building barns, sheds, houses - almost free

[Doug_Myerscough]

A lot of folks don't know this stuff exists yet so I figured I'd post a little bit and see if anyone was interested.
You can make blocks from shredded paper and portland cement that are both strong and have a high insulation factor - you can build just about anything out of them and you can get the paper free, in fact your doing us all a favor by keeping the stuff out of the landfills. If anybody is interested in how to do this let me know - it's easy and cheap - look up "papercrete" on a search engine and you'll find some good links.
You can mix huge loads of the stuff several ways using your PTO and a homemade mixer built out of a truck rear end, mower blade and a metal stock tank. It's easier to lay than brick or stone and a lot lighter weight but strong enough to withstand 150 MPH wind.

 

[Doug_Myerscough]

here's a good link to some info on the subject http://groups.yahoo.com/group/papercrete/ -
there is also a good book on the subject you can find here http://www.zianet.com/papercrete/ - I read an earlier version (it's been revised and added to recently) and it had a lot of good info.

 

[RedRocker]

Thanks Doug, I'll check it out.

 

[teddydo]

Hello Doug, good to see you here and also welcome. Sounds interesting, I need a good shop. When I get the time I will check out the links I just wnated to welcome you on here. We are good people to chat with.......teddy

 

[GerardC]

Welcome to TBN Doug. Thanks for the links. This sounds interesting. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Doug_Myerscough]

here's some photos of stuff built (or being built) out of papercrete

 

[firtol88]

Might try building a new pump shed out of this Thanks for the heads up.

 

[ALBALD1]

how does it hold up to rain?

 

[slowrev]

Yes how does it hold up to rain ? From the pics those constructions seemed to be in an arid climate. Is it required to stucco over it ?

 

[Doug_Myerscough]

You have to waterproof it - elastomeric paint works well. Many people have built these in very rainy and humid climates and as long as they are waterproofed they work fine - if they are not waterproofed they will eventually start to deteriorate. I am planning to build my main house in a fairly rainy part of North Texas - I'm going to use papercrete for the walls and put a metal roof with a wraparound porch to reduce the problem to the point of insignifigance but I will still paint the house with a good latex to seal it. Domes are possible (even easy to build with papercrete) in wet climates but you REALLY need elastomeric roof coating after they are finished - papercrete will soak up and wick water if not coated. In arid climates with only ten instances per year of rain, coating is not all that important - papercrete has to get very wet many, many times before it will begin to break down.