When you look at a picture of the way the fibers in the paper separate and are filled in with the cement you will understand why it shrinks so much. If you put in a minimal amount of cement the fibers will sink down as the water leaches out. More cement will mean less shrinkage. I have added pumice fines to increase the mineral content which cuts down on shrinkage and also makes papercrete unpalatable to insects and rodents. I would say most of the things you suggest as additives would work OK, some better than others. if you are mostly concerned with the shrinkage problem I would say add more cement or other mineral content. I have not tried a lot of things myself but probably would of I had them around. I especially think the grasses and such things would be fine. Charmaine Taylor has a lot of experience with this sort of thing. If she doesn't chime in here and if you really want some answers you should email her at papercrete.com
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To: papercreters@yahoogroups.com
From: steven.ivy@gmail.com
Date: Thu, 3 Feb 2011 04:45:22 +0000
Subject: [papercreters] What is it that shrinks in papercrete?
Is ir as I assume, the paper cellulose fibers?
So even if it means not using paper, what other admixtures could be added to decrease the shrinking problem and not give up the nice tensile and insulation properties?
Some substances I have considered as "papercrete" ad-mixtures...
Sawdust, Lawn grass clippings, ground and sifted dried leaves, Pulverized bamboo, Vertiver grass (long, medium, and, or short fiber versions),
Shredded plastic bottles, broken glass bottles (may want to polish this material for beauty), Shredded plastic shopping bags, Shredded up old carpet, Shredded up old clothing, shredded old rubber tires, Mulched tree bark and or twigs, wheat straw, shredded scrap wood from regular construction, pine needles, Shredded old tar roof waste, rice hulls, peanut hulls, some sort of a human healthy dried fungus...
So what do you think? Any of that worth a shot?
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