diane said: The idea of a papercrete wall, 6'-8' high, all the way around the property, really appeals to my inner hermit. I realize the material would need to be on some variety of stem wall, but how would one go about making a proper stem wall that won't wick moisture up into the papercrete? Could I use old chunks of road concrete? How wide would the wall need to be and would I need to start wider and taper narrower toward the top for stability? I would stucco the walls on both sides for waterproofing and of course on the top (which I wouldn't mind leveling and adding concrete pavers in order to make a "shelf" to finish off the look).
HI DIANE- I want to share the best Idea I ever saw on making a privacy fence.
The Romans did this fencing and walls best-- the built a double wall, and filled inside with just dirt and debris of all kinds- and then the pretty cut stones were mortared on the final outside to look good. they had lots of slave help, you need something you can do on your own, with not too much help needed.
this is a modern version using recycled debris inside a double, staked, chicken wire fence "wall" 1-2' wide x 6' tall
AN adobe inventor in the SF Bay area showed me this. He built a Privacy fence, a double wall of wire fencing material then he filled up the fence center with modern debris- water bottles, plastic of all kinds, milk jugs crushed or whole, cans, any plastics..
He used adobe ( cob) clay plaster and just did it by hand to cover it, BUT for your huge long wall this is too much work.
You could still build a debris filled fence, dip burlap in clay slip and lay over the fencing, or line the inside of the fencing with reed matts, or burlap, and then fill up, giving an overall brownish look to the wall.
ANd later spray clay plaster over the whole thing- but it's a lot of work.
If the wall will be a solid mass-you could taper the OUTSIDE wall up BY ANGLING THE FENCE POST InWARD
this lets air flow UP and not hit the wall straight on.
since the ground is just dirt, and plastic fills it top to bottom no wicking is happening. or line the trench with cement rubble, then the plastic debris.
OR line the wall -to-be with plain old car tires, in the shape of the wall, undulating or straight.
Broken rubble/cement bits, broken bricks- stuff you can get free at local place that sells homeowners brick, stone, and pavers- they always have a big bin of broken stuff free
add sand/dirt to stabilize the tire debris. you can go 2-5 tires high or more if you can get them, and just fill with debris, dirt.
**Using burlap or plastic netting from sacking to line the inside or outside of the fencing material keeps small bit inside and provides a plaster surface too. but would not allow spray to reach all the debris and solidify it.
About that much plaster-- you would need an air compressor and a lot of time to make that much clay plaster to spray over. this is why I am suggesting the reed matts, or other GARDEN FENCING MATTS you can buy in long rolls, just line the inside of the fencing with it before you fill it up, and plaster later.-- air can now flow thru and wall will not fall down so easily. you could also take your time and fill up the walls as you get more debris,
Using a long billboard tarp can work. they are 14' x 24' or 30' and cut longwise gives you two 7" tall strips to line the wall with. putting the white side out make a glaring white wall tho. ( let the joyriders have to stare at that!)
PLASTER- you plaster over the whole wall with clay/cob using a sprayer, and hand apply. spraying the first coat lets the clay fill in between the bits and bottles, and so a final coat of clay or lime to smooth it all out and cover the fencing wire. maybe pour a "bond beam" of clay-cement on the top, and lay your pavers OR tiles. tiles and art can be embedded in the plaster as you go too.
you might end with a white wall outside, and a nicer reed fencing inside to view..
NOTE: I hired a fencer to do ~250 feet of 5' TALL wire fencing, pLus stakes and a few steel posts, and it was $900. for a single wide, standard dog/animal fence . you can do this yourself, just read up on it, the steel posts are anchored in cement every 10' or so to stabilize a long running fence, and is necessary.
I decided I needed MORE privacy so i took thin wood lathe strips ( off cuts from a mill) and ran them in and out of the wire squares as a privacy look. and I tried cutting the billboard tarp in long narrow strips and ran that inside- outside the wire and it looks good too, lets air flow, and gives some privacy.
Ms. Charmaine Taylor/ Taylor Publishing
Toll Free Order: 1-888-441-1632
www.dirtcheapbuilder.com www. papercrete.com
PO Box 375, Cutten CA 95534
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