Papercreters: [papercreters] Re: Papercrete Garden Wall

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

[papercreters] Re: Papercrete Garden Wall

I've tried adding latex to concrete and it wouldn't set up. The idea
occurred after reading papers how to make flexible boats by the
Concrete Canoe Association; so yes someone else has done it but it
didn't work for me. A small amount of liquid latex supposedly gets
concrete to stick to itself. Why the portland wouldn't harden for
me is sort of a mystery. Don't commit to large batches til you've
seen it work on small ones, and don't change the make or age of
paint midstream.

Any of the popular commercial concrete penetrant water-proofing
products should work to waterproof papercrete. Yes you will need
to do something if you don't want your wall turning to mush. Adding
extra hydrated (but chemically uncarbonated) lime will help for
reasons explained in my first fire-proofing posts; carbon in paper
with lime turns it to porous stone.

One last idea: dilute sodium or potassium silicate wash. You could
add it to the concrete but I think it will set up almost instantly.
Mixing ammonia with sodium silicate (ammonium silicate) and/or boric
acid I haven't tried, but should work to seal gypsum-crete.

--- In papercreters@yahoogroups.com, "Nick Boersema" <picknick@...> wrote:
>
> Acrylic is used in the concrete business as both a sealant and an adhesive.
> Assuming that nothing is proven and that we are all experimenting. Many who
> use latex are not always going for water proofing but are trying to make
> papercrete last in a wet application. It is possible that latex in a mix is
> coating individual paper fibers a therefore slowing the rotting or break
> down process?
>
>
>
> _____
>
> From: papercreters@yahoogroups.com [mailto:papercreters@yahoogroups.com] On
> Behalf Of Neal Chabot
> Sent: Sunday, May 09, 2010 1:39 PM
> To: papercreters@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: [papercreters] Re: Papercrete Garden Wall
>
>
>
>
>
> Perhaps acrylic in Portland increases the plasticity, but waterproofing?
> What I'm puzzled about, for those folks who add latex in their mix, is how
> they expect it to be waterproof from a common sense point of view.
> Waterproofing is usually a property of membranes on the outer surface of a
> wall such as latex paint. The outer membrane protects against rain and
> keeps the water out of the insides of the wall. But when you mix
> everything together, there is no more membrane. The waterproofing material
> is disbursed into particles everywhere in the wall. So the question is,
> what good is a particle of latex 8 or 10 inches inside the wall when a
> rainstorm comes and the water starts soaking in from the outside?
>
>
>
> Neal
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Nick Boersema" picknick@sympatico. <mailto:picknick@...> ca
>
>
> It will make quite a difference depending on what the active ingredient in
> the deck stain is. If it is acrylic then it may work quite well. I use
> acrylic in straight Portland powder to make roofing and thin shell things.
>
>
>
> Nick
>
>
>
> _____
>
> From: papercreters@yahoogroups.com [mailto:papercreters@yahoogroups.com] On
> Behalf Of sholmes_pta
> Sent: Sunday, May 09, 2010 10:05 AM
> To: papercreters@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [papercreters] Re: Papercrete Garden Wall
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Thank you all for your help and input. I am going to try to start soaking my
> paper today. I think I will make a few garden pots and try one with latex
> and another with the deck stain and let them sit out for a few days to see
> how they hold up.
>
> If I make a batch of paper pulp in a trash can does anyone know how long it
> may last before it starts to go bad? I am assuming that after a while, it
> may start to mold or smell.
>
> --- In papercreters@ <mailto:papercreters%40yahoogroups.com>
> yahoogroups.com, "F." <fml@> wrote:
> >
> > I have some information that may be helpful to you here:
> http://papercretepa <http://papercreteparadise.blogspot.com/>
> radise.blogspot.com/
> > I've had luck building large decorative outdoor structures using two
> methods: slip form and daubing over a wire armature. Making slip forms would
> be too difficult without some sort of larger mixer, but you can make the mix
> for daubing in a five gallon bucket by hand.
> > The slip-form wall I made has stood up well to the elements, but then my
> cat starting using it as a scratching post, so I experimented with covering
> it with a lime/sand plaster, which made an even prettier wall and has so far
> has solved the scratching post problem.
> > Thanks.
> > Mike
> >
> > --- In papercreters@ <mailto:papercreters%40yahoogroups.com>
> yahoogroups.com, "sholmes_pta" <sholmes_pta@> wrote:
> > >
> > > Have you ever read something, gotten an idea, & you eat, sleep & dream
> it. I stumbled across papercrete when researching making my own garden
> container pots. Now.well, I have so many ideas. There is so much info out
> that I am hoping I can get inspired as well as correctly informed here.
> > >
> > > My largest idea is replacing a lattice type fence that surrounds my
> composting area with a papercrete wall that would resemble stacked rock
> wall. I would like to make a mold to make flat stone type bricks but have so
> many questions. If anyone has any helpful information, I would greatly
> appreciate it. If it matters, I live in central North Carolina where we have
> our share of rain & humidity. Hubby doesn't "get" my projects so most will
> have to be easy for me to do on my own. But I am handy with a few of his
> tools.
> > >
> > > 1. Are there different recipes for different structure types?
> > > 2. Since it is exposed to the elements do I need to seal it & or worry
> about insects?
> > > 3. Can I use a stain on it to match our fencing and deck?
> > > 4. Since I will be stacking them, what is the best way to lay them? (do
> I need to use what ever masons use or can I use papercrete between them. I
> have never laid brick before)
> > > 5. I will be making this in small batches. Can I mix with something
> fixed onto my electric drill?
> > >
> >
>