Rammed Earth Technique
Rammed earth is a method of building walls on site by compacting a selected mixture of earth, sand and aggregate in layers between the forms. Each layer is approximately 15cm deep. As each form is filled another form is placed above it, and the process begins again. This is continued until the desired wall height is reached. A wider range of soils are suitable when a small amount of cement is added to the mix. The result, known as ‘stabilized rammed earth, is an extremely durable and attractive masonry product with numerous benefits.
Reducing or removing Portland cement is beneficial to the environment since it reduces the amount of energy embodied in the finished product. For the same reason, using soils directly from the site has an environmental benefit. Cement production accounts for more than 7% of worldwide CO2 emissions. From country cottages to suburban houses to art galleries and schools, there’s something for everyone.
Stabilized rammed earth builds beautiful, one-of-a-kind structures while also delivering a wide range of benefits to satisfy the needs of homeowners, artists, industry, architects, and engineers.
Advantages of Rammed Earth Walls
It’s not entirely the walls doing. Earth home design should factor in the natural elements that will affect the warming and cooling properties of the home.
Thermal mass is abundant in rammed earth walls.
How Rammed Earth Homes Work?
Building a rammed earth home is similar to constructing a sand castle, but without the hard step of flipping the bucket. Instead, the home’s shape, which is often a plywood construction that serves as a wall’s outline, is already in place. By hand or machine, a cross-grade, or mix, of soils is pushed into the walls. When everything is densely compacted, the shapes are eliminated, leaving a solid, dense mass, a solid wall Until the entire home is constructed, the builders ram and repeat.
Rammed Earth Constructions uses 300mm rammed earth walls that are load bearing. Buildings are also braced with rammed earth, which is generally far more than the minimal needed for most dwellings. Even in the worst weather circumstances, it offers a sense of stability and security.
