Almost any type of paper can be used to make papercrete. There aren't any "quality standards" as this time. Some types of paper are easier to use or make more sense than others.
Newsprint is perhaps the most popular because it pulps down easily and is usually readily available. Lots of it ends up in landfills, even when it makes it to a recyling bin.
Magazines and other glossy papers can make superior papercrete because the paper contains an extra kaolin clay content. However these papers can take more time to break down in a mixer. Bindings can be particularly troublesome, but patience and a robust mixer can get the job done. I've found that a power circular saw can remove the bindings on a stack of dry magazines in a couple of seconds. This works great for small batches. I don't think I'd want to do it for 10 tons of paper. I'd rather have a mixer that could devour the binding and all.
Junk mail is fine. If you are planning on pumping the wet slurry, watch out for plastics, staples, and other debris that can jamb up a pump. If you will be mixing and pouring straight out of a mixer into forms without a pump, no worries, the debris will mold into the papercrete just fine as long as there isn't a crazy large amount of debris. If you plan on using the papercrete for a stucco or plaster layer, I recommend using a consistent homegenous paper. Any debris will mess up the finish.
Cardboard works too, it just takes more time in the mixer. Glossy cardboard is often a plastic coating which is a major pain. Waxed cardboards are also difficult to break down, but it can be done if you are determined. I recommend avoiding glossy and waxed cardboard, but if have a lot to get rid of and don't want it in the landfill, it might be worth the effort. In that case, you'll want to use plenty of newsprint along with the waxy stuff. If you use too high of a concentration of waxy cardboard the water will tend to bead up around the fibers and not soak into them during mixing. The resulting papercrete can be very crumbly. Regular brown corrogated cardboard can work really nice, especially if you soak it the night before. Of course, 90% or so of the regular brown corrogated cardboard gets recycled already. This contrasts dramatically with the lower recycling rate of newsprint and other paper. If envoronmental issues are important to you, it makes sense to use paper that is not likely to get recycled by other means.
The best paper to use is usually the paper you can easily get. Whatever people tend to throw in your local dumpsters is probably a good bet.
Hope this helps.
---------------------------------
gmentgen81428 wrote:
I live in a very remote location, high in the Colorado Rocky Mtn, and
as such, do have great access to lots of paper. My question is this:
Is the "paper" content for making papercrete limited to newspaper? Or
could one use all the junk mail that I receive (slick catalogs, billing
envelopes, with the window plastic, paper milk cartons, postcards, etc.
and all communications from the IRS (just joking ! ???)
Thanks for your opinions.
Glen
as such, do have great access to lots of paper. My question is this:
Is the "paper" content for making papercrete limited to newspaper? Or
could one use all the junk mail that I receive (slick catalogs, billing
envelopes, with the window plastic, paper milk cartons, postcards, etc.
and all communications from the IRS (just joking ! ???)
Thanks for your opinions.
Glen
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
http://mail.yahoo.com __._,_.___
Your email settings: Individual Email|Traditional
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch to Fully Featured
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch to Fully Featured
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe
__,_._,___
