This recipe is for my little tow mixer.I use a five gallon bucket.
** 2.5 buckets wet, shredded paper
** .75 buckets sand
** .25 buckets Portland cement
** some boric acid (lately I put a whole bottle of Roach Pruf)
** two, maybe three buckets water
The longer the paper soaks, the better.
For sculpture, I mix it by hand in a five gallon bucket.
I use cellulose insulation, which is simply pulped paper, purchased from Lowes for $10 for...I don't know...a big bag, and a large (2-pound) coffee can as a measuring device.** 4 cans cellulose insulation
** 2 cans sand
** 1 can cement
** 2 to 2.5 cans water -- enough to mix it well but not make it too runny
** plenty of premixed joint compound
I just mix it by (rubber gloved) hand in a 5-gallon bucket. I mix everything but the joint compound, and add that just before use--a couple of big handfuls. I find I sometimes have to add more joint compound as I work, depending on the project at hand, and keep a bucket of water nearby to wash the joint compound off my gloves so the crete won't stick to them.
It's just a starting place.
My formulas are always evolving, and yours probably will too as you work with this amazing stuff.
Thanks so much for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI just joined the papercrete group last night and found your link.
We're mostly using adobe for building, but papercrete blocks will be perfect to replace the fiberglass/OSB over windows and doors since they're so much lighter than adobe.
We also have all kinds of plans for papercrete in the garden (love your garden wall), a water fountain and I even saw it used for a pond (with water proofing stuff).
I've read enough to realize that getting a MIXER is going to be the biggest obstacle to making large quantities. Especially since we're off the grid and don't have any spare power from solar and fuel is expensive -- so even a drill mixer for small quantities is an issue.
Anyway, your blog and the many pictures are truly inspiring.
Thanks!
Christine