Evening star., 1923-12-02

earth wall. When the mold is
taken down and the blocks removed
the floor beams may Immediately be
put into the holes thus left and
fastened
Nor is there any danger of the
wood rotting. AS the earth dries it
protects the wood from all-destroy-
ing fungi and bacteria. Wood has
been found in wrecked pise buildings
in England and France which was
a hundred years old or more and 1t
was as sound as when it was put in.
Seasoned lumber should be used, of
course.
After the mold has been set up
on the foundation the first layer of
prepared earth is put in to q depth
of about four inches. This is then
carefully rammed until 1t is perfect
ly solid. It will then be about half
Its first volume and the rammer will
make no impression on the earth.
The rammers. Weighing about fif-
teen pounds each. should be used
with rather short light strokes,
mold boards first and then work
ing toward the center of the form.
No fresh earth should be put In until
all the first layer is rammed down
so hard it rings" when struck Then
the second layer of four inches more
of loose soil may be placed inside
and rammed, and so on. until the
mold has been filled with layer
after layer of pounded earth. 1t will
form one solid, homogeneous mass.
The ramming strokes, all authori-
ties advise, should never be applied
in unison. When the rammers are at
work they should hit the earth at
separate times. Unison ramming tends
to loosen the earth between the points
hit. This is very evident as soon as
ono has tried it
Various shapes-oblong, round and
square-are required for the ramminc
tools, and it is essential that the first
rammer be made Of wood. An oak
block, faced win iron. was used al
Glen Echo. Old treatises emphasize
this point advocating the use OF oak
or beech root wood as being the best
material for the ramming tools.
There is no reason. the old books
state, to fear overcharging the first
course of rammed earth with the sec
ond. if the earth has been properly
"pise" Three courses, it was stated,
may be safely laid in a day. Further,
experience has shown that as soon
as the walls are raised to their proper
height the heaviest beams and tim
bers for the floors may be laid on the
newly made walls without the slight
est danger. The heaviest fimbers for
the roof may be laid on the gables
mold Is taken down.
Remember that the authorities who
gave that information were accus
toned to real beams. Hand-hewn lum-
Der was general thing in 1919, when
the encyclopedia which vouched for
the strength of pise walls was print
ed. Tests made on DR.. Humphreys
house confirm that strength.
H* X X
WHEN the first section of the bot.
W tom course is completed the mold
is withdrawn. 1t should then be laid
next the end OF the new
ly made wall and the second sector
started A key" to hold these tw.
sections together is advised and M
easily inserted into the mold. AS tl,.l
sections proceed all are thus keyed
together.
When the first course is complete
the second may be laid right on top
Of the first without delay. The joints
at the end of the mold in the second
course should stagger with the joints
of the first course. The rammed earth
looks very like concrete when the
mold Is taken off. The, marks on the
boards, such as the grain of the wood.
show distinctly if the pise work has
been properly done.
In pise work the second-story walls.
may be made thinner than the first,
story with perfect safety That is, il.
eighteen-inch walls are used from the
foundations to, say, twelve feet, then,
fourteen-inch walls VIII carry On
from there up to the gable point. In
terror walls Of twelve inches will be
SIfOnS eHOuSH W SuppOis thC IlOoi
beams.
As climax to this important re-,
discovery in building. it is verified,
that pise earth walls may be fin-'
ished in any way desired. The rammed
earth is as smooth as planed wood.
Paper may be applied directly to It,.
Plaster sticks to 1t more closely than
to wooden lath, and it is much more,
quickly applied. The capillary action
of the dry earth seems to suck the
moisture from, the plaster almost
visibly.
The outside,o or weather SIDE, OF the,
wall may he e-y-.s4d with coating
of waterprooflng made of lime and
tallow. over this coating it was the
ancient custom to apply fresco deco
rations in water-color paint. The.
building may be treated with a ce-
ment wash or painted directly. as you
prefer The natural color of the pise
depends on the quality Of the soil
used. and Is frequently Of great
beauty.