Yeh, I watched your video about the pontoons. Was that you "Gilligan" on all the videos? Pretty cool, I really liked the .....catamaran? I forgot what it was called, but, I never could understand how to control the sails. Really nice build!!
@OK55OK55OK - Yes, it's a catamaran, and yes, you can 'Gilligan' with one. Pack some gear and food and take off for a week with a friend, camp on an island or beach someplace where there are no people. Those interested in such things can see my other videos here on YouTube and my web site RebelCat.com.
@OK55OK55OK - Pontoons? Well, pontoons are part of another project of mine, making a sailing catamaran from PVC pipe (pontoons). See my other videos for that. I don't think pontoons are related to papercrete, so it may have been my mistake - I get emails all the time about both.
i am a student from Malaysia. I saw your video and i it is amazing how people could think about this papecrete! You did a very great job.really. Since I've read all of the comments, i noticed that you gave an opinion about using bamboo leaves. i really need your help about it for my final year research as i am taking civil engineering study. please help me..i need to know more about it in how they do it.
@heartshapebox88 - Save yourself. Bamboo leaves are fibrous, as are many other plant parts. Papercrete is a mixture of cement, water and fibers, and it really doesn't matter what kind of fibers. I suggest making some experiments using a blender or food processor, using grass, leaves of various common plants (including bamboo), paper, cardboard, and use about the same weight of cement or less. Let each test cure for at least 24 hours (keep wet). Dry completely and compare them.
While studying alternative architecture in college, we also experimented with "paper-crete" but used a commercial mixer. This shows a low-cost alternative that could be adapted for almost anywhere in the world.
I've seen a number of videos on this subject, but this one provides the most concise, clear explanation so far.
@OldSchoolSkill - I'm pleased that you found this useful. If you ever need to make your own Papercrete Tow-mixer, my DVD shows and tells everything in a step-by-step video. It also covers making gang molds, making a batch of Papercrete and casting it into blocks. Fibrous adobe (just paper and dirt) is another option and is covered as well. My web site has additional information. Good luck with your projects.
@porpoisefathom - Good question. Well, there are so many different recipes for Papercrete, it will depend on how you make it. Add sand and the compressive strength increases. Increasing cement will help too. My suggestion is to make small samples with different amounts of all ingredients, cure wet for a week under plastic, dry out and test them.
An excellent example of DIY. I've often toyed with the idea of making a small-scale Gothic castle out of papercrete, straw bales or mud - since I'll never have the cash to afford to live in one otherwise.
@AnnihilatingAngel By all means LIVE your dreams. Growing up in the ghettos of Brooklyn NY, we would manage to find some way to build a "club house" out of recycled materials. Thinking back on the situation today, I can now see that as youth, we had a desire to BUILD something. Today I hope to encourage you to let that Gothic castle dream of yours come to fruition. We're rooting for you.
I was told in Arkansas that a Papercrete House is legal when the foundation laid is regular Concrete with a height of three bricks over that on the sides...and that this is what constitutes compliance with building-codes for whatever county it's in to have it be registered as a house legally. Great Video, guys!!
@JohnnyO3333 - Well... got a calculator? I got 42 blocks, each block 12 x 8 x 5.5". If you multiply those, you'll get volume in cubic inches - just guessing, about half of the volume of your block. But we could have used more of the capacity of our mixer and less cement - ours were stronger than needed for the purpose. We could have made 56 blocks, 4 gang-molds in a full mixer.
@banacek8675 - One man's shit is another man's fertilizer. Try to see the value in taking one of our society's wastes - old newspapers - and turning it into a useful building material.
@marjamada I support your response. We have been taught to be irresponsible when it comes to what to do with waste paper. People not talk about it that much, but the fibers within waste paper helps to create an ingredient for Papercrete that can help to produce bricks that are very solid. In addition to being energy efficient, Papercrete can also be formed to be fireproof as well. The possibilities are endless as far as I can see.
Another thought just came to me. Would it be possible to fill plastic bottles with Papercrete, then use those bottles as bricks for an internal low impact wall? My creative juices are flowing.
@waellerbe - Possible, but not advisable. Papercrete will cure inside bottles but not dry out, so your bottles will be very heavy. Second, bottles are too smooth to stack or bond well to each other. If you find a use for cylindrical blocks, you can use bottles to mold papercrete, then dump out the cured 'blocks' and try to use them. Looking for free molds? Good idea, but bottles are less than ideal, even though they're free.
@marjamada Thank you for your response, and please forgive me in return for taking more than 6 months to respond to your message here on YouTube. You have a *good* point regarding the challenge with Papercrete not being able to dry inside the bottle. Back to the basics of making blocks without bottles.
I like the thought of using a food processor to mix a small solution of Papercrete. I am also open to the thought of using a coffee grinder to grind up leaves into a dust-like consistency, which could serve as an ingredient for Papercrete.
I have an idea for including load bearing elements into papercrete>
like including vertical bricks or rebar to be able to build multiple story buildings without the need for separate structural load bearing elements like steel/brick/concrete/wood columns.
What do you recommend for 2-3 story construction?
I also had another idea, using stale unsold bread from bakeries to make
gluton pulp with paper, eliminating the concrete. What do you think?
Plaastek - Papercrete does not bond well to rebar, but if the steel reinforcing is smaller and thinner, like remesh or chicken wire, there will be more surface area to bond. A lot depends on the size and shape of the structure. Bread? You might have a problem with mice and rats eating your structure, and you will only know how well it binds by experimenting. Have fun.
I would think (but not sure) that if one had a supply of sawdust, and mix maybe 30 lbs. of paper + 30 lbs. of sawdust + 90 lbs. of Portland cement + water and get a stronger finished dry product. However, I'm not sure if the insulation properties would be as good? In theory, you would probably trade insulation for durability.
Another thought: If you used clay instead of cement, then fire the cured and dried blocks, you might have an excellent fireproof, refractory (insulating) block! ‹(•¿•)› ?
RonRay - Papercrete can be made to suit many different applications - more insulation, more compressive strength, etc., by changing the ingredients. In fact, you can use other fibers instead of paper, like bamboo leaves, weeds, hemp, etc. The product is fibrous cement, so experiment with a food processor to get the product with the properties you want. Firing would burn the fibers and the product may explode, due to air trapped in the clay.
datzfast - Papercrete is made of the same fibers as wood, and these fibers must be protected from the weather in the same way as wood. If Papercrete stays wet, it will become moldy. Using papercrete plaster on a papercrete block or panel wall, for example, you can create a surface as smooth as you like, and then you can paint it like wood or sheetrock or any other surface.
I see allot more 3rd world applications for the mixer. perhaps thrashing grains. It probably wouldn't be too hard to turn the tank vertical for mixing adobe or rammed earth. the rotational power provided by the differential is absolutely AMAZING!!!
Interesting ideas. Perhaps someone will read your comment and innovate. By the way, the DVD How to Make and Use a Papercrete Tow-mixer is nearly done and will be available from my web site. Thank you for your thoughtful comments.
i wonder what would happen if one used recycled plastic trash bags instead of paper, could it yield more waterproof blocks???....or is the papers water absorbtion a key factor in papercrete????...aloha, forest
Plastic bags will not make the blocks waterproof, as the cement is porous when dry. Cement also does not bond well to plastic, so the blocks might be fragile and possibly unusable. The fibers in paper are what make papercrete so strong, in the same was that adding polyester, polypropylene, nylon and glass fibers makes concrete very strong and crack-resistant. If you are looking for other fibers, one guy used bamboo leaves. Any strong fiber will work if cement bonds to it.
That was an impressive video, very informative, as well as articulated with great flow. I will keep this in mind, as I will want to make my own home, BUT I am wanting to use as many earthly resources as possible.
There are two types of fiberglass used on automobiles. Those are fiberglass cloth and fiber glass filler. The fiberglass filler is found at the auto parts store with the bondo. It looks and works very similar to bondo. The difference is that it uses fiber glass in a resin with a hardener. I am thinking the fiberglass filler will be much stronger and more resistent to the water in the tub.
The guy in the video says to use bondo to fill the gap between the tub and the differential in the Towmixer. If you really want to seal it well, I would recommend using fiberglass filler instead of bondo. The fiberglass fillers are very similar to bondo but they are much stronger than bondo.
The guy in the video (it was I) used Bondo with success. Your suggestion is good and will probably work as well or better than Bondo. However, Bondo is probably easier for most people to find, and I prefer to offer solutions that work for most people. Thanks for the useful tip.
Hey awesome idea, video and construct. Have you considered creating larger blocks on the order of maybe 10-12"W by 20-24"L and 8"H ? This is for the purpose of greater insulation and faster building. I'm not a mason, what would be the drawbacks to bigger sizes? Also would creating hollow spaces in these blocks like standard store bought type be feasible? Thanks alot.
Some people do make larger blocks and even panels up to 4' by 2'. I see no disadvantage to larger blocks, as they are light, and it probably would speed the construction of walls, etc. Hollow spaces are also possible, however it will depend on the loads. A wall having no load, like a roof or second floor, could use hollows to reduce material use and lighten the blocks further. Test the idea first with varying amounts of hollow to see which proportion meets your strength requirements.
Martin; Old pal, give yourself a gold star! This simple, low-tech method of making papercrete blocks is marvelous! A low- dollar, low-maintenance way to build about any structure you would want, and the end result is something energy efficient and doesn't look half-bad, either. Thank you very much for sharing this, DW
How does this go with termites - do they eat it? Would it be possible to add some sort of insecticide (perhaps borax) to the mix to stop it getting eaten? How does this stuff go if the building gets wet?
Good news on both: Termites can't eat it - it's full of Portland cement. Water will make it soggy and eventually it will get mouldy and possibly smelly, but the cement keeps it from getting soft, so it won't mush on you like adobe. It's cured, like concrete and stays solid.
Due to the variety of ingredients and proportions of each, it will be a challenge to get PC approved. However, it's probably a matter of time and popularity, like straw bale, before some for of PC is code compliant. Just a guess though.
pls mention the ratio of water to 90 lbs cement to 60 lbs paper, as you only refer to filling the tankk to 2/3 full...btw, why is your right foot covered?
Papercrete can be made in so many ways that a fixed recipe doesn't exist. That's because there are so many uses for it, so the ingredients and proportions vary according to how it will be used. Experiment using a food processor and small amounts to find out what properties cured and dried PC has, then you will know how to make what you need for a job. A basic mix is equal parts by weight of paper and Portland cement, then enough water to allow proper mixing and dispensing, but not more.
Good question. I don't know, but cornmeal might attract mice and rats and ... One viewer suggested adding lime to raise the pH and so inhibit bacterial growth and molds.
Glad you like it. Make a shallow form of wood, spreading in the PC and letting it set. I've seen panels up to 4' x 4' x 2". Waterproofing PC is similar to wood, but PC has more options. You can cover it with cement made from fine sand, as for a hard surface on concrete, or for a pool or pond bottom. Dense concrete sheds water. However, cracks will probably form when it dries or later, unless you use metal lath or some wire grid, like chicken wire. Perhaps a lime wash instead, like on adobe.
My father first told me about papercrete a few years ago. I thought a good use for it would be architectural details to save money and trees. Is this possible?
Papercrete is 'glorified' paper mache, so anything you can make with paper mache you can make with PC. I add white glue to it for making forms, around which I bend hot PVC pipe to create pontoons for catamarans. Be sure to account for shrinkage as it dries. I add another layer to the first that has dried, and maybe a third thin one to bring it to the size I want. I make it a bit larger, then sand it smooth. PC is used for making furniture, planter boxes, sculpture...
Thank you - glad you liked it. About as similar to adobe as concrete. Papercrete cures like concrete, so it cannot become soft again, even if it becomes soggy, unlike adobe, which can become soft with water. Also called 'fibrous cement', PC is one of many materials made with fibers. These paper fibers can be added to adobe (fibrous adobe) to make it very strong. Many plant fibers (hemp, cotton, jute...) can be added to cement and adobe.
Face the turning part of the diff up and bolt on the blade. 18" lawnmower blade I used matched the holes perfectly. Just put the blade where the drive-shaft was.
Excellent video. This is very inspiring. Good for environment. Well laid out video and easy to understand. Can you show more things you can build with papercrete?
Thank you, I'm glad you found it useful. My web site has more pics. Also, if you search for papercrete, you will find lots of uses for it - furniture, big pots...Excellent for freeform structures and building shelters without making blocks. Or make a pile of soil, water it, shape it into an upside-down bowl, cover with a foot of PC and you have an insulated dome. Cut out a door and dig out the soil. PC is versatile and can be used where concrete would be inconvenient, heavy, expensive, etc.
Good question. There are many different recipes for papercrete, depending on how it is used. If you make a batch as in this presentation, using one 94-lb bag of Portland cement for 42 blocks, then you have 42 blocks for the cost of a bag of cement. If you make your own cement blocks, you can save money. If you buy them, then compare that cost with your papercrete blocks. How thick is your wall? How much wall can you make with 42 PC blocks? What does it cost to make that with cement blocks?
The holes in concrete blocks are often filled with rebar and concrete after making walls with them. Papercrete cannot replace concrete in every situation. On the other hand, PC can be used for things where concrete would not work well, like large flat wall panels. Your questions about compressed PC could probably be answered by those who have the site you mentioned.
I'm glad you found it useful and inspiring. I am working on a DVD which shows how to make the papercrete tow-mixer step-by-step. I wish you success with yours.
The insulating properties of PC make it valuable in cold climates, however it must not become wet or it will grow mold. As for adobe, a stem wall is usually built for PC so it does not sit on the ground and get splashed during rain. PC will not get soft once cured, even if soggy, but it will grow mold, so it must be protected from water just like wood and other absorptive materials.
Thats a really bitchen cheap alternative building material. In this lingering yet out outdated age of physical junk mail its a cleaver use of unwanted and unecessary paper goods. Good on ya.
Just an observation though, why do the majority of alternative building materials devotes all seem to live in the desert?
Thanks for your comments. Deserts are harsh environments: little water, little vegetation, extreme temperatures. My guess is that people living there are forced to think about alternative ways of doing things in order to adapt and be comfortable. People living in deserts all over the world are innovative and resourceful, usually by necessity. Live in the desert for awhile and you will begin to think of clever alternatives to conventional living styles.
Super innovative! I also love the "elephant trunk" dispenser! That is a really good design, no moving metal parts, very reliable and effective. The whole tow mixer is a pretty damn good piece of engineering, THANKYOU for posting this video!
And thank you for commenting on it. A lot of people like the 'elephant trunk' on this mixer, and when you use it you will understand why. My next mixer will have a different blade - the lawnmower blade hits the paper straight on and some paper wraps around it, making it a paddle that throws mix all over. A better design would copy a food processor blade which slices with a curved blade. I'd probably start with an old saw blade and weld on curved blades I made. Anyone want to experiment?
Excellent video! Very well done. Your elephant trunk is brilliant. I am due for a new mixer soon and will definitely steal your idea. I usually work alone when making papercrete. When it comes time to get the last bit out of the tank I unhitch it and tip it up. In fact I unhitch it before pouring so I can direct and control the flow. Thanks for a GREAT video.I'm looking forward to the next. Judith Williams, Abiquiu, NM
Thank you for your appreciation - I'm glad you like the 'trunk'. I also work often alone. I designed a mixer which tips on its hitch, so all of the PC slides to the rear and out. A wireless 'baby cam' at the back lets the driver see the dispensing, which can be controlled from the driver's seat with a cable. I haven't found a way to eliminate the driver though.
AWESOME!!!!! Very very cool stuff. Is this strong enough to be used for load bearing walls alone or would other measures need to be taken? What is used for mortar?
Yes, papercrete walls can bear a roof. Mortar is papercrete made with more Portland cement, like 2 94-lb bags to 60 lbs paper. You can use the same mix to plaster walls of papercrete. If you want it stickier, add more cement. Be sure to wet the walls/blocks so they don't suck the water out of the mortar.
Thank you, sherlock0069. There is a lot of information on the web and here on youtube, however some of it makes papercrete look too complicated, with lots of ingredients and additives. You don't need all that stuff for most applications, just cement, paper and water. I expect to have a DVD out soon on this.
A man emailed me from Mexico, saying that papercrete is the perfect solution for two problems there: mountains of old newspapers (they don't recycle) and low-cost housing. In place of paper, one can also use straw, weeds, grass clippings - anything with fibers.
Thank you. Yes, I still keep up with comments, although I'm now building a house weekends and producing a DVD (RebelCat 5, see other videos) weekdays, but I check comments regularly. I will be producing a DVD on how to make the mixer next, so stay tuned.
I hope you still follow the comments on your video. I just wanted to say "Great job on the video!" There was so much information and you put it so simply and spot on. I wish everybody's videos were so viewer-friendly. As far as the content.... awesome! I just don't know what I am more impressed with, the material or the mixer. Great video!
Love it! Thank you! This is a very cool and amazing material! I would consider myself somewhat of a building materials geek...I think it rocks! I wanna build with it! Thank you for sharing your expertise!
Good question. Answer: No. What a papercrete mixer does is more than just mix, it is a huge food processor, with a blade spinning rapidly, shredding the paper into pulp so fine that after a few minutes, you can't find one single letter printed - it's mush. Going around in a cement mixer of any size won't do that; well, it might if you spent a week on each load. In place of the blade, some PC mixers use just angle iron or a foot or so from a metal fence post. Think SHRED, not just mix.
Good question. Well, a lot of building has been done with fibrous adobe, using good ol' dirt instead of cement. High clay content may help here, unlike in plain adobe where too much clay results in shrinking and cracking. Lots of fibers and porosity will allow the mix/block to dry evenly.
@marjamada I have seen that in several of your responses that you emphasize that PC is like wood and treat it as such to avoid mold and rot... two questions: 1) Is the PC mixture termite resistant? 2) Do PC have a more concrete-like or a more wood-like tensile strength if poured into panel molds instead of block molds? Great video. Thanks!
@didaskalos777 - 1) Consider it termite-proof. Won't burn either, even if you hold a torch to it. 2) Tensile strength? PC is not like wood or concrete in a panel, but the fibers will hold it together, making it moderately structural. I suggest a 2" thickness minimum, unless you're just covering a wall with PC as insulation. Use a food processor or blender to make samples of PC, using various amounts of cement, allowing them to cure wet, then dry them out. Test for structural qualities, etc.
Well, it was a 160 gallon stock tank, so I'd guess about 100 gallons, maybe a bit more, for 60 pounds of newspaper. It had to be just fluid enough to flow out the rubber hose (inner tube from a car tire). The paper pulp traps ALL of the Portland cement, and the water that drains off after pouring into forms is clear!
Amazing that we stumbled across each other. I was just looking into suitable building materials for the desert and then you show up with this papercrete block mixer. Thanks for subbing and thanks for this video!
Where in MX are you? We have land near Tulum, & Playa Del Carmen and want to put up cal-earth type adobe buildings and need some help with ideas and building. TNX.
PC can be made using various materials and proportions, with and without sand, so it is not a fixed recipe. Sand adds compressive strength, no sand makes it light like insulation. I don't know of any formal testing for code.
Yes, Hegemon350, it really is a wonderful machine. I didn't invent it, I borrowed the idea from Mike McCain, then improved his design by adding the flexible 'elephant trunk' for dispensing mix and the two-part cover. The real beauty of this mixer is that it also is a dispenser, allowing you to pour the fresh mix directly into forms.
If the blade is perfectly balanced, it may be fine on the road. If not, simply unbolt the blade first. Remember, this is one mean machine at only 10mph with the blade spinning. You will want a cover on it, and make sure there isn't a cat sleeping inside!
This was an experiment. We made the tow-mixer and then did a test, making about 300 blocks. The blocks were not for anything in particular. I would only make a house of papercrete if I could get paper with no ink. I would experiment using other fibers: hay, grass, weeds, leaves, straw, sawdust, shredded clothes and cotton rags... and if they gave good results, I would leave out the paper. Ink is often smelly and possibly toxic, but I never smelled it in the papercrete houses I visited.
I was reading the older posts in the catameran video and you said you were makeing a home out of stone. even if you dont make your house out of this you could use this to make the foundation wall, i got the idea when i saw you pooring the pc into that long brick
You don't want a foundation wall made from papercrete, you want concrete. Papercrete will absorb water and eventually rot. Think of it as wood. Make a foundation wall from wood? Concrete or stone or brick, but not PC.
its been a while since my drafting class but I think the foundation footer is in the ground and the foundation wall sticks up, any way couldent you glase(bad spelling sorry) it, or cover it in epoxy primmer
Again, think of it as wood. It's your foundation wall or stem wall, so do what sounds good to you. If you're going to use synthetics to seal it for the life of the building, it may be more expensive than concrete and need regular maintenance. Remember UV degradation from the sun and expansion and contraction from temperature extremes. You may get cracking, peeling...
Good question, enviro. The paper fibers do not bond to rocks well, so aggregate actually weakens the block. If you mean use aggregate and forget the paper, well, then you have concrete, which has qualities different than papercrete. If you're building a 20-story building and need lots of compressive strength, go with concrete. Most houses will do fine with much less. Yes, the blocks are light and also insulating and very easy to work with, even without gloves. Strength depends on the mix.
I'm going to build in the hills, so I need a stationary mixer. I was thinking of a metal tub like the tow behind but with a lawn mower bolted to the top and extent the blade into the tub. I'm not sure if it will work. Maybe it will spin to fast or not have enough power?
I had a similar idea, mounting the motor-blade in a lid, with a safety switch to cut electricity if you lift the lid. You don't need a long blade, use a shorter one, the power will be enough. The towmixer has tremendous torque and low rpm, and weaker motor with high rpm works as well, just use a shorter blade, or a 'cross' blade like a blender. Add a vertical board or two to the inside to deflect the mix into the blades.
Do you use standard mortar or the same mix you used to make the blocks as mortar, is it flammable, is it crumbly, ie does it hold together well.
An idea has occured to me, in stead of building a house with blocks, why not make some form work up in the shape of a large hollow tube and fill it with batches of this mix, then cut out doorways and windows after it has gone off ?
Thank you, fergawdsache, you have good ideas. It is possible to use rammed-earth-like forms or whatever and pour the PC in. You don't have to cut out doorways, just block them out in the form. PC is solid, not crumbly, non-flammable (blowtorch won't ingite it), and cured and dry blocks are really hard to break, unlike adobe. It's just 60lbs of paper, water and 94lbs portland cement. For mortar, add another bag of cement to the mix to make it sticky. Good luck.
Code varies from place to place, and I hear that some poeple are trying to get papercrete approved. One obstacle is that it can be made with various ingredients, producing PC with varying properties. I'm far from an expert on code, so I can't help there.
A thought I had about your tow mixer is if you could find some cheep sheet metal and some tublar pipe or conduet . you could make a frame and slight 'slope' that elevates the one end slightly with just enough clearance for your blade, that will cause the blade to chop more efficiantly and it will also cause things to funnel towards the elephant trunk spout. I'm going to make one of these my self and produce papercrete to make a shead for my house. Thanks much.
Thank You for posting this video. I have many questions. How structural is PC? Can is use it for load-bearing walls? How much of a load can it bear? Do you use rebar at all? How big can you make the blocks? Thank You!
Excellent questions, so little room to answer. PC walls can bear weight, but not a roof - use pillars. Rectangles are weak, make it round and it might hold a roof up. No rebar - PC won't bond to it like concrete. Blocks can be much bigger than concrete, as big as you can handle. Add sand for compressive strength. Good luck.
I've always been interested in papercrete since first hearing about it. One thing I wonder is how they hold up in the long run? Do they ever rot when wet because of the amount of paper?
Excellent question, susun9susun, and one of great concern to those making papercrete. If it gets wet and STAYS wet, it can grow mold, but due to the cement, it stays hard. It needs protection from rain and moisture like wood and other vulnerable materials. Sun City, near Columbus, NM, has many PC buildings, all doing fine 25+ years later.
Thank you, strokeit00. I plan to have a comprehensive DVD ready soon on the step-by-step construction of the tow-mixer and its use. I believe that if more people know how easy it is to make the mixer, papercrete will become a popular construction technology.
Thanks chicknofthesea. You are right on - this technology can be used to provide low-cost housing in many countries, while recycling mountains of old paper.
Yeh, I watched your video about the pontoons. Was that you "Gilligan" on all the videos? Pretty cool, I really liked the .....catamaran? I forgot what it was called, but, I never could understand how to control the sails. Really nice build!!
OK55OK55OK 1 week ago
@OK55OK55OK - Yes, it's a catamaran, and yes, you can 'Gilligan' with one. Pack some gear and food and take off for a week with a friend, camp on an island or beach someplace where there are no people. Those interested in such things can see my other videos here on YouTube and my web site RebelCat.com.
marjamada 2 days ago
You mentioned something about "pontoons"......can you elaborate on the construction of these?
OK55OK55OK 1 week ago
@OK55OK55OK - Pontoons? Well, pontoons are part of another project of mine, making a sailing catamaran from PVC pipe (pontoons). See my other videos for that. I don't think pontoons are related to papercrete, so it may have been my mistake - I get emails all the time about both.
marjamada 1 week ago
hello ;)
i am a student from Malaysia. I saw your video and i it is amazing how people could think about this papecrete! You did a very great job.really. Since I've read all of the comments, i noticed that you gave an opinion about using bamboo leaves. i really need your help about it for my final year research as i am taking civil engineering study. please help me..i need to know more about it in how they do it.
send me an email me nadzirah_duh@yahoo.com
save me please ;)
heartshapebox88 2 weeks ago
@heartshapebox88 - Save yourself. Bamboo leaves are fibrous, as are many other plant parts. Papercrete is a mixture of cement, water and fibers, and it really doesn't matter what kind of fibers. I suggest making some experiments using a blender or food processor, using grass, leaves of various common plants (including bamboo), paper, cardboard, and use about the same weight of cement or less. Let each test cure for at least 24 hours (keep wet). Dry completely and compare them.
marjamada 2 weeks ago
Brilliant! I love it.
Thanks
a2zhandi 2 months ago
@a2zhandi - You're most welcome.
marjamada 2 months ago
Thanks for this informative video!
While studying alternative architecture in college, we also experimented with "paper-crete" but used a commercial mixer. This shows a low-cost alternative that could be adapted for almost anywhere in the world.
I've seen a number of videos on this subject, but this one provides the most concise, clear explanation so far.
Well Done!
OldSchoolSkill 2 months ago
@OldSchoolSkill - I'm pleased that you found this useful. If you ever need to make your own Papercrete Tow-mixer, my DVD shows and tells everything in a step-by-step video. It also covers making gang molds, making a batch of Papercrete and casting it into blocks. Fibrous adobe (just paper and dirt) is another option and is covered as well. My web site has additional information. Good luck with your projects.
marjamada 2 months ago
whats the compressive strength of this stuff??
porpoisefathom 3 months ago
@porpoisefathom - Good question. Well, there are so many different recipes for Papercrete, it will depend on how you make it. Add sand and the compressive strength increases. Increasing cement will help too. My suggestion is to make small samples with different amounts of all ingredients, cure wet for a week under plastic, dry out and test them.
marjamada 3 months ago
An excellent example of DIY. I've often toyed with the idea of making a small-scale Gothic castle out of papercrete, straw bales or mud - since I'll never have the cash to afford to live in one otherwise.
AnnihilatingAngel 8 months ago
@AnnihilatingAngel By all means LIVE your dreams. Growing up in the ghettos of Brooklyn NY, we would manage to find some way to build a "club house" out of recycled materials. Thinking back on the situation today, I can now see that as youth, we had a desire to BUILD something. Today I hope to encourage you to let that Gothic castle dream of yours come to fruition. We're rooting for you.
waellerbe 4 months ago
Very nicely done video and explanation. Thank you!
BOPMatrix 9 months ago
I was told in Arkansas that a Papercrete House is legal when the foundation laid is regular Concrete with a height of three bricks over that on the sides...and that this is what constitutes compliance with building-codes for whatever county it's in to have it be registered as a house legally. Great Video, guys!!
Robbi165 10 months ago
@Robbi165 - Code legal... that's good news, thanks for that.
marjamada 8 months ago
How many 12" x 18" x 4" blocks would you get out of 60lbs of paper and 90lbs of portland cement ?
JohnnyO3333 1 year ago
@JohnnyO3333 - Well... got a calculator? I got 42 blocks, each block 12 x 8 x 5.5". If you multiply those, you'll get volume in cubic inches - just guessing, about half of the volume of your block. But we could have used more of the capacity of our mixer and less cement - ours were stronger than needed for the purpose. We could have made 56 blocks, 4 gang-molds in a full mixer.
marjamada 11 months ago
What is the advantage of this shit?
banacek8675 1 year ago
@banacek8675 - One man's shit is another man's fertilizer. Try to see the value in taking one of our society's wastes - old newspapers - and turning it into a useful building material.
marjamada 11 months ago
@marjamada I support your response. We have been taught to be irresponsible when it comes to what to do with waste paper. People not talk about it that much, but the fibers within waste paper helps to create an ingredient for Papercrete that can help to produce bricks that are very solid. In addition to being energy efficient, Papercrete can also be formed to be fireproof as well. The possibilities are endless as far as I can see.
waellerbe 4 months ago
Another thought just came to me. Would it be possible to fill plastic bottles with Papercrete, then use those bottles as bricks for an internal low impact wall? My creative juices are flowing.
waellerbe 1 year ago
@waellerbe - Possible, but not advisable. Papercrete will cure inside bottles but not dry out, so your bottles will be very heavy. Second, bottles are too smooth to stack or bond well to each other. If you find a use for cylindrical blocks, you can use bottles to mold papercrete, then dump out the cured 'blocks' and try to use them. Looking for free molds? Good idea, but bottles are less than ideal, even though they're free.
marjamada 11 months ago
@marjamada Thank you for your response, and please forgive me in return for taking more than 6 months to respond to your message here on YouTube. You have a *good* point regarding the challenge with Papercrete not being able to dry inside the bottle. Back to the basics of making blocks without bottles.
waellerbe 4 months ago
I like the thought of using a food processor to mix a small solution of Papercrete. I am also open to the thought of using a coffee grinder to grind up leaves into a dust-like consistency, which could serve as an ingredient for Papercrete.
waellerbe 1 year ago
I have an idea for including load bearing elements into papercrete>
like including vertical bricks or rebar to be able to build multiple story buildings without the need for separate structural load bearing elements like steel/brick/concrete/wood columns.
What do you recommend for 2-3 story construction?
I also had another idea, using stale unsold bread from bakeries to make
gluton pulp with paper, eliminating the concrete. What do you think?
Plaastek 1 year ago
Plaastek - Papercrete does not bond well to rebar, but if the steel reinforcing is smaller and thinner, like remesh or chicken wire, there will be more surface area to bond. A lot depends on the size and shape of the structure. Bread? You might have a problem with mice and rats eating your structure, and you will only know how well it binds by experimenting. Have fun.
marjamada 1 year ago
I would think (but not sure) that if one had a supply of sawdust, and mix maybe 30 lbs. of paper + 30 lbs. of sawdust + 90 lbs. of Portland cement + water and get a stronger finished dry product. However, I'm not sure if the insulation properties would be as good? In theory, you would probably trade insulation for durability.
Another thought: If you used clay instead of cement, then fire the cured and dried blocks, you might have an excellent fireproof, refractory (insulating) block! ‹(•¿•)› ?
RonRay 1 year ago
RonRay - Papercrete can be made to suit many different applications - more insulation, more compressive strength, etc., by changing the ingredients. In fact, you can use other fibers instead of paper, like bamboo leaves, weeds, hemp, etc. The product is fibrous cement, so experiment with a food processor to get the product with the properties you want. Firing would burn the fibers and the product may explode, due to air trapped in the clay.
marjamada 1 year ago
can papercreat be left un esposed to the weather?
datzfast 1 year ago 6
datzfast - Papercrete is made of the same fibers as wood, and these fibers must be protected from the weather in the same way as wood. If Papercrete stays wet, it will become moldy. Using papercrete plaster on a papercrete block or panel wall, for example, you can create a surface as smooth as you like, and then you can paint it like wood or sheetrock or any other surface.
marjamada 1 year ago
I see allot more 3rd world applications for the mixer. perhaps thrashing grains. It probably wouldn't be too hard to turn the tank vertical for mixing adobe or rammed earth. the rotational power provided by the differential is absolutely AMAZING!!!
bxxj 1 year ago
Interesting ideas. Perhaps someone will read your comment and innovate. By the way, the DVD How to Make and Use a Papercrete Tow-mixer is nearly done and will be available from my web site. Thank you for your thoughtful comments.
marjamada 1 year ago
i wonder what would happen if one used recycled plastic trash bags instead of paper, could it yield more waterproof blocks???....or is the papers water absorbtion a key factor in papercrete????...aloha, forest
forestfairness 1 year ago
Plastic bags will not make the blocks waterproof, as the cement is porous when dry. Cement also does not bond well to plastic, so the blocks might be fragile and possibly unusable. The fibers in paper are what make papercrete so strong, in the same was that adding polyester, polypropylene, nylon and glass fibers makes concrete very strong and crack-resistant. If you are looking for other fibers, one guy used bamboo leaves. Any strong fiber will work if cement bonds to it.
marjamada 1 year ago
That was an impressive video, very informative, as well as articulated with great flow. I will keep this in mind, as I will want to make my own home, BUT I am wanting to use as many earthly resources as possible.
Thanks
gorgeousdzastr 1 year ago
There are two types of fiberglass used on automobiles. Those are fiberglass cloth and fiber glass filler. The fiberglass filler is found at the auto parts store with the bondo. It looks and works very similar to bondo. The difference is that it uses fiber glass in a resin with a hardener. I am thinking the fiberglass filler will be much stronger and more resistent to the water in the tub.
myronww 1 year ago
Thank you again for your tip. I am including it on the DVD, which will be available soon.
marjamada 1 year ago
exelente!!!
clauagui1 1 year ago
The guy in the video says to use bondo to fill the gap between the tub and the differential in the Towmixer. If you really want to seal it well, I would recommend using fiberglass filler instead of bondo. The fiberglass fillers are very similar to bondo but they are much stronger than bondo.
myronww 1 year ago
The guy in the video (it was I) used Bondo with success. Your suggestion is good and will probably work as well or better than Bondo. However, Bondo is probably easier for most people to find, and I prefer to offer solutions that work for most people. Thanks for the useful tip.
marjamada 1 year ago
Great idea . Can this method of building be used in high rain fall country's .
brucey39 1 year ago
Yes, but you must remember to treat Papercrete like any wood material. Wood will rot if left wet or damp, so will PC. Protect PC like wood.
marjamada 1 year ago
nice instructional video. Can a person use cardboard? Thanks
BrutusJones 1 year ago
Yes, cardboard, which may be made from recycled paper already, is fine, but you may have better success if you soak it a little before shredding it.
marjamada 1 year ago
Nice video,
Clear instruction,Beatifull, simple, practical, and easy to do...
For me theses are ingrediants of human genius...
Nice to see! Thanks for sharing ;-)
Mike
mikeadresse 1 year ago
Hey awesome idea, video and construct. Have you considered creating larger blocks on the order of maybe 10-12"W by 20-24"L and 8"H ? This is for the purpose of greater insulation and faster building. I'm not a mason, what would be the drawbacks to bigger sizes? Also would creating hollow spaces in these blocks like standard store bought type be feasible? Thanks alot.
IronHorsez88 1 year ago
Some people do make larger blocks and even panels up to 4' by 2'. I see no disadvantage to larger blocks, as they are light, and it probably would speed the construction of walls, etc. Hollow spaces are also possible, however it will depend on the loads. A wall having no load, like a roof or second floor, could use hollows to reduce material use and lighten the blocks further. Test the idea first with varying amounts of hollow to see which proportion meets your strength requirements.
marjamada 1 year ago
Martin; Old pal, give yourself a gold star! This simple, low-tech method of making papercrete blocks is marvelous! A low- dollar, low-maintenance way to build about any structure you would want, and the end result is something energy efficient and doesn't look half-bad, either. Thank you very much for sharing this, DW
bangwezl 1 year ago
Very nice video and I am motivated to make a small house in Baja !
jottoh12 1 year ago
How does this go with termites - do they eat it? Would it be possible to add some sort of insecticide (perhaps borax) to the mix to stop it getting eaten? How does this stuff go if the building gets wet?
Hamish121212 1 year ago
Good news on both: Termites can't eat it - it's full of Portland cement. Water will make it soggy and eventually it will get mouldy and possibly smelly, but the cement keeps it from getting soft, so it won't mush on you like adobe. It's cured, like concrete and stays solid.
marjamada 1 year ago
awesome i can use this design to make a home concrete mixer great idea by the way wish i thought of it
vintageecupcakee 1 year ago
This mixer may not work for concrete. It has a fast spinning blade that will not hold up to gravel. A rotating barrel would be better.
marjamada 1 year ago
Awesome
MusclecarsMeditation 1 year ago
That was really good, thanks. I'm using this method in the Philippines
2bigpower 1 year ago
Great video, excellent explanation. Thanks for the detail about the elephant trunk. he outlet has been my biggest problem.
papercrete01 1 year ago
Your explanation is terrific! Great job.
papercrete01 1 year ago
Is papercrete an acceptable building material in the US? I would love to try my hand at this.
carp1844 1 year ago
Due to the variety of ingredients and proportions of each, it will be a challenge to get PC approved. However, it's probably a matter of time and popularity, like straw bale, before some for of PC is code compliant. Just a guess though.
marjamada 1 year ago
Wow, great video! You should enter your video into this contest, Ewisdomtv
susanbunch1980 1 year ago
Thank you, Susan. I'll check it out.
marjamada 1 year ago
Great Video! How did you keep the mix from coming out the elephant tube until you were ready for it?
peylaa 1 year ago
Thanks. The tube is rolled up/folded against the tank and held there with bungees.
marjamada 1 year ago
marjamada,
Good job documenting all the steps as you did, thanks a lot man.
mksboysal 1 year ago
im thinking about using papercrete with lime for second story walls. has anyone ever used this in slab form?
ApacheSearcher 2 years ago
great video
AdmiralBoom76 2 years ago
ok...2/3 pf 1 160 gallon tank...
laithnour 2 years ago
pls mention the ratio of water to 90 lbs cement to 60 lbs paper, as you only refer to filling the tankk to 2/3 full...btw, why is your right foot covered?
laithnour 2 years ago
Papercrete can be made in so many ways that a fixed recipe doesn't exist. That's because there are so many uses for it, so the ingredients and proportions vary according to how it will be used. Experiment using a food processor and small amounts to find out what properties cured and dried PC has, then you will know how to make what you need for a job. A basic mix is equal parts by weight of paper and Portland cement, then enough water to allow proper mixing and dispensing, but not more.
marjamada 2 years ago
how do you manage to keep so still?
laithnour 2 years ago
I'm not sure what you're referring to.
marjamada 2 years ago
I've been reading about Papercrete for a number of years now. It's really nice to see a well done video on the subject. Thanks.
SCOTRAY1T 2 years ago
Could you add horticultural corn meal to the pc as a natural fungicide to retard the growth of molds and fungus?
tomo123zz 2 years ago
Good question. I don't know, but cornmeal might attract mice and rats and ... One viewer suggested adding lime to raise the pH and so inhibit bacterial growth and molds.
marjamada 2 years ago
bravo thankyou
70RoyMr 2 years ago
Excellent! I wonder if this material could be used to make panels - like wall panels & roof panels?
How can it be waterproofed once dry without using harmful/toxic paint or vinyl?
Thanks for the vid - it's really good info.
Marleyites 2 years ago
Glad you like it. Make a shallow form of wood, spreading in the PC and letting it set. I've seen panels up to 4' x 4' x 2". Waterproofing PC is similar to wood, but PC has more options. You can cover it with cement made from fine sand, as for a hard surface on concrete, or for a pool or pond bottom. Dense concrete sheds water. However, cracks will probably form when it dries or later, unless you use metal lath or some wire grid, like chicken wire. Perhaps a lime wash instead, like on adobe.
marjamada 2 years ago
what would 1 bag of concrete ( 94lb) and equal parts paper, make for sq ft when poured 4in thick?
BentleeFarms 2 years ago
This video shows what we got from 94 lbs cement and 60 lbs paper. Got a calculator?
marjamada 2 years ago
My father first told me about papercrete a few years ago. I thought a good use for it would be architectural details to save money and trees. Is this possible?
JDNuvo 2 years ago
can you use papercrete to make architectural details? Like molding, cornices, and pillars etc? It might make a valuable use for papercrete.
JDNuvo 2 years ago
Papercrete is 'glorified' paper mache, so anything you can make with paper mache you can make with PC. I add white glue to it for making forms, around which I bend hot PVC pipe to create pontoons for catamarans. Be sure to account for shrinkage as it dries. I add another layer to the first that has dried, and maybe a third thin one to bring it to the size I want. I make it a bit larger, then sand it smooth. PC is used for making furniture, planter boxes, sculpture...
marjamada 2 years ago
Very good and interesting. Similar to adobe, I think. Thank you.
learning41230 2 years ago
Thank you - glad you liked it. About as similar to adobe as concrete. Papercrete cures like concrete, so it cannot become soft again, even if it becomes soggy, unlike adobe, which can become soft with water. Also called 'fibrous cement', PC is one of many materials made with fibers. These paper fibers can be added to adobe (fibrous adobe) to make it very strong. Many plant fibers (hemp, cotton, jute...) can be added to cement and adobe.
marjamada 2 years ago
Sorry for my bad english... ok?
Thank you for your good will... this techinique will be very usefull.
thanks for share all your job!
...
luxlunna 2 years ago
Ingenious!
gbh903 2 years ago
Martin, I think I've got a handle on how to build the mixer, except for how to attach the blade to the differential. Will you explain that? Thanks.
imafine1 2 years ago
Face the turning part of the diff up and bolt on the blade. 18" lawnmower blade I used matched the holes perfectly. Just put the blade where the drive-shaft was.
marjamada 2 years ago
Excellent video. This is very inspiring. Good for environment. Well laid out video and easy to understand. Can you show more things you can build with papercrete?
MrNeosoul99 2 years ago
Thank you, I'm glad you found it useful. My web site has more pics. Also, if you search for papercrete, you will find lots of uses for it - furniture, big pots...Excellent for freeform structures and building shelters without making blocks. Or make a pile of soil, water it, shape it into an upside-down bowl, cover with a foot of PC and you have an insulated dome. Cut out a door and dig out the soil. PC is versatile and can be used where concrete would be inconvenient, heavy, expensive, etc.
marjamada 2 years ago
To make a wall using conventional cement blocks, and compared to a wall made with papercrete, what is the difference in final cost????
jerryaltman 2 years ago
Good question. There are many different recipes for papercrete, depending on how it is used. If you make a batch as in this presentation, using one 94-lb bag of Portland cement for 42 blocks, then you have 42 blocks for the cost of a bag of cement. If you make your own cement blocks, you can save money. If you buy them, then compare that cost with your papercrete blocks. How thick is your wall? How much wall can you make with 42 PC blocks? What does it cost to make that with cement blocks?
marjamada 2 years ago
If you make like the standart ciment blocks, with empty space in the center, I supose would be less expansive.
Are papercrete blocks as strength like real ciment blocks?
On youtube there is a video caled "papercrete pots", and we see some papercrete likew plants jars and other.
What is the advantage of compressed papercrete blocks? In a site they show compressed block with fine finish and some epty space inside.
jerryaltman 2 years ago
The holes in concrete blocks are often filled with rebar and concrete after making walls with them. Papercrete cannot replace concrete in every situation. On the other hand, PC can be used for things where concrete would not work well, like large flat wall panels. Your questions about compressed PC could probably be answered by those who have the site you mentioned.
marjamada 2 years ago
this was fantastic. I have thought about papercrete building.I am going to build one of theese.Thankyou sooo much
msskippy7781 2 years ago
I'm glad you found it useful and inspiring. I am working on a DVD which shows how to make the papercrete tow-mixer step-by-step. I wish you success with yours.
marjamada 2 years ago
Could papercrete building be used in a norther climate like Canada?
worldwriter1 2 years ago
The insulating properties of PC make it valuable in cold climates, however it must not become wet or it will grow mold. As for adobe, a stem wall is usually built for PC so it does not sit on the ground and get splashed during rain. PC will not get soft once cured, even if soggy, but it will grow mold, so it must be protected from water just like wood and other absorptive materials.
marjamada 2 years ago
Very clear and easy to understand :)
anthony9thompson 2 years ago
Thats a really bitchen cheap alternative building material. In this lingering yet out outdated age of physical junk mail its a cleaver use of unwanted and unecessary paper goods. Good on ya.
Just an observation though, why do the majority of alternative building materials devotes all seem to live in the desert?
Either way thanks for the vid!
aduecey 2 years ago
Thanks for your comments. Deserts are harsh environments: little water, little vegetation, extreme temperatures. My guess is that people living there are forced to think about alternative ways of doing things in order to adapt and be comfortable. People living in deserts all over the world are innovative and resourceful, usually by necessity. Live in the desert for awhile and you will begin to think of clever alternatives to conventional living styles.
marjamada 2 years ago
Impressive engineering. I really liked the tow mixer fabrication. Thanks for sharing your ideas!
rwhendrix 2 years ago
Super innovative! I also love the "elephant trunk" dispenser! That is a really good design, no moving metal parts, very reliable and effective. The whole tow mixer is a pretty damn good piece of engineering, THANKYOU for posting this video!
DeaconBlues007 2 years ago
And thank you for commenting on it. A lot of people like the 'elephant trunk' on this mixer, and when you use it you will understand why. My next mixer will have a different blade - the lawnmower blade hits the paper straight on and some paper wraps around it, making it a paddle that throws mix all over. A better design would copy a food processor blade which slices with a curved blade. I'd probably start with an old saw blade and weld on curved blades I made. Anyone want to experiment?
marjamada 2 years ago
i'm thinking of buying a quonset hut and capping each end with papercrete.
sgtpepper1138 2 years ago
Excellent video! Very well done. Your elephant trunk is brilliant. I am due for a new mixer soon and will definitely steal your idea. I usually work alone when making papercrete. When it comes time to get the last bit out of the tank I unhitch it and tip it up. In fact I unhitch it before pouring so I can direct and control the flow. Thanks for a GREAT video.I'm looking forward to the next. Judith Williams, Abiquiu, NM
papercrete01 2 years ago
Thank you for your appreciation - I'm glad you like the 'trunk'. I also work often alone. I designed a mixer which tips on its hitch, so all of the PC slides to the rear and out. A wireless 'baby cam' at the back lets the driver see the dispensing, which can be controlled from the driver's seat with a cable. I haven't found a way to eliminate the driver though.
marjamada 2 years ago
Add half a bag of lime per batch this will bring the ph to a point that will kill all mould, while not harming us.
Mostlyfun 2 years ago
AWESOME!!!!! Very very cool stuff. Is this strong enough to be used for load bearing walls alone or would other measures need to be taken? What is used for mortar?
okiemill 2 years ago
Yes, papercrete walls can bear a roof. Mortar is papercrete made with more Portland cement, like 2 94-lb bags to 60 lbs paper. You can use the same mix to plaster walls of papercrete. If you want it stickier, add more cement. Be sure to wet the walls/blocks so they don't suck the water out of the mortar.
marjamada 2 years ago
Great Job
shanokhala 2 years ago
this is a great video.
i just want to get more interest in this product
sherlock0069 2 years ago
Thank you, sherlock0069. There is a lot of information on the web and here on youtube, however some of it makes papercrete look too complicated, with lots of ingredients and additives. You don't need all that stuff for most applications, just cement, paper and water. I expect to have a DVD out soon on this.
marjamada 2 years ago
A man emailed me from Mexico, saying that papercrete is the perfect solution for two problems there: mountains of old newspapers (they don't recycle) and low-cost housing. In place of paper, one can also use straw, weeds, grass clippings - anything with fibers.
marjamada 2 years ago
This is great, Like modern day addobie. This must be a GOD send to the less fortunate parts of the world. GOD bless!
mdivinc 2 years ago
Thank you. Yes, I still keep up with comments, although I'm now building a house weekends and producing a DVD (RebelCat 5, see other videos) weekdays, but I check comments regularly. I will be producing a DVD on how to make the mixer next, so stay tuned.
marjamada 2 years ago
I hope you still follow the comments on your video. I just wanted to say "Great job on the video!" There was so much information and you put it so simply and spot on. I wish everybody's videos were so viewer-friendly. As far as the content.... awesome! I just don't know what I am more impressed with, the material or the mixer. Great video!
azzmunched 2 years ago
Love it! Thank you! This is a very cool and amazing material! I would consider myself somewhat of a building materials geek...I think it rocks! I wanna build with it! Thank you for sharing your expertise!
cooperlovessoccer 2 years ago
Thanks for your appreciation. Yes, it is cool and amazing material. Good luck with your own building.
marjamada 2 years ago
great vidio could a small cement mixer work also?
chevycowboy1963 2 years ago
Good question. Answer: No. What a papercrete mixer does is more than just mix, it is a huge food processor, with a blade spinning rapidly, shredding the paper into pulp so fine that after a few minutes, you can't find one single letter printed - it's mush. Going around in a cement mixer of any size won't do that; well, it might if you spent a week on each load. In place of the blade, some PC mixers use just angle iron or a foot or so from a metal fence post. Think SHRED, not just mix.
marjamada 2 years ago
is there any more natural alternatives other then cement? i want to use less man made products, any tips?
jestarsrace06 2 years ago
Good question. Well, a lot of building has been done with fibrous adobe, using good ol' dirt instead of cement. High clay content may help here, unlike in plain adobe where too much clay results in shrinking and cracking. Lots of fibers and porosity will allow the mix/block to dry evenly.
marjamada 2 years ago
outstanding.. thanks you for all the info you shared here..
bobbo2700 2 years ago
Excellent! Thanks for this informative video!
telesniper2 2 years ago
Thankyou great stuff. What about wet climates? Is this possible to avoid it disolving?
thanks B NZ
Naturemannz 2 years ago
PC won't dissolve, but it will absorb water. The cement cures and keeps it hard, but a soggy block will mold and rot. Protect as you do wood.
marjamada 2 years ago
@marjamada I have seen that in several of your responses that you emphasize that PC is like wood and treat it as such to avoid mold and rot... two questions: 1) Is the PC mixture termite resistant? 2) Do PC have a more concrete-like or a more wood-like tensile strength if poured into panel molds instead of block molds? Great video. Thanks!
didaskalos777 3 months ago
@didaskalos777 - 1) Consider it termite-proof. Won't burn either, even if you hold a torch to it. 2) Tensile strength? PC is not like wood or concrete in a panel, but the fibers will hold it together, making it moderately structural. I suggest a 2" thickness minimum, unless you're just covering a wall with PC as insulation. Use a food processor or blender to make samples of PC, using various amounts of cement, allowing them to cure wet, then dry them out. Test for structural qualities, etc.
marjamada 3 months ago
Thanks for the video.
How much water is used?
2/3 full is about how many liters or gallons?
brettrink 2 years ago
Well, it was a 160 gallon stock tank, so I'd guess about 100 gallons, maybe a bit more, for 60 pounds of newspaper. It had to be just fluid enough to flow out the rubber hose (inner tube from a car tire). The paper pulp traps ALL of the Portland cement, and the water that drains off after pouring into forms is clear!
marjamada 2 years ago
Amazing that we stumbled across each other. I was just looking into suitable building materials for the desert and then you show up with this papercrete block mixer. Thanks for subbing and thanks for this video!
mobiltec 2 years ago
This is EXCELLENT.
5 ***** for innovation.
Just out of curiosity though, where did you get all the newspapers from? I would imagine you'd need a lot if your building some sort of a house.
J
jdouglasfisher 2 years ago
Clean dumpsters behind newspaper office, university newspaper. Recycling centers might give one a good deal - take a dump-truck.
marjamada 2 years ago
thank you brother
betdan7777777 2 years ago
u are a nice man , give knolege 4 free !!
good job
gsaxita 3 years ago
Where in MX are you? We have land near Tulum, & Playa Del Carmen and want to put up cal-earth type adobe buildings and need some help with ideas and building. TNX.
Geostars 3 years ago
I'm in AZ. Cal-earth's website is a gold mine of ideas and pics. K's books might help you.
marjamada 2 years ago
Fantastic video. One question to those who have built structures using this type of building block: Does this meet building codes in California?
fkhodada 3 years ago
PC can be made using various materials and proportions, with and without sand, so it is not a fixed recipe. Sand adds compressive strength, no sand makes it light like insulation. I don't know of any formal testing for code.
marjamada 2 years ago
Bless you for sharing this info....It's as exciting as as learning how to build a bio digester.
5 stars...
DominickBlack 3 years ago
Is papercrete water waterproof, if not what do use to make it so? Do you use a standard mortar?
sjbl1962 3 years ago
It is NOT waterproof, it will soak up water but not slump, however it will mold and rot. Protect as you do wood. Portland cement, paper and water.
marjamada 2 years ago
Awesome video - thanks!
Hamish121212 3 years ago
Yes, Hegemon350, it really is a wonderful machine. I didn't invent it, I borrowed the idea from Mike McCain, then improved his design by adding the flexible 'elephant trunk' for dispensing mix and the two-part cover. The real beauty of this mixer is that it also is a dispenser, allowing you to pour the fresh mix directly into forms.
marjamada 3 years ago
Wow! This invention was a great idea!
Hegemon350 3 years ago
Thank you, muckwah1111. Your appreciation is so appreciated.
marjamada 3 years ago
Outstanding ! Super informative in easy to understand terms. I so appreciate this video. Many many thanks
mukwah1111 3 years ago
Can you tow that on the road or is the blade balance and vibration something that may prevent it.
heirunapparent 3 years ago
If the blade is perfectly balanced, it may be fine on the road. If not, simply unbolt the blade first. Remember, this is one mean machine at only 10mph with the blade spinning. You will want a cover on it, and make sure there isn't a cat sleeping inside!
marjamada 3 years ago
Is this for you're house?
Twofunnyjews 3 years ago
This was an experiment. We made the tow-mixer and then did a test, making about 300 blocks. The blocks were not for anything in particular. I would only make a house of papercrete if I could get paper with no ink. I would experiment using other fibers: hay, grass, weeds, leaves, straw, sawdust, shredded clothes and cotton rags... and if they gave good results, I would leave out the paper. Ink is often smelly and possibly toxic, but I never smelled it in the papercrete houses I visited.
marjamada 3 years ago
I was reading the older posts in the catameran video and you said you were makeing a home out of stone. even if you dont make your house out of this you could use this to make the foundation wall, i got the idea when i saw you pooring the pc into that long brick
Twofunnyjews 3 years ago
You don't want a foundation wall made from papercrete, you want concrete. Papercrete will absorb water and eventually rot. Think of it as wood. Make a foundation wall from wood? Concrete or stone or brick, but not PC.
marjamada 3 years ago
its been a while since my drafting class but I think the foundation footer is in the ground and the foundation wall sticks up, any way couldent you glase(bad spelling sorry) it, or cover it in epoxy primmer
Twofunnyjews 3 years ago
Again, think of it as wood. It's your foundation wall or stem wall, so do what sounds good to you. If you're going to use synthetics to seal it for the life of the building, it may be more expensive than concrete and need regular maintenance. Remember UV degradation from the sun and expansion and contraction from temperature extremes. You may get cracking, peeling...
marjamada 3 years ago
Good question, enviro. The paper fibers do not bond to rocks well, so aggregate actually weakens the block. If you mean use aggregate and forget the paper, well, then you have concrete, which has qualities different than papercrete. If you're building a 20-story building and need lots of compressive strength, go with concrete. Most houses will do fine with much less. Yes, the blocks are light and also insulating and very easy to work with, even without gloves. Strength depends on the mix.
marjamada 3 years ago
Thanks for posting this.
jonnyzz139 3 years ago
This is so awesome! Thanks for sharing this with us
KARStarla 3 years ago
I'm going to build in the hills, so I need a stationary mixer. I was thinking of a metal tub like the tow behind but with a lawn mower bolted to the top and extent the blade into the tub. I'm not sure if it will work. Maybe it will spin to fast or not have enough power?
vidar7 3 years ago
I had a similar idea, mounting the motor-blade in a lid, with a safety switch to cut electricity if you lift the lid. You don't need a long blade, use a shorter one, the power will be enough. The towmixer has tremendous torque and low rpm, and weaker motor with high rpm works as well, just use a shorter blade, or a 'cross' blade like a blender. Add a vertical board or two to the inside to deflect the mix into the blades.
marjamada 3 years ago
Brilliant, love this vid,some more questions,
Do you use standard mortar or the same mix you used to make the blocks as mortar, is it flammable, is it crumbly, ie does it hold together well.
An idea has occured to me, in stead of building a house with blocks, why not make some form work up in the shape of a large hollow tube and fill it with batches of this mix, then cut out doorways and windows after it has gone off ?
fergawdsache 3 years ago
Thank you, fergawdsache, you have good ideas. It is possible to use rammed-earth-like forms or whatever and pour the PC in. You don't have to cut out doorways, just block them out in the form. PC is solid, not crumbly, non-flammable (blowtorch won't ingite it), and cured and dry blocks are really hard to break, unlike adobe. It's just 60lbs of paper, water and 94lbs portland cement. For mortar, add another bag of cement to the mix to make it sticky. Good luck.
marjamada 3 years ago
How can you make the walls meet code for sheer and seismic. I love the video and have built a amvic foam blocks but it was way to expensive.
grandpaX5 3 years ago
Code varies from place to place, and I hear that some poeple are trying to get papercrete approved. One obstacle is that it can be made with various ingredients, producing PC with varying properties. I'm far from an expert on code, so I can't help there.
marjamada 3 years ago
A thought I had about your tow mixer is if you could find some cheep sheet metal and some tublar pipe or conduet . you could make a frame and slight 'slope' that elevates the one end slightly with just enough clearance for your blade, that will cause the blade to chop more efficiantly and it will also cause things to funnel towards the elephant trunk spout. I'm going to make one of these my self and produce papercrete to make a shead for my house. Thanks much.
john4knecht 3 years ago
no...not the playboys!
good work - educational and informative!!
OgoTomO 3 years ago
Thank You for posting this video. I have many questions. How structural is PC? Can is use it for load-bearing walls? How much of a load can it bear? Do you use rebar at all? How big can you make the blocks? Thank You!
terrabus1 3 years ago
Excellent questions, so little room to answer. PC walls can bear weight, but not a roof - use pillars. Rectangles are weak, make it round and it might hold a roof up. No rebar - PC won't bond to it like concrete. Blocks can be much bigger than concrete, as big as you can handle. Add sand for compressive strength. Good luck.
marjamada 3 years ago
I've always been interested in papercrete since first hearing about it. One thing I wonder is how they hold up in the long run? Do they ever rot when wet because of the amount of paper?
susun9susun 4 years ago
Excellent question, susun9susun, and one of great concern to those making papercrete. If it gets wet and STAYS wet, it can grow mold, but due to the cement, it stays hard. It needs protection from rain and moisture like wood and other vulnerable materials. Sun City, near Columbus, NM, has many PC buildings, all doing fine 25+ years later.
marjamada 4 years ago
Best info I have seen yet. Thanks for the time you put into this.
strokeit00 4 years ago
Thank you, strokeit00. I plan to have a comprehensive DVD ready soon on the step-by-step construction of the tow-mixer and its use. I believe that if more people know how easy it is to make the mixer, papercrete will become a popular construction technology.
marjamada 4 years ago
Well done. Thank you for your contribution to knowledge that can be expanded on for the good of people and our planet.
chicknofthesea 4 years ago
Thanks chicknofthesea. You are right on - this technology can be used to provide low-cost housing in many countries, while recycling mountains of old paper.
marjamada