Pros and Cons of Rammed Earth Wall Construction: Tiny House Academy
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- čas přidán 27. 08. 2024
- In this video, instructor Natalie Bogwalker discusses the pros and cons of using rammed earth for natural building. This is a video from our Tiny House Academy online course, where we teach about naturally built wall systems and other types of ecological construction. Click here to learn more about the online Tiny House Academy:
www.wildabunda...
#tinyhomemovement #tinyhouse #livingtiny #tinyhome #learntobuild #diyconstruction #rammedearth #naturalbuilding #diy
Wild Abundance is a permaculture and homesteading school nestled in the mountains of Western North Carolina, just outside Asheville. We teach wonderful small group classes to share valuable skills in permaculture, carpentry, gardening, tiny house construction, timber framing, foraging, survival skills, medicine-making, and more. If you are curious about our in-person workshops or online resources, head to our website below to find out more and sign up for our newsletter. If a class you are excited by isn't currently open for enrollment you can sign up for the interest list and you'll be offered first dibs the next time it opens up.
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Wild Abundance is also a home, a hub, and a dream of a more interconnected and sustainable world. That dream is constantly co-created by everyone who participates in it.
We see modern life pushing people further and further away from their connections to the natural world, from each other, and from the skills for engagement. The school is our act of hopeful resistance to this trend. It’s also our invitation to you to gain confidence and competence.
This type of wall is not only fireproof but bulletproof as well because of the thickness of the walls.
Another great ’pro’ is that it can regulate humidity
Most of the cost of construction goes to our own people not to big cement companies
It is nice✨
I have seen the insulation put in the middle
Of the rammed earth wall with an 18” wide wall
All good points except one can add insulation layer in between 2 walls packed tightly & formed curved walls - plenty of vlogs/videos on here demonstrating those points. It’s a evolving so quickly so exciting nevertheless a great update
She says it's not insulative but one here, built in Ga, has excellent insulative properties. The owner is an Envioronmental Engineer and did thermo imaging testing on it for a year and it showed an average temp of the walls to be at an almost constant 68 degrees...I am confused on that one.
You are confusing insulative vs thermal mass. Rammed earth when it is hot outside with absorb the heat in the wall keeping the inside cool. At night when the temperature drops quickly, it will release the heat into the house keeping the temperature warm. However, when there is little change of temperature and it is cold, the heat you produce inside will be quickly lost due to poor insulation of the rammed earth.
Where is Ga? Sorry, but since I dont know where "here" is, I cant tell.
Rammed earth walls can be built on a curve. The forms used are the same as poured concrete forms. Rammed earth walls are easily insulated using rigid insulation enveloped inside of the walls, effectively creating an inside rammed earth wall - rigid insulation - outside rammed earth wall. I have done this, others in Canada have done this. It's not difficult and it is highly effective. Please do your research prior to discouraging folks from building with rammed earth.
That's so interesting that you've done that, would love to see if you have posted about this process. We're always learning, and there are lots of innovations in natural building and construction techniques happening. Thanks for commenting!
Great video although I really want to push back on the concept of Rammed Earth being expensive relative to other materials and processes. You cannot do comparative analysis on upfront costs alone - you must look at through life value. Most timber construction at best lasts 60-70 years before its either pushed over or a virtual full rebuild is required. Rammed Earth constructed properly retains structural integrity for 200+ years. Its something your children and grandchildren will likely enjoy. Nothing can compete on a through life cycle cost comparison.
What are the pros & cons of rammed earth walls vs rammed earth brick walls?
Incorrecto! Research Sirewall (Stabilized Insulated Rammed Earth Wall)
Holes in the earth. Great pond idea!
Hi Nat. Good to see you again, teaching as always. I will have a channel on CZcams after I retire from the agency over New Years. Thank you for always inspiring dreams while keeping people grounded.
hi. just subscribed. love the video.
Thank you!!
I'm a tad bit confused about the lack of insulation. If there are benefits in thermal mass does that mean the lack of insulation keeps the home from keeping heat during colder seasons? I'm trying to understand the connection between the two. Thanks if you see this!
I'm not an expert, but I believe the rammed earth's high thermal mass is good for day/night temperature fluctuations. The building changes temperature slowly so it would "release" heat at night when it's cool out and stay cool during day.
The non insulating part she mentioned means that the bulldog will not hold heat well through long sustained cold spells. In Northern climates during winter for example.
To get around this issue , some rammed earth builders in Canada for example build two walls that sandwich a foam or insulation layer in the middle. If you add lots of South facing Windows the "inside" portion of the wall can still offer the benefits of thermal mass while the insulation and outer wall precise cold protection.
Most rammed earth walls I have seen are built in dessert climates where there are high temperature fluctuations day to night but overall seasonal temperature changes are not huge.
@@TeeZign basically yes, the rammed earth would release heat at night that it's stored during the day but it will release in any direction that's not insulated, so if you want it to all release into the home instead of some releasing outside you'd add insulation outside of the interior walls.
@@WildAbundanceI'm from India. I have experienced inner temperature of mud walled houses. In an extremely hot summer, I was invited into such an old house. Maybe the house is like 150 years old. There were 3 old sisters living in that house. They took me to room were they spent day time during hot summer. It was a small room with low sealing hight and ventilation was an opened wooden window but away from any direct sunlight. Their house had plastering using mud and lime and was painted white. That room surprised me in such a way that I still remember the experience even after 25 years. It was so cool like in early 20 degree Celsius. If mud cannot be insulted then how that room remained so cool? Any idea?
In Uk there was a tradition of creating a moat from the excavations. Fill with fish And amazing for wildlife and your mental health
what's a moat?
@@ff-ti7nja moat.
Earthquake proof, tornado proof, fire proof, cool in summer, warm in winter.
Bullet proof
A person in Canada build 1.
We are doing rammed earth floors in our house. 👍😎🏜️
@Warrior Rising We already did, it has worked out great. We used rammed earth for the base, then put a 1 inch layer without cement for the top coat. czcams.com/video/90vHyzPmZ0w/video.html
Thank you. What kind of soil is inappropriate for rammed earth?
We are not rammed earth experts but generally you want 30 percent clay and 70 percent sand and you would add extra material to create this ratio based on the content of the soil you have at your location.
Very interesting construction! How well does it handle the rainy season?
Very well! We live in a fairly rainy place
Thanks for the great content. Question: is there a way that you “secure” the base of wall to the foundation, or is it literally resting on top of the foundation? How does it hold up to sheer forces etc?
rebar, from the footing to the wall.
One on my ancestral home that was built of rammed earth 100 years ago had lost the finish, so i got few walls plastered with concrete. Will this cause any issue?
Not an issue. But there are greener option like, lime putty, lime + cow dung and mud mix which known by name Vedic plaster. It's very efficient and effective plaster and mortar alternative to cement samd mortar. Vedic plaster had been developed by Dr. Shiv darshan Malik PhD in Organic chemistry, Rohtak, Haryana , India. Search his videos on CZcams.😍👌🙏
Hello, Thanks for sharing. Would make foundation using same earth products here in Canada? Can exposure to frost level in ground expand rammed earth foundation?
2:53 what machine would you recommend?
Please is it advisable to build rammed earth in a tropical climate?
There are rammed earth homes built in Ghana. I even noticed one being built in my neighbourhood in Accra. Here's a news video on similar work by a local company: czcams.com/video/9ecr22Fws7U/video.html
@amoakorichard1 I would advise against building a cob/rammed earth building in a state like Oregon or England where it's raining near constantly because earth-based materials need to dry/cure in order to harden into a layer, permitting it to be further built upon by even more rammed earth.
Now, if you were to do something like build a giant tent around the area where you are building your house then yeah you maybe can make it feasible. There is also some wisdom in making a really long overhang on your roof, too. (Somewhere between 13 - 18 feet tends to be a safe bet, if you want to put your thumb on the scales.)
I don't care how ridiculously large, fast and efficient of a team you have assembled to help you, you MUST let the layers harden and give them the time to dry and harden.
How do you tell if the soil on site is compatible
You take a sample of the soil in a jar 50% and add water to the jar to the 75% level. Shake well and let it settle. The percentage of sand/silt to clay will expose itself in layers.
I haven't done this but you will want to mock-up some small bricks using your planned soil mixture and take those to a pressure testing lab. Maybe a Structural engineering firm that can provide some compressive and tension data for you. You might contact an engineering firm and ask them about some basic sizing so you make what they may need for proper testing. Good luck, Joseph
is rammed earth worth in tropical country?
It's great in a tropical country! Rain, wind, heat, insects and rodents are no match for good rammed earth walls. And there's very little maintenance.
Hi there, thank you very much. But how do you attach anything to those walls. Like Wall cabinets for instance. You can't use ordinary wall plugs or can you ? Sme goes for Light switches, shelf and so on? Please anyone got an answer ?? Thank you very much
Shelves can be attached to rammed earth walls with masonry fasteners.
You can hang pictures or do lighter weight items with an ordinary nail. You don't even have to find a stud which is nice!
If it was me? I'd put all my services in the floor/ceiling. As for the walls, I would cover some in wood paneling or drywall to get the finish I wanted. My choice would be a panelized approach with routered slots for hanging things. Slatted boards would also work. Plenty of ways to keep the finish and function working.
thank you
Is this somewhat earthquake proof? Or will it crack easily?
We think probably, though it's worse than stickframe but better than brick and stone. Wood can flex a little... we found this paper on it: web.statler.wvu.edu/~rliang/ihta/papers/15%20FINAL%20liang%20and%20hota_paper_workshop.pdf
Rammed earth bricks is less labour intensive.
I have never had a problem using the term “pise” but it seems there is racial prejudice against it. I tend to favour the block pise technique, it allows you to build a lot of blocks, store them and let them cure (10% stabilised), then have an “erection” phase.
Why are curved walls unsuitable? I've seen many examples online but interested to know as a picture is just that, a snapshot in time and doesn't tell the whole story. Interested to know your insights
I think here Natalie means that it is difficult to build curved walls, and not that they are not suitable. The limitation is only to the extent of making the shuttering. If you have got the curved shuttering, then building a curved wall is just like a regular straight wall.
Just stop the wall where you want a window. Go floor to ceiling and slide that in place (same as they do on MCM homes). The windows/door may cost more, but if you pay attention the costs for getting that door or window in place likely offsets the labor or trimming a window or door in a solid wall. Just get good glazing on any glass surfaces.
Your individual climate does matter with and so does exposure and elements. As for other wall materials, that's a design and personal choice too. Your comments are all off color towards me and you should find something to occupy your thoughts because the replies you make are pointless.
@Warrior Rising you're hurling insults at me. Stop being rude to me. You're so ignorant you don't even read the comments you made to me. As for English? You're pathetic and probably racist for saying that. English has always been my first language. Your first language is (rhymes with bass hole).
@Warrior Rising do t you ever try to communicate with me ever again.
I call them bullet proof walls, I have built a number of them being an Engineer, 0.3m wall thick is not joking subject
Labour in US. And Europe is crazy labour in Africa is cheap
The Africans make it round lady get your fax right