1) I am one of those building in the southwest but I grew up on the east coast so am familiar with a humid climate. I would say the only difference in using papercrete there would be that it will take longer to set up. Otherwise my opinion is that papercrete would be an ideal material for a house there. It insulates so well that you would need no other insulation and provides a warm and nurturing environment. Just get an early start in the season and work fast to complete your project before winter.
2) I started out with block walls on a previous project but am now sold on slip forming. I had so many blocks already made that I used them in the slip formed walls. (pictures on my blog, address in signature). My big problem with slip forming is that when the walls get to about shoulder height the lifting of buckets of slurry gets extremely labor intensive. At that stage I need to have helpers to hand the buckets up to me. I know there are those who have devised pumping methods of delivering the slurry but I am not that mechanically talented so do it the hard way. (If I do want to work alone I take as many buckets as I have and line them all up on the scaffold then get up there and pour all of them and then start over. I found these great little flexible plastic buckets at Walmart and Big Lots that are just perfect).
3) I use cardboard and portland cement. I have a 200 gallon tow mixer. I put in soaked cardboard till the pile is even with the top of the mixer then I add 1/2 bag of cement and about 15 shovels of pumice fines. I fill the mixer to about 3 inches of the top and drive around for about 15 minutes. If I am out of pumice I leave it out but like the way it gives volume to the papercrete and feel that it also helps in fire retardation (by increasing mineral content) and boosts the R value a bit.
4) On my first building where I used blocks I did do a sandbag foundation. I dug a trench about 2 feet deep and 18 inches wide and filled it with bags of pumice. I used the larger pumice - 3/4" I think. My reasoning was the it would provide a stable foundation for the light weight papercrete and also make a break in any capillary action causing moisture to wick up from the ground. I laid the bags in and tamped them down so they had a sort of a saddle for the slurry to nestle down into. I did not use rebar pounded down into the earth because I knew it would eventually rust. The earthbag book says to use a double row of barbed wire between layers of bags. I think this is a good idea but didn't do it (even though I have some barbed wire lying around) because I am clumsy and would be cut to ribbons after a few minutes of working with barbed wire. I brought the earth bag foundation up to about 8" above grade. It is important to keep the papercrete walls far from moisture, especially if you are building in a wet climate. At one point on my north wall the foundation is too low and water does wick up there after a heavy rain. I has done no damage to the wall because it is so dry here that it evaporates quickly. I will add that I have had papercrete blocks that have been very wet and still keep their shape and strength pretty well. Certainly better that adobe which turns into a pile of mud when it gets wet.
5) I have no experience with shooting papercrete. I know Mikey Sklar has some videos on YouTube. I have also heard of people using old carpet and other things to give a base for applying papercrete. As I say I have never done anything like this. It may work well for interior walls but I think you would want a good 12 thickness for exterior walls for the insulation and structural strength.
Follow progress on the new project at http://www.papercretebyjudith.com/blog
More papercrete info at http://squidoo.com/papercretebyjudith
To: papercreters@yahoogroups.com
From: carlsondanjames@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 3 Aug 2010 01:42:55 +0000
Subject: [papercreters] How good is it?
1) I live in Nova Scotia Canada. The climate here is humid even in the winter the wet cold is harsh. Most of the buildings that I see are in the south west United States. Do you think that papercrete will hold in a wet environment?
2) Has anyone tried slip form walls with papercrete? Pouring wet papercrete on top of a partly cured wall to add height.
3) What is the best recipe?
4) I thought I saw a sandbag foundation, how does that work?
5) I have seen papercrete shot onto a wire frame. How is that structurally?
So many questions so little time. Please respond. I look forward to your answers.
Thanks
Dan
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