Rammed earth is a natural wall building material, created by compressing a carefully crafted mix of minerals into formwork. Through the act of pneumatic compression, our crew creates in a few moments what gravity does over millenia: rock.

Aerecura’s engineered rammed earth wall system makes rammed earth that is structural, airtight, and insulated enough to exceed Ontario's building code, and endure our extreme and unpredictable weather.

Building with the earth,
For the earth.

Every rammed earth project begins with the creation of a custom mix of natural raw aggregates, a binder, and water, carefully developed and tested. The mix is placed into reusable formwork and compacted in layers or ‘lifts’ using pneumatic tampers. As each lift is compressed before the next is added, the distinctive horizontal strata that define rammed earth naturally emerge, creating a wall that tells the story of its construction.

Our exterior rammed earth wall system is composed of three layers: an inner rammed earth wall, an outer rammed earth wall, and a continuous layer of high-performance insulation between them. Engineered specifically for Ontario's climate, this insulated wall system combines the timeless beauty and durability of exposed rammed earth with exceptional thermal performance, airtightness, and year-round comfort. Interior feature walls are constructed as a single solid layer of rammed earth.

After approximately 24 hours of curing, the formwork is removed to reveal the finished wall. Unlike conventional construction, rammed earth walls serve as both the structure of the building and the finished interior and exterior surfaces, eliminating the need for framing, drywall, and additional wall finishes.

The result is a building material that is remarkably durable, low maintenance, and designed to last for generations.

What is rammed earth?

A woman smiling while sitting inside a small bulldozer with a metal grill at the front mixing rammed earth mix, working on a construction site with dirt and soil in the foreground and construction workers and wooden forms in the background.

Construction site with a building framework, rammed earth wall with wave-like patterns, and materials scattered on the ground.

Wooden framing structure for a building under construction, with metal connectors and support beams, and blue sky visible through the open roof.

Construction site with a crane lifting a large rectangular object, workers on the ground, and trucks, set against a backdrop of trees and a blue sky.

Bare trees and a blue sky are visible over a rammed earth wall with small, rectangular windows. The wall and ground cast shadows, and the ground appears uneven with dirt and small rocks.

A construction worker in rammed earth formwork.

A construction worker wearing a white hard hat, black jacket, and beige pants is operating a pneumatic tamper to compress rammed earth.

a variety of rammed earth colour sample blocks on grass beneath a blue sky

The Palette Of Earth

Under construction rammed earth wall with a small window opening, showing a view of a wooded area outside during sunset.

Close-up of layered, texturedrammed earth with ripples and undulating patterns.

Close-up of layered rammed earth in earth tone shades with visible cracks and texture.

Every rammed earth wall tells a story. Layers of carefully compacted earth create subtle variations in colour and texture that can't be replicated, making each home quietly unique. Over time, those walls become part of the character of the home itself.

Colour and texture are influenced by the natural materials and techniques used to create each wall, resulting in surfaces that feel rich, layered, and unique. While mineral pigments such as iron oxide can be used to influence colour, rammed earth is not intended to achieve the perfect uniformity of paint. Subtle variation is part of the beauty of the material.

Rammed Earth on CBC

CBC: Disrupting Design with Sylvia Cook

Sylvia Cook shares the story behind Ontario's first insulated rammed earth home and the philosophy that has shaped our work for more than 15 years. From challenging conventional building methods to demonstrating that natural materials can perform in our climate, Sylvia explains why building differently isn't just possible—it's essential.

CBC: Home Tour – Tobacco Road

Step inside Tobacco Road, as homeowners Wes and Julie share what it's really like to live with rammed earth every day.

This home tour offers an honest look at how thoughtful design and natural materials come together to create a space that is both high-performing and deeply connected to the landscape.