BUILDING with RAMMED EARTH - An Impressive & Super Durable Natural Material!

Rammed earth is an ancient building technique that has been modernized to be stronger, more durable, and energy efficient with the addition of structural components like rebar as well as insulation. This green building technique is called High Performance Rammed Earth.
In this video, we’re meeting Tony Johnson from Earth House Holdings to learn about rammed earth construction, and to get a peek at the rammed earth home he is building for his family in British Columbia, Canada.
To follow and find out more about Tony’s rammed earth construction:
earthhouseholdings.com/
/ earthhouseholdings
/ earth-house-holdings-l...
The rammed earth mixture in this project contains soil aggregates (~90%), cement (~9%), and pigment (less than 1%). It is mixed and deposited into plywood forms, then it is rammed with a pneumatic tamper to squish the earth down, and finally, it is cleaned up with a manual tamper. The wall is built in lifts of 6 inches at a time which gives the wall the striations and lines that are typical of rammed earth.
Some of the benefits of rammed earth as a green building technique include the fact that it is energy efficient due to the thermal mass and thermal break created by the insulation. It is also an airtight material which means that there’s little heat loss from a poor air barrier. Some studies have also shown that it is fire resistant as well.
To find out more about rammed earth be sure to give Tony a follow!
earthhouseholdings.com/
/ earthhouseholdings
/ earth-house-holdings-l...
Thanks for watching!
Mat & Danielle
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COMMENTS
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We want our channel and our comments section to be an inclusive space where everyone feels welcome to watch and contribute. For this reason, comments that are inappropriate or hateful will be reported and/or deleted.
Please discuss and debate with respect, and report inappropriate or hateful comments directly to KZbin.
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CREDITS
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Music & Song Credits:
All music in this video was composed, performed, and recorded by Mat of Exploring Alternatives.
Editing Credits:
Mat and Danielle of Exploring Alternatives
Filming Credits:
Mat of Exploring Alternatives
Photo Credits:
Additional build photos provided by Tony Johnson from Earth House Holdings
#rammedearth #greenbuilding #earthhouse

[@bobsdeadarse]

I worked in a factory making imitation sandstone blocks 20 or so years ago, pretty much the same method, although we added the smallest amount of water and craft glue to the sand and cement mix, then water them once a day for 21 days until it had cured properly and they had finished shrinking.

[@barnstar2077]

The walls look beautiful.

[@guringai]

Great to see that you've incorporated insulation into the rammed earth. I've been in rammed earth & mud houses in Australia but both were very cold in winter & very hot in late summer. Sanden heat pumps are the best, we have one too since 2014 (which we used to replace gas, now saving a fortune). The heat pump is on a timer to only operate during the middle of the day, when out solar PV panels run it. Cheapest hot water available.

[@anddyandii5857]

How did you set it up

[@guringai]

@@anddyandii5857 There's a timer under the top panel of the compressor.

[@randyrhyne1195]

There is a house where I’m from that was built with sandbags. It was built in the sixties and is still in very good condition considering that it has been through hurricanes. Using the material around you to build a home makes a lot of sense.

[@itzakpoelzig330]

What are the bags themselves made of?

[@randyrhyne1195]

@@itzakpoelzig330 Considering when it was built, probably burlap. I believe he covered the outside walls with stucco. Probably has numerous coats of paint over the years but last time I saw it you could see the outline of the sandbags. Has been a about ten years since last I saw it.

[@itzakpoelzig330]

@@randyrhyne1195 Very interesting. Thanks for sharing!

[@MrJcTTK]

@@itzakpoelzig330 yup people have been doing this for a very long time. Go look up someone names Kris harbour Built his giant workshop with it. Also noticed a lot of people do it the bag way in the dessert

[@pinefilms3141]

indeed, nature provides everything

[@GoddessBB]

I have been in love with rammed earth homes for quite some time. Love how you built this house. Thank you. I wish more people would consider rammed earth, especially in tropical climates.

[@BlueBeeMCMLXI]

It's their life, not your's.

[@njsarn]

Wow, a real design beauty. Besides superb insulation quality, it's bullet proof too, literally. Thanks for sharing your dream house.

[@wrayjordan7188]

Very interesting. Would like to see a more detailed video of the wall construction. Congratulations on your beautiful home. It looks amazing. Best wishes for a long and happy life there.

[@matthewharaminac6348]

@Tony Johnson I'd love to know more about this. If you ever offer a webinar I would be very interested to join. What is a good way to follow you?

[@meheretnardos1894]

Wow 👌 good luck thank you for sharing your knowledge!

[@bigonprivacy2708]

@Tony Johnson Love what you did and congratulations on such a beautiful home. Some of us may not be able to afford many of the higher end upgrades you did but, being that some of us live in the county, we don't have any of the permit challenges others face. So other than ensuring we meet the code on this type of structure, the real need is to understand how you get it to "near concrete compression strength". That is the knowledge I would love to learn because I too want to build a RE home. Again, congratulations on your beautiful home!

[@nobreighner]

Extremely beautiful! And to acknowledge insulation! (the most important part) We were also fortunate to retrieve foam for a building from a dumpster. Though we are not capable of transporting, processing/screening, mixing, placing, and seriously compacting a million pounds of earth.

[@craigmerkey8518]

Really great! I can imagine how the sound is insulated as well... bonuses all around!

[@cpthornman]

What a cool building technique. This looks incredibly expensive though.

[@SSingh-nr8qz]

it's not expensive. I have built using rammed earth and also compressed earth brick. It's just insanely time consuming, especially if you are doing it manually. The soil mix is key. Get it wrong and you will be very sad when it freezes.

[@cynot71]

@@SSingh-nr8qz It's not just the materials and labor. The paperwork (permits, etc.) can really add to the overall costs.

[@SSingh-nr8qz]

@@cynot71 Very true! Most inspectors don't even know about these kinds of building materials. You end up having to get a 3rd party to verify the stuff you are telling the inspectors IF you can get a permit.

[@Invictum594]

@@SSingh-nr8qz question. I have heard that the type of soil on site is critical and that most places don’t have the correct mix of things for rammed earth so you end up needing to truck in the correct soil in order to do it which kind of defeats the purpose. Is that your experience?

[@OU81TWO]

@@SSingh-nr8qz "It's not expensive...it's just insanely time consuming" If it's insanely time consuming then it's insanely expensive. Time always costs more money than building materials.

[@jeffmathers355]

Beautiful house. I love the sediment layered look!

[@SueTay.]

This home is beautiful!

[@0HARE]

It looks amazingly beautiful and functional. I want one.

[@carldieckmann9977]

Hey man, your house looks spectacular. Well done!

[@bradleysmithhart2344]

Glad to see you guys are back. I hope all is well.

[@robertgonzalez8419]

Have to say you did a great job I hope and pray that you and your family enjoy this home for many years God bless

[@AutisticMorty]

Beautiful. Just another thing I'll never be able to afford 🤷‍♂️ Thanks Canada. We need more building techniques that people can learn to build their own homes. I'm in Poland now, and you can build yourself a 750 sqft home (like a two shipping container tiny-house) with no permits. With labor and property so expensive, millenials and gen z need cheaper options, because salaries will never increase to match skyrocketing costs.

[@krzysztoffrancka6178]

Go to work, open your business, stop winning and start to make money. I didn't have anything special and I have bought a 1.3 ha of land whit some forest. Build a house. And I'm living in it and I bought it when I was 25 years old, and i build house and move to it when I was 33 so stop complaining. You can make money everywhere, even in uour Poland ...

[@AutisticMorty]

@@krzysztoffrancka6178 yeah dude, I'm a software engineer making $120k a year. It wasn't enough for Canada lol. Let alone all the Canadians who make average of $60,000 or less.

[@krzysztoffrancka6178]

@@AutisticMorty make more don't work for someon but for yourself. I'm getting this money for 3 months of work so you can either. Canada is Europe 2.0 so ... the frase,, you will not have anything, and you will be happy" is in making there ...

[@Gregoman89]

@@krzysztoffrancka6178 yeah it’s ok for them to steal your money. Just go make more!

[@freezerlunik]

@@krzysztoffrancka6178 your attitude to be self-sufficient and work for yourself is the right one to start, -- but you're also ignoring the folks who do everything right and still get beat down/can't get ahead. A very significant proportion of them are not lazy or defective; luck, opportunities, non-obvious decisions and risks all have a huge role.

[@nathanhuisman9399]

Awesome video discussing all the benefits of rammed earth but also all the extra details and thought that went into this particular residence. Keep at it, Tony!

[@gerbilbits]

Favorite build I’ve seen in awhile

[@billsharp7698]

Amazing house. Thanks for taking the time to do the video to show it off, and what your company does.

[@RevdUp.Art.Fotografer]

Thank You. Using earth to build homes has always made sense to me from the first time I saw a film in 2nd grade about Adobe homes. Of course we've gotten more technical since then...(cough)...that was more than a bit ago. I do love the lines in the walls as well & I can see wanting more waves...lol... Perhaps you could come up with a way to tint them. I can see tinting applications being a good offer in the commercial world. I'm an artist with ADHD...😆 so ideas come quick for me. Plus I do Sacred Space Altars. It's very interesting what can shift energy in a space. Folks will feel different, but won't know why...😉. Look into what natural things can be used to tint your specific materials. Since you're building process is in small areas/bits at a time it would be easy to control the hows and wheres of the color distribution. Keep makin' safe homes. Peace to you and all your Relations.

[@rs-fe9xr]

Looking at that house makes my heart melt. Honestly, it's that same feeling when listening to a great symphony. Great work. Beautiful. Inspiring.

[@allansmith350]

this is an absolutely beautiful home, and super cool building technique

[@alexlarson833]

Wow! This is so cool! Congrats on the build Tony👍👍👍

[@SusanSlattery]

Wow, this is an incredible technique I was totally unaware of. Love the idea of this.

[@homesteadinthehood11212]

Very interesting. What energy source does the air system run on and exactly what was the cost of the building?

[@marlonlom]

but the thing is to get sufficient sand or earth for the building :S

[@rhoda7710]

@ Tony , how much will a normal 3 bedroom cost?

[@Cynthia_108]

I love your house! The wavy earth design is beautiful! I agree, curvy walls would be super cool, I would do it. The different wood colors in the ceiling are gorgeous as well. I'm a huge fan of straw bale houses, and hope to build one at some point. They are also wonderfully insulation and maintain fairly even temps. Thanks for sharing your home. 😊

[@Earth-House-Holdings]

Thanks for watching!

[@ravent3016]

That's a fine-looking structure. I also like the layout inside from what I can see.

[@mamzhie8833]

Wow,great.. amazing new idea technique.

[@CortVermin]

not sure if thats super cheap or efficient. but damn, those walls look awesome. he is right, they curvy walls look the best!

[@david.andrew.roubideaux1715]

Oh my God. I would love a home like that home. That's such a beautiful home.

[@verifiedgentlemanbug]

yes homie

[@PhiltonPhillips]

Suuuuper interesting!! Thanks!

[@Glencairns]

That's a lovely home. Nice work.

[@nullplus_space]

Beautiful look of the layering

[@jad1714]

Looks cool I’ve only seen a few other videos of people doing compact earth walls would love to learn more about them I see no reason they can’t be used in the majority of climates just maybe not the swamp

[@cmm170526]

Great video. Thank you very much for sharing this with us!

[@Shmerpy]

Great work. The green Picquic is a nice touch too!

[@PMcGuffin]

That is a cool house, the combination of the shape of the walls, the texture and the wood that is used on the soffits and ceiling make it look like it could have been pulled straight from Minecraft as well

[@paulman8239]

The busy looking ceiling is taking away from the beautiful layered ram walls.

[@solomonessix6909]

I love this style of home

[@ng3594]

I love it. I really like the modern alternatives that other earth homes do not mechanise. I think you did a real classy and thought provoking home. I really dig it haha

[@kaleign]

Really top-notch build quality here. Very thoughtful design with many insightful elements. Love to see carbon dioxide used as the refrigerant.

[@mihaiilie8808]

@Tony Johnson The walls are a work of art ! I would use this system even for decorative purposes and not just walls but even furniture.

[@rossli8621]

It is so cool to build houses with natural materials around. I wonder how long does it took to build such a house.

[@shimonnygaard2265]

Love it!!! Also have a sanden heat pump with a circulating pump. Has not missed a beat!!!

[@boromirofmiddleearth557]

So amazingly beautiful! I want one! genius! Thank you for this video.

[@edgewrld]

thats a beautiful house

[@HollywoodF1]

I’d like to see a lifecycle cost comparison. It would be interesting to know the cost recovery period and if there’s an increased value in the house at resale.

[@travelfeet]

The three levels and however many different roof planes aren't helping the value proposition (though add to the beauty for sure). It would be interesting to see the cost of a simpler design in comparison to stick frame. A spec home, I as would call a mass produced one, would likely not have the same energy performance though, so perhaps a comparison to a better than code insulated and air sealed home would be a better test.

[@bensun432]

Amazing, got me really thinking about it all!

[@lorriebirdwatcher7778]

Really neat , and beautiful!

[@georgelake7923]

love the walls love the look of the house. Would like to see the floor plan. maybe something I would want.

[@Donneczka1]

Super cool! We need to use more alternate building methods like this!

[@pnoyxxxbandido]

Great house build. Congratulations to you and your family.

[@SASoldier]

Breathtaking!

[@kathym6603]

A dream house for sure. 🍁🌾🍁

[@ourfamilytravels7083]

Beautiful home, I love the look of the rammed earth.

[@verifiedgentlemanbug]

yes homiie

[@alexmoreno7275]

So beautiful.

[@huzefajawadwala1347]

Fantastic deisgn and execution, thank you so much for sharing and creating this video !

[@jonm610]

The cost of labor for this here in Massachusetts I bet would be crazy high

[@brownleatherboot277]

Once you start to research EARTH RAMMED homes and ALL the benefits including health benefits I can't imagine anyone not wanting to do it. You can add accents into the walls. I've seen one with a crush line of blue gem. Look up Susuki Earth Rammed Home. I believe an ex rock star of some sort owns it. I wish I could have a home this healthy, beautiful and long lasting to have raised a family in.

[@tessaburkhamer3856]

Excellent video & wonderful information 👏 TY for sharing

[@theokirkley]

Great editing, great info. Thank you!!!

[@barisay7244]

Questions for Tony: The hydronic heating setup used for the Zehnder system --- is that custom or is it a Zehnder offering? Aren't you supposed to heat the incoming air before it hits the exchanger instead of after? (Otherwise, in order to prevent the exchanger core from freezing, the controllers would reduce the airflow or even stop it.)

[@joeymorris68]

I'm curious, did you apply any kind of sealant to the walls? I have watched a number of videos on this technique and only in one did they mention applying a sealant to the outside walls to increase resistance to moisture.- Thanks

[@ashleighjaimaosborne3966]

Fabulous looking home. 🇨🇦

[@netteleverett4871]

Absolutely love this!!💎

[@alphaomega3766]

That's a work of art. I'm sure basic design would cut down costs considerably, especially if owner built. It's fun to play in dirt.

[@jonothandoeser]

Nooo! This should remain an Elite method for only those who can afford it!

[@chieftech714]

I love it. A few questions: 1. how far does this build technique scale? as in how high can the structure rise before it begins to lose integrity? 2. what is the earth is used has toxins in it? how is the buyer protected from unknown toxins in the ground? 3. what additional costs are added from this style?

[@jordanstarr2992]

considered how toxic modern building is. I can't imagine 2 is a concern at all.

[@3dclothes889]

This looks so good.

[@JoanneSgrignoli]

Impressive and beautiful!

[@nanchesca3950]

Beautiful and smart in a province with so many forest fires

[@TheBearDenPhotography]

What would be the timeline and cost to build this type of structure compared to a normal wood framed structure of similar size?

[@Sq7Arno]

That's a wonderful look.

[@erichpizer1]

video is packed with info, rammed with knowledge

[@angiesheirlooms]

I'm interested in this type of home. I live in a area that has no Zoning and no codes. I'd love to see some cost sheets to build one like this.

[@dustman96]

Adobe is much cheaper and easier. That said, if you have the money and time, rammed earth is fantastic.

[@afrhawkins]

where do you live with no zoning/codes? i live in the states and there are not alot of places i can find rural places that aren't residential

[@dustman96]

@@afrhawkins Arizona, Greenlee county

[@vanderumd11]

@@afrhawkins likely an area with little water

[@justthink5854]

@@dustman96 adobe is hugely expensive. labor.

[@iteerrex8166]

Hempcrete is another very similar healthy and good looking technique as rammed earth.

[@bwillan]

Hempcrete is not a structural material.

[@karoma5805]

That looks so beautiful

[@sid35gb]

It’s a beautiful looking material.

[@a_alepah]

Linda casa! Aqui no Brasil se chama "taipa de pilão". Amo essa técnica.

[@delubiod1970]

Beautiful House! Here in Brazil we call it "Taipa de Pilão". Love this technique.

[@PH7018c]

En español se conoce como "tapial" "tapia" o "muro de tapia".. En mi pais se usa poco.. supongo que no es muy apropiada para lugares de huracanes y terremotos.. 👋🏻🇩🇴

[@carolewarner101]

Wow...gorgeous! I'm especially impressed with the fire protection. We had terrible fires out here in Oregon last summer that came within a mile or so of our property. We're getting ready to build the house and that aspect is foremost in our minds as we ponder the various methods we might use to build it. Would be curious as to its seismic capabilities as we live very close to Mt. Hood and have plenty of seismic potential around here. People talk about "the big one" being inevitable. Would be nice to have our home weather both potential situations and still be lived in a century or more from now... Beautiful result!

[@TwilightMysts]

You might consider a monolithic dome instead. It is a single piece concrete dome, but if you add a foot or so of dirt to the outside, with a little extra preparation for the exposed doors/windows, it could probably survive a serious fire with no issues. You would still want to evacuate though, since air quality would still be a big problem for people inside.

[@justthink5854]

his attic is vented. that's the first place fire goes. a nonvented conditioned attic is the way to go. insulate under the roof

[@mlight6845]

Beautiful home!

[@WisconsinWanderer]

Our society really missed the boat on ancient building systems we could have learned so much and save so many resources. It’s a shame. Thanks for this wonderful build and technology also a work of art love it!!

[@matthewrreis]

This stunningly designed & engineered house looks like it will still stand the test of time. I bet traditional stick built homes would collapse, burn down or be torn down well before this house meets its expiration date.

[@davesyoutubestuff6183]

Rammed earth is a technique that has been used for thousands of years. Some structures last 1000 years or more.

[@Sam89365]

If I go to build a house one day I'd definitely consider this as an option.

[@justthink5854]

he's used as much wood in his home as a normal house. yes he's milled it. so what? AND the manufacture of portland cement takes huge energy. straw bale is way easier and just as energy efficient, needs less rebar, and is a waste product.

[@juleswithoutriches]

@@justthink5854 you got any links?, I seen hemp blocks which look amazing and get stronger over time. Plus 100 year old tree hasnt been chopped down

[@justthink5854]

@@juleswithoutriches straw bale const is all over the net.

[@cheriemonami]

Absolutely beautiful. I love the idea and the look is simple but elegant.

[@emmyashbaugh]

It's really beautiful, thanks for sharing! I hope to see more alternative building options like this become more available for the average homeowner!!

[@beebob1279]

@Tony Johnson Municipalities can often be the block in the road to improve housing systems. Only because they don't understand the new construction systems. Keep up the great work. This is a cool system

[@QuiteDecent]

Cool

[@hallenw]

Gorgeous house! I would like to see rammed earth sprayed with clear epoxy.

[@wrndlabs]

Search for 'Shiny Clay Wall Finish' on KZbin. It is beautiful!

[@Rich1Rodriguez]

Very insightful. Charge on!

[@BaldingEagle51]

Just beautiful!

[@thomasbarlow4223]

So it's basically homemade concrete using local material that's badass

[@post-leftluddite]

It's got portland cement in it, and portland cement is one of the most energy intensive materials to refine

[@justthink5854]

he's used as much wood in his home as a normal house. yes he's milled it. so what?

[@mabamabam]

@@post-leftluddite True but it uses less cement than traditional buildings. So better than concrete. Which isnt saying much. Of course you can make rammed earth without cement. But not many people do.

[@jamesbostick3936]

@@justthink5854 how do you figure that house used the same amount as a standard wood frame house?

[@justthink5854]

@@jamesbostick3936 by just looking the framing. duh

[@melissamcardle5729]

We DIY built our house like this over 30 years ago. It's brilliant but I would have liked one of those air exchange things.

[@dncviorel]

What exactly is brilliant about this design and what are the disadvantages? Thank you.

[@RammedEarthInfomati]

Great to see what other rammed earth builders are doing. Good job on the videography.

[@robontube12]

wall thickness in metric = 18 + 10 + 18 = 46 centimeter

[@cyrilmoussoki3193]

C'est une merveilleuse découverte pour moi parce que je ne connaissais pas, je n'ai pas tout compris, je vais approfondir ce sujet, merci en tout cas pour le partage.

[@ExploringAlternatives]

Bienvenue Cyril 😁

[@SLCliving]

This is a gorgeous home! I want to build one of these for my family in SLC UT

[@johngee9018]

Gorgeous looking walls.

[@leoshinaranami3765]

Awesome way of doing things. Now if only you could make it affordable for the "average" people as well. Otherwise I absolutely love everything about it. Fantastic work!

[@scottcates]

Yay, expensive housing.

[@SurmaSampo]

Yeah, this is amazingly labour intensive especially with such a tiny ram. His methods don't scale efficiently at all.

[@slowbro1337]

Intresting idea but sounds difficult to get a good qualified contractor

[@ManufacturedCrises]

I was thinking same thing

[@dodgeplow]

@@ManufacturedCrises me too. You can find a wood-frame contractor and crew anywhere you swing a stick. These earth guys would take some effort and I wonder how competitive or not it would be.

[@dodgeplow]

@@mertcuhac6303 Why don't you do your own bypass surgery. Don't have the skillset? Well guess what, not everyone has every skillset needed.

[@dodgeplow]

@@mertcuhac6303 lol you're right. I usually don't take the troll bait but sometimes you forget

[@dodgeplow]

@Tony Johnson Do you offer consultation in the US?

[@eyeballengineering7007]

I've been wanting to see this happening for decades.

[@srf2112]

Very nice work on that house.

[@Mark_Chandler]

with cal and arizona fires every summer, this would be a good choice for those areas