Rammed earth homes are edifices with the walls that are built from a mixture of sand and clay. A mixture of sand and clay is poured into “forms” (molds) to build the walls. A building made with rammed earth is typically constructed on-site, using locally available sand, earth, water, clay, and a little cement. The walls allow for a range of versatility in design of the homes, require only minimum amounts of energy to sustain warmth in the cold season or to keep a home cool in the summer.

Often, rammed earth homes are built to utilize solar energy. Prospective owners seeking a comfortable home that can save on energy demands and expenditure in the long run, and offering an environmentally sustainable solution to home ownership, will likely find the concept of rammed earth homes to be very attractive and viable.

The Process of Building House With Rammed Earth

Rammed earth walls are are a minimum of 12 inches thick and formed with a process of packing a mixture oaround 15% clay, 50% sand, and 35% silt into the forms with the use of pneumatic tampers. Components in the mix for the walls may be included in the mix for improved water repelency and load bearing properties.

The walls of a newly built rammed earth home requires some time to fully dry out. This method of construction utilizes local resources and is a very strong model of environmentally friendly sustainability since it primarily if not completely utilizes a local resources.

The resulting house is highly efficient, requires almost no maintenance, and very comfortable.

The Design of Rammed Homes

The appearance of edifices constructed out of rammed earth is quite beautiful, along with true sturdiness. Rammed earth homes offer unparalled insulation from the elements, in both cold weather and on hot day, since rammed earth walls have rammed earth have a high thermal mass.