Best shelter and building books
From a bark lean-to to a cob house, these books cover building shelter from what's available, along with heating it and keeping it standing.
11 books, beginner-friendly first.
Shelter
Lloyd Kahn · 2000
Lloyd Kahn's visual survey of handmade homes worldwide. Inspiration for building with what's at hand.
beginnerLarge referenceShelters, Shacks, and Shanties
Daniel Carter Beard · 2012
Daniel Carter Beard's 1914 guide to building shelters from bark lean-tos to log cabins. Public domain, so Project Gutenberg has it free.
beginnerFree legal PDF
The Woodburner's Companion
Dirk Thomas · 2006
Heating with wood safely: stoves, chimneys, and fuel. Heat is a survival need in cold climates.
beginner
The Barefoot Architect
Johan van Lengen · 2008
A handbook for building with local materials in any climate, with simple drawings.
intermediateLarge reference
Earthbag Building
Kaki Hunter · 2004
Build sturdy walls from bags of earth, a cheap and resilient method.
intermediate
The Hand-Sculpted House
Ianto Evans, Michael G. Smith, Linda Smiley · 2002
Building with cob, a mix of earth, sand, and straw. Low-cost and made from local materials.
intermediate
How to Build Your Own Log Home for Less Than $15,000
Robert L. Williams · 1996
A practical, low-cost approach to building a log home.
intermediate
Nuclear War Survival Skills
Cresson H. Kearny · 1987
Cresson Kearny's field-tested instructions for fallout shelters, ventilation, and radiation meters, from Oak Ridge National Laboratory research. Free online from its publisher.
intermediateFree legal PDF
Renovation
Michael W. Litchfield · 2005
A thorough guide to renovating houses, from structure to systems. Teaches how houses are put together.
intermediateLarge referenceRocket Mass Heaters
Ianto Evans, Leslie Jackson · 2014
Building efficient wood-fired heaters that store heat in thermal mass and burn very little fuel.
intermediate
Build a Classic Timber-Framed House
Jack Sobon · 1994
Traditional timber framing with hand tools, step by step.
advanced