The Rammed Earth House is an eye-opening example of how the most dramatic innovations in home design and construction frequently have their origins in the distant past. By rediscovering the most ancient of all building materials —earth—forward-thinking homebuilders can now create structures that set new standards for beauty, durability, and efficient use of natural resources.
Rammed earth construction is a step forward into a sustainable future, when … More >>
The Rammed Earth House: Revised Edition
Tags: dramatic innovations
#1 by Anonymous on June 28, 2010 - 3:48 pm
In Venezuela, South America, there is some interest in reviving an old method of cobnstruction, called “tapial” in spanish (rammed earth).
Many old building remain in South America from the time of the spaniards. The book illustrates how a modern enginee, David Easton, in California, has taken over the problem of building with rammed earth in country where there is very little “tradition”, hence know how, on building with rammed earth.
The book lacks detail on the rammed earth system employed by the authors. More drawings and pictures would be very useful to translate modern technology to underdevelopped countries.
Best regards,
Miguel A. Megias, Professor of Engineering
Universidad de Carabobo
Valencia, Venezuela
e-mail mmegias@telcel.net.v
Rating: 4 / 5
#2 by JOHN K KURTZ on June 28, 2010 - 5:33 pm
I purchased this book in order to find an optimistic source on the subject of rammed earth. David Easton does have a positive attitude about the subject. I enjoyed his enthusiasm. I enjoyed the 10 or so pages of color pictures and the many black and white pictures through the book. Like another reviewer, I felt the book lacked some good engineering sketches and some good pictoral illustrations of the forming systems. I was encouraged enough by his book to want to build a rammed earth house somewhere in the coming years. johnkurtz@comcast.net.
Rating: 4 / 5
#3 by Anonymous on June 28, 2010 - 7:39 pm
I found this book, as other books by Real Goods, to be very informative and easy for the layperson to comprehend. David presents the information in a reader friendly style, and the photos greatly enhance the script.
Rating: 5 / 5
#4 by Anne M. Fleming on June 28, 2010 - 10:36 pm
This is a beautiful book, which expanded my respect and knowledge of earth construction. I was formally most familiar with rammed earth tire construction (Earthships, by Michael Reynolds), but this more accessible and palatable version of rammed earth has wider appeal. The book lacks good construction and engineering specs. There are plenty of photos of rammed earth forms, but no technical drawings to help in their construction. I assume that Easton thinks that the subject of form building in concrete construction has been thoroughly covered elsewhere. His discussion of soil testing is impressive (as is the soil testing appendix), but at the same time discouraging. It seems that the likelihood of having proper soil at one’s site is slim to nill, though most soil types can be amended with portland cement. I admire his reserve in not advising readers to just dig up their site and use whatever is there, without regard for the future durability and function of the structure. Overall, a good book, but it is absolutely not a step by step construction guide for the novice who is unfamiliar with homebuilding.
Rating: 4 / 5
#5 by Midwest Book Review on June 29, 2010 - 1:08 am
Any owner/builder who would study up on rammed earth construction, both theory and applied concepts, must have The Rammed Earth House: this edition has been completely revised and pairs color photos by Cynthia Wright with discussions of the art and technology of rammed earth housing. Chapters come from an architect and discuss everything from field testing soil to understanding layout, design, and soil compaction. A ‘must’ for any studying alternative housing, and sure to be a popular, repeat lend for any public lending library.
Rating: 5 / 5