Rammed Earth walls have their own character. The material and the thickness of the walls exude warmth, strength and a sense of the organic. They are very southwestern and beautiful in their raw state. RE walls are not for everyone. RE walls do not have a perfect surface, they are not like painted sheetrock in appearance or performance. They are not like wood paneling or adobe, they are unique and an owner needs to understand this when selecting Rammed Earth walls.

SERVICES:

We are able to construct rammed earth homes and light commercial buildings in the major Albuquerque area and build and /or supervise the construction of rammed earth walls throughout the state.

PROCESS:

Simply put, the process is build forms then ram earth. In practice the process requires careful planning and coordination between the owners, the architect/designer and the rammed earth contractor. Careful consideration must be made at the inception of the project for materials selection, design and site logistics for rammed earth equipment, water availability and the weather.

MATERIALS:

The walls require a large amount of soil. The availability of an acceptable mixture for the walls is a major concern. In many cases a local sand and gravel company will have the suitable material.
Desirable soils have a high content of sand and pea size gravel with a small percent of clay and silt without any organic material. Site soils may be used if they are suitable, plentiful and consistent. 
Portland cement is added to the soil to achieve the required strength specified in State of New Mexico Building Code for Rammed Earth. Walls can be built without cement provided they achieve required strength, but in this case the exterior must be stucced to protect them from the elements.
Pigment can be added to enhance the color of the rammed earth walls which can be diminished by the addition of the cement. Cement tones down the natural color of the soil.
The materials listed above are mixed together in a dry state with water added afterwards to attain what is termed “Optimum Moisture”. The mixture is then transferred to the interior of the forms and compacted in “Lifts”.

DESIGN:

A properly designed structure is important. All structural, architectural, mechanical and electrical components need to be finalized before construction begins. Wall height and thickness, foundations, bond beam dimensions, door and window locations, electrical and mechanical outlets, finishes and roof framing must be determined before construction. Consultation with a rammed earth contractor during the design process can help address the blockouts and backing that will need to be installed as the walls are formed. Because the walls are in a finished state when the forms are removed, the position of these items must be determined in the design phase of construction. Unless the owner chooses to plaster or stucco the rammed earth walls, much care needs to be taken by the construction crew to protect the walls.

More About Rammed Earth Here