WHAT IS RAMMED EARTH?

Rammed earth is a method of building walls whereby a mixture of earth is compacted in layers between forms.  Each layer of earth is approximately 15 cm (6 inches) 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 achieved.  Forms can be stripped off as soon as the form above is begun, as the compressed earth wall is self-supporting immediately.  Most rammed earth builders in Australia, including our company, use pneumatic rammers to compact the earth within the forms.

The soil mix needs to be carefully balanced between clay, sand and aggregate.  The clay and moisture content of rammed earth is relatively low compared to that used for mud brick or other earth building methods.

A wider range of soils are suitable when a small amount of cement is added to the mix.  Most rammed earth builders in Australia do add cement.  The result, known as ‘stabilised rammed earth’ is a strong masonry product which provides excellent thermal mass.

AUSTRALIAN BUILDING REGULATIONS

WHO IS RAMMED EARTH CONSTRUCTIONS PTY LTD?

Rammed Earth Constructions Pty Ltd is an award winning building company specialising in rammed earth projects, taking on full building projects and also subcontracting for rammed earth walls. The company has experience in building commercial and residential projects in a variety of styles and for a range of budgets.

The company was established in 1989, originally to meet a strong demand for rammed earth homes in the newly established Crystal Waters Permaculture Village near Maleny, S E Queensland. There were a number of residents in the village who were keen to use rammed earth in their homes, because of their interest in healthy, environmentally friendly and low maintenance building.

The company's work soon attracted attention from outside the village and it has since built homes and walls throughout the SE Queensland region.

While the market for rammed earth was initially in the eco-conscious market, increasingly the projects are high-end, upmarket homes and commercial premises, as more architects and their clients recognise the various practical and aesthetic benefits of rammed earth.

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SCOPE OF WORK

The company takes on full building contracts in the immediate region, and will also subcontract for construction of walls only in a wider area provided the project is large enough to make this viable. (Away-from-base jobs incur more costs in terms of equipment transport, worker transport, accommodation and food, and are more logistically challenging.) Single houses are rarely large enough for long distance jobs to be an economically viable prospect for either the company or the home owners. As well as a great variety of homes (see photo gallery), Rammed Earth Constructions has built rammed earth walls for a number of commercial projects, including Australia Zoo, the Billabong Surfwear HQ and Warehouse in Burleigh Heads, the award winning EcoCentre at Crystal Waters and the Carlton UB brewery at Yatala.

John Oliver, the Managing Director of the company and QBSA Nominated Supervisor, is a fully licensed builder and qualified carpenter, with 30 years experience in many sorts of construction methods.