architecture significantly more safe and strong, of very low maintenance, and of remarkably low cost, as the roofs can be built by available unskilled labor. The time required for reconstruction is considerably shorter than the time required to replace the older heavy construction, and the self-help characteristic of this new form of construction leads to more rapid recovery from disaster.
This how-to-do-it manual teaches people how to build these new roofs.
This is not a manual that can be read as book, put on the shelf and the building started. It is an on-site reference work intended to be open on the job. The book is written in a cumulative style. That is, it is necesssary to start at the beginning and gain knowledge as the book and the building project progresses. For anyone with a dream to build a log house or have one built professionally, it is a must. It serves to instruct, inspire and make the reader knowledgeable about log construction at every level.
For the professional builder or proprietor who already knows most of what this book teaches, the book would be useful for apprentices and other newcomers to the craft. It would also serve well to pass on to prospective customers to both inspire them further and to bring them up to speed on the language and concepts of log building.