It all starts with a dream.. and then this is generally how it goes.
You get a pile of earth haveing a mixture of stone, sand and clay that has been screened to the desired size. Ideal mixture is 70 % aggregate and 30% clay. Make a pile add some color and cement, mix it around, start spraying it with water and keep mixing untill material is damp, it is important to get the right consistency. The material is brought and dropped in the forming system. The forms are usually made from plywood or steel. Some people use fancy forms which are generally a waste of money I'm told, why not just go to the lumberyard make your forms and reuse the wood on the house after you are finished? The rammed earth mix is then poured inside a form which may or may not have insulation in the center.
A layer of material around 8-10 inches thick is then compacted by mechanical tampers or by hand tampers,used traditionally . Once compacted hard a new layer is added and the rammed earth wall rises layer by layer until finished. Pull off the forms the next morning and you have a beautiful and durable wall for the ages.
