Thanks, Slurryguy, for the welcome!
Thanks, too, for the advice..and yes, I was actually referring to
building a raised planting bed but just called it the wrong thing. A
few more questions...but a bit of background.
I found my way to this group through the Gardenweb "hypertufa" group
after seeing an artist sculpt large pieces with styrofoam and
papercrete. I currently use a similar medium (Creative Paperclay,
for which I pay an exhorbitant amount and am getting at wholesale
prices--and it is still high) and method for sculpting small pieces
for inside decorations so was immediately intriqued with the possible
use of papercrete in outdoor settings. Also, the possibility of
making my own paperclay has now become a reality for me!
I started googling "papercrete" and then ended up here, now through
the first 900 posts and have already found a)lots of answers to
questions I had and b)lots of new "rabbits" to chase--"pozzolonic",
solar kilns, and homes built of this stuff. Sigh...I think I've died
and gone to heaven....
>>Was thrilled to learn that the major ingredient in my paperclay is
pozzolinic (volcanic ash) along with talc, water, wood pulp,
preservative.<<
I seem to be able to think of nothing else these days. I nearly
wrecked the car today while daydreaming if it was possible to use
the cool sprayer (that starts with a "T" that I can't think of the
word for right now) to spray papercrete on my brick ranch style house
for extra insulation, aesthetics, and just to be different.
Now the other questions...
1. If I had a resource for scrap styrofoam, could I "butter"
appropriately shaped pieces to use as faux "stone" for a dry stack
look for this garden adventure, placing these on the appropriate
bedding material, all appropriately sealed, of course. (I once left
one of my sculptures outside to go through a huge rainstorm after it
had been painted with acrylic paint and sealed with clear Krylon--it
was in perfect condition. It was a happy accident...)
2. Is it even FEASIBLE to consider papercrete (and finishing off with
appropriate sealers/finish) as something to spray onto an existing
brick exterior wall. If so, could it be sprayed directly (with
approriate ratio of cement) to make it stick without anything between
it and the brick?
I have really enjoyed reading about all the experiences you all have
had with this stuff and can't wait to go through the rest of the
posts.
And, now I think I know what I might do with an old laundry sink that
is behind my storage house....just need to rustle up an old garbage
disposal!
Thanks so much!
Penny
--- In papercreters@yahoogroups.com, "slurryguy" <slurryguy@...>
wrote:
>
> Hi Penny, welcome to the group.
>
> Sraight concrete would probably be a more long lasting material for
> your project. However, a papercrete mix rich in cement might be
> effective. The amount of foundation required depends upon how tall
> the retaining wall is. If you're just building a raised planting
bed
> 6" above grade, you don't need much. A packed gravel base under
the
> wall of a couple inches would be sufficient. If you are building
> something 2-3 feet tall, you'll need a much more robust foundation
> and a serious wall that can handle the lateral pressure.
>
> Papercrete isn't the most ideal material for exposed wet
> environments. It can be used, but expect it to deteriorate over
> time. Papercrete is a WOOD PRODUCT. Sealing it from moisture is
the
> best bet to slow deterioration.
>
> --- In papercreters@yahoogroups.com, "pennymca13"
> <penpaloriginals2@> wrote:
> >
> > After stumbling into the world of papercrete this week, I've
become
> > quite excited about creating blocks to use as a low retaining
wall
> > around my garden area.
> >
> > Would I need to lay any sort of "foundation" for the blocks to
rest
> on
> > or can they go directly on the dirt/grass? We do have rather
humid
> > weather here most of the time though we are in a major drought
> right
> > now.
> >
> > TIA
> >
> > Penny, who is also dreaming of a way to build an art studio in
her
> back
> > yard with this stuff....
> >
>
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