I read that there was an active dicussion on houses/structures made of papercrete on this list. I have been working on many test and sample mixes to come up with a way to make paper(or fiber) blocks and bricks for walls and buildings, like goat and chicken sheds. I DID discover that you can use shredded newspaper or sawdust or even chopped weeds in a 1950s WRINGER WASHER, this is exciting cause most homesteaders may be able to get one of theese locally to use. I would like to correspond with anyone making papercrete/fiber to keep updated on new ideas and share what I know. ( I did have an story in Countryside NMay/June 01 on building with free materials.)

thanks!

Charmaine Taylor/ Taylor Publishing http://www.dirtcheapbuilder.com http://www.northcoast.com/~tms

PO Box 6985, Eureka CA 95502 707-441-1632

-- Charmaine R Taylor (tms@northcoast.com), September 09, 2001

Answers

I have used papercrete as the chinking in my log house. I really like papercrete for the fact that it can be used for many applications. It can be used for load bearing walls, insulation, even stucco. It all depends on your mix, normally how much sand or cement you add. I plan on using it again and am anxious to hear of others projects, especially the failures. OAK

-- OAK (strugglingoak@aol.com), September 10, 2001.

Papercrete could be interesting to play with.

However unless you live in a dry arid climate it will soak up water like a sponge. Definitely Not for outdoor use unless you get a couple layers of elastomeric coating on it right away which may be difficult to do because of how long it takes to dry. A number of Papercrete buildings have failed because of getting wet from rain.

Structual tests have shown it to be weak so it is not for structual support.

Looks to be primarily a indoor product. I don't know how well it will work as insulation as it will strongly wick moisture. That rules it out for being close to the ground. I wouldn't trust it being enclosed in a wall for it to swell up with moisture.

-- Michael C (noemailon@webposts.com), January 20, 2002.