Essential Rammed Earth Construction

<p><b>Everything you need to know to build with rammed earth in warm and cold climates.</b></p> <p>Rammed earth - sand, gravel, and clay or lime/cement binder packed into forms - is a low-energy, high-performance building method, yielding beautiful, sustainable results. It's thermally stable and can be insulated, can actively modulate humidity, provides a healthy indoor environment, and allows site materials to be used for major structural and building envelope elements.</p> <p><i>Essential Rammed Earth Construction</i> covers design, building science, tools, and step-by-step building methods for any climate, with a special emphasis on building in cold climates of the northern US, Canada, and northern Europe. Coverage includes:</p> <ul> <li>Overview of earthen building</li> <li>Appropriate use of rammed earth walls</li> <li>Stabilized versus raw rammed earth </li> <li>Design considerations, including structural, insulation, and building envelope details</li> <li>Special considerations for cold and freeze-thaw climates</li> <li>Construction drawings, with step-by-step building instructions</li> <li>Tools and labor covering industrial methods, low-tech techniques, formwork options, mix design, budgets, and schedules</li> <li>Codes, inspections, and permits.</li> </ul> <p>This guide is an essential resource for experienced builders, DIY home owners, designers, engineers, and architects interested in learning about rammed earth construction.</p>