This sounds like a wax treated cardboard.
I did a couple experiments with waxy cardboard and had similar
results. Wax tends to prevent water (or cement water) from soaking
into the paper fibers. I had hoped that the wax would help make a
water resistant final product, but it just made it crumbly.
I encourage you to try an experiment and make a small batch using the
exact same techniques you have used previously, but use newsprint to
replace the cardboard. If that test is successful you'll know for
certain that you have a problem with the cardboard.
That doesn't mean that you cannot use the cardboard at all. It may
indicate that you'll need to mix the cardboard with a lot of
newspaper to make it work.
I am complete agreement with the comments others have made about
drainage and the possibility of adding lime to your mix.
I also encourage you to allow the slurry to initially drain, then
compress the damp slurry into the form. This will squeeze out a lot
of excess water and tend to increase the strength of the final
product.
Also... DO NOT OVERHANDLE MOIST PAPERCRETE after it has been
initially formed.
Overhandling before papercrete is fully dry weakens it dramatically.
As Master Po told young Caine, "Patience Grasshopper."
(Did I just show my age again?)
--- In papercreters@yahoogroups.com, "d_jarbee" <d_jarbee@...> wrote:
>
><snip>
> But it just crumbles too
> easily to be used for anything. If I break a bit off it looks and
> feels like the cement hasn't even really set. It's more like paper
> mache with dust in it than a concrete product. There's no way I'd
> build a house with it :)
> <snip>
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