BENEFITS OF BUILDING IN RAMMED EARTH

The many advantages of building with rammed earth include superior insulation, strength and durability, low maintenance, fire proofing, load bearing and pest deterrence. To say nothing of its beauty and the pleasure of building with a natural environmentally sound material.

1. Thermal Mass
2. Noise Insulation
3. Strong and Durable
4. Low Maintenance
5. Fire Proof


6. Load Bearing

7. Rapid Construction
8. Cost Effective


9. Versatile
10. Pest Proof
11. Healthy & Evironmentally Friendly

Thermal Mass

The outside walls of a rammed earth building are usually a hefty 300mm (1 ft) thick, providing unsurpassed protection from extremes in temperature.  The thickness and density of the material means that heat (or cold) penetration of the wall is very slow to reach the internal spaces.  You’ll be snug in winter, cool in summer.  Rammed earth has been a popular choice for buildings where temperature fluctuations need to be kept to a minimum, such as the National Wine Centre. 

Noise Reduction

The width and density of the walls mean that unwanted sounds, such as traffic noise, are kept out. Internal walls in rammed earth can also be extremely useful in providing sound insulation between areas with different needs - for instance between living and sleeping areas, between a public or family room and a study area, or in party walls between town houses. CSIRO tests give a sound transmission rating of over 50 decibels for a rammed earth wall of 250mm.

Strong and Durable

As CSIRO research, to say nothing of thousands of years of use worldwide, has proved, rammed earth can withstand virtually anything nature can throw at it.  The expertise of Rammed Earth Constructions P/L, which is backed up with scientific tests, ensures maximum strength and durability for every project.

Low Maintenance

Rammed earth walls are maintenance free.  They are features that stand alone, and don’t need finishing with gyprock, render, paint, wallpaper, tiles, or anything else.  No need to ever again waste time and money painting!  But should you prefer any of these other finishes they can be applied to rammed earth walls in just the same way as to other masonry walls.  Rammed earth walls are permanent and require no ongoing maintenance.

Fire Proof

Earth doesn’t burn. This is an ideal material for bush settings and leafy suburbs. CSIRO tests show that a 250mm rammed earth block wall achieved a 4 hour fire resistance rating. A 150mm wall achieved a rating of 3 hrs 41 minutes. The walls we build are even stronger, being 300mm thick and of monolithic rather than block construction (so have no vulnerable mortar joints). Your home’s exposure to fire and heat is radically reduced.

Load Bearing

Engineers recognize rammed earth as load bearing, so you are unlikely to need other structural framing for your home, further cutting costs, fire and pest susceptibility.  Rammed earth also provides substantial bracing to buildings - usually well in excess of the minimum requirement that most timber framed homes are constructed to.  It provides a feeling of stability and security in even the worst weather conditions.

Rapid Construction

Rammed earth walls are fast to go up.  The walls of an average home can be up and ready for the roof framing in as little as a week.

Cost Effective

Unlike some other forms of masonry, rammed earth walls don’t need core filling or reinforcing. Nor do they need gyprocking, plastering, painting or wallpapering. This saves money and energy when you build — and goes on saving them for years!

Versatile

Architects are using rammed earth in commercial and domestic buildings of many styles and for many functions. Variations in texture, colour and finish are possible, and elements such as relief details, circular windows, alcoves and feature stones can be incorporated. It is a natural product which blends effortlessly with the environment and other natural building materials. Yet it also looks stunning when used in conjunction with man-made materials such as iron, glass and plasterboard - a combination used in several recent award-winning homes

Pest Proof

Termites and other pests simply aren’t interested in rammed earth.  And, since the walls are load bearing, structural timber isn’t generally needed with rammed earth construction - and thus the risk of termite attack is even further reduced.  There are no cavities in rammed earth walls for termites to build in, or use to gain access to roof or other timbers undetected.

Healthy & Environmentally Friendly

Rammed earth is non-toxic, non-polluting and ‘breathes’. This makes safer, more people-friendly buildings. It is very low in embodied energy, and extremely comfortable to live in.