Here is another old email about products used to fireproof things. The guy who wrote this worked at setting up displays and had to make sure they were fire proof. Don't worry, I won't clog up the list with old emails. They are all available in the archives. It's just that I've been saving these in a folder and am now reading through all of them.
Sincerely, Judith
Check out my new Squidoo Lens at http://www.squidoo.com/papercretebyjudith
From: pepperh@dcworx.com
To: williams_judith@hotmail.com
Subject: Re: fireproofing papercrete
Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2007 00:24:36 -0500
These are the standards for fireproofing in technical theater. These metods are for fabrics and for coating hard surfaces. I am setting up a block making process. I will use these processes in the mix. Again these materials are available everywhere. The Theater and display industry has commercial solutions available that are not cost effective. It is not foolproof but it works if you are diligent.
This is copied from the Technical Theater Handbook! I Googled for 3 seconds!
Natural fabrics can be flameproofed with a mixture of ammonium sulfate and warm water (2-lb. ammonium sulfate
for every gallon of water). Ammonium sulfate can be found in the fertilizer section at gardening supply
stores or ordered from a chemical supplier. The solution is pretty safe for humans, but as with all
chemicals, you shouldn't drink it or get it in your eyes. If you get some on your skin, the salt will form and
will dry out and irritate your skin, but it can be easily washed off with water. Yes, note that: easily washed
off with water. Flameproofing solutions are water-soluble so if you ever wash a treated curtain, chances
are good that you're washing away the flameproofing as well.
Another flameproofing solution for natural and absorbent fabrics uses borax and boric acid crystals (4-
oz. boric acid to 9-oz. borax per 1 gallon of warm water). The same safety concerns apply, only borax is a
bit more of a concern if swallowed.
There is a commercial solution called waterglass that can be used on paper, cardboard, and muslin. Waterglass is
mostly sodium silicate and dries with a glossy finish but also tends to stiffen the fabric more than other
solutions. Waterglass is good if you're using large paper mache structures.
The final step in flameproofing is a quick test to make sure that the treatment worked. The typical
standard is that a 1"x4" strip of treated fabric should be able to withstand the flame from a kitchen match
held 1/2" beneath it for 15 seconds, does not spread the flame, and self-extinguishes when the flame source
is removed.
 EMAILING FOR THE GREATER GOODJoin me |
----- Original Message -----
From: JUDITH WILLIAMSSent: Monday, September 24, 2007 9:13 PMSubject: fireproofing papercreteHi, I hope you're checking email tonight. I'm giving a presentation tomorrow on papercrete and realize I have to say something about flammability so I've been going through old emails and came across one by you about borax. Here's the thing: I am totally non-scientific and can't seem to translate all the info about precentages and amounts of borax or boric acid to add to the mix. I don't want to give misinformation. I am convinced that papercrete is the best material to build with but if it's not safe then I'll have to find a way to change that. Can you give me a simple to understand way that I can add borax to my mix so it won't burn?
Make your little one a shining star! Shine on!
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.13.30/1027 - Release Date: 9/24/2007 11:27 AM
__._,_.___
