Rammed Earth | Lateral Building Design

Rammed earth is one of the oldest building materials, dating back to the Neolithic period in China. Rammed earth is a mixture of soils, sand, gravel and other selected aggregates and stabilisers used to build walls, floors and foundations.

The earth mixture is placed between flat panels called formwork and compacted. Once the mixture has dried and hardened, the formwork is removed.

Rammed earth is a unique building material that creates a point of difference in the construction of domestic and commercial buildings.

Advantages of Using Rammed Earth

Given rammed earth is made from natural materials, it is considered a sustainable material and environmentally friendly. In addition, there are many other benefits of rammed earth.

Low Maintenance

Once built and sealed, rammed earth doesn’t require maintenance for at least 10 – 20 years.

High Thermal Mass

External temperatures take longer to penetrate rammed earth walls keeping the space cooler in summer and warmer in winter.

Durability

Rammed earth can withstand harsh and extreme weather conditions.

Acoustic Insulation

Rammed earth provides reduced noise transmission and doesn’t generate harsh echoes.

Pest Proof

Rammed earth doesn’t provide food for insects or rodents, and they are unable to eat through rammed earth.

Highly Fireproof

Rammed earth doesn’t burn, making it ideal for building in regions prone to bush fires.

Disadvantages of Using Rammed Earth

While there are many advantages to using rammed earth in construction there are some disadvantages to using this building material.

Limited Insulation

Though rammed earth has high thermal mass it has limited insulation properties so it’s unable to block or reduce the transfer of heat between areas and may require additional insulation to meet today’s regulations.