Comments on: USING BLOCKS IN A SLIP FORM WALL http://www.papercretebyjudith.com/blog/uncategorized/using-blocks-in-a-slip-form-wall.php Use recycled paper to build an energy efficient papercrete house. Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:32:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Judith http://www.papercretebyjudith.com/blog/uncategorized/using-blocks-in-a-slip-form-wall.php/comment-page-1#comment-1714 Judith Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:25:49 +0000 http://www.papercretebyjudith.com/blog/?p=154#comment-1714 Thanks for the note Nathan. Yes you can use a rubble trench foundation. If you google it you will come up with some good explanations and DIYs. I am using the slip forming method and find it the best for me. I used forms that I built out of plywood and 2x4s but think I will do it different next time. What we did was set up the forms and our the stuff in then go a round and move all the forms up. This was time consuming and not necessary. Next time I will make the forms out of 1'2 sheet of plywood so it will be a 4 foot square. I'll keep pouring til it is full and then just have to move it up once. I think there are some pics in the blog somewhere. I made my framing and forms so all the wood can be removed and there are no breaks in the papercrete walls all the way around the building. You pour the walls solid, let them cure then come back in and cut out the doors and windows with a chain saw. Thanks for the note Nathan. Yes you can use a rubble trench foundation. If you google it you will come up with some good explanations and DIYs. I am using the slip forming method and find it the best for me. I used forms that I built out of plywood and 2x4s but think I will do it different next time. What we did was set up the forms and our the stuff in then go a round and move all the forms up. This was time consuming and not necessary. Next time I will make the forms out of 1’2 sheet of plywood so it will be a 4 foot square. I’ll keep pouring til it is full and then just have to move it up once. I think there are some pics in the blog somewhere. I made my framing and forms so all the wood can be removed and there are no breaks in the papercrete walls all the way around the building. You pour the walls solid, let them cure then come back in and cut out the doors and windows with a chain saw.

]]> By: Nathan P http://www.papercretebyjudith.com/blog/uncategorized/using-blocks-in-a-slip-form-wall.php/comment-page-1#comment-1692 Nathan P Sat, 07 Jan 2012 22:32:04 +0000 http://www.papercretebyjudith.com/blog/?p=154#comment-1692 Hello, I am very interested in using recycled materials...... have ideas of using adobe and tires but I believe you were right, a person would never finish a project by themselves. How do I use a slip form? Can I use a rubble trench as a foundation? I would really be interested in pouring papercrete into a form and building it up layer by layer. How do I do this? Help! Thank you for your time. Nathan Hello, I am very interested in using recycled materials…… have ideas of using adobe and tires but I believe you were right, a person would never finish a project by themselves. How do I use a slip form? Can I use a rubble trench as a foundation? I would really be interested in pouring papercrete into a form and building it up layer by layer. How do I do this? Help! Thank you for your time. Nathan

]]> By: Judith http://www.papercretebyjudith.com/blog/uncategorized/using-blocks-in-a-slip-form-wall.php/comment-page-1#comment-872 Judith Mon, 04 Jul 2011 12:45:09 +0000 http://www.papercretebyjudith.com/blog/?p=154#comment-872 If you pour your papercrete as a monolithic structure you should have no problem with cracks. Be careful to keep it all a uniform width and do not let the forms interfere with its bonding to itself. When you set up your forms leave as small an opening as is practical for access. Pour the whole building and let it cure for a few months then come back in with a chain saw and cut out the window and door openings. I have tried forming them before pouring but the papercrete shrinks away from the wood and tends to crack at the corners. I will share a little secret with you. I have had some cracks along the roof line as a result of the reed ceiling material interfering with the bond. Anyway, I used some of that expanding spray foam insulation to fill them and all is well. If you pour your papercrete as a monolithic structure you should have no problem with cracks. Be careful to keep it all a uniform width and do not let the forms interfere with its bonding to itself.

When you set up your forms leave as small an opening as is practical for access. Pour the whole building and let it cure for a few months then come back in with a chain saw and cut out the window and door openings. I have tried forming them before pouring but the papercrete shrinks away from the wood and tends to crack at the corners.

I will share a little secret with you. I have had some cracks along the roof line as a result of the reed ceiling material interfering with the bond. Anyway, I used some of that expanding spray foam insulation to fill them and all is well.

]]> By: Judith http://www.papercretebyjudith.com/blog/uncategorized/using-blocks-in-a-slip-form-wall.php/comment-page-1#comment-468 Judith Sun, 20 Feb 2011 21:43:57 +0000 http://www.papercretebyjudith.com/blog/?p=154#comment-468 No that is the great advantage. I will say though that a lot depends on how you set up the forms. I found it best to pour all walls without any framing for doors and windows except a 4 foot opening for access while working. On my first little building I cut and framed the door to the finished size before pouring and notice now that there is a large crack at the corner of the door. On the second building I did as described and have had no cracks. My advice is to pour a few courses then frame in a smaller than finish size door. Use a good lintel over the door extending at least a foot on either side. Be sure to pour all around the corners without a break, especially over the door. Let the whole building cure for a couple of months or until it is really set up depending on your climate. Then come back in and cut out the openings with a chain saw. Be very careful when you do this to have a respirator or you will choke to death. I have started getting ready to hang doors. The papercrete walls are strong enough to hold a door but you must reinforce before hanging. What I did was drill 3 holes on the door frame. I used the longest drill bit I could find, about 14" I think and just the right size for the #4 rebar I am using. So I drilled the holes and quickly inserted the applicator tube for some expandable foam insulation. It's the kind they sell to seal cracks. I immediately pushed and pounded the rebar into the hole and let it set up. That door frame is really in there now. No that is the great advantage. I will say though that a lot depends on how you set up the forms. I found it best to pour all walls without any framing for doors and windows except a 4 foot opening for access while working. On my first little building I cut and framed the door to the finished size before pouring and notice now that there is a large crack at the corner of the door. On the second building I did as described and have had no cracks. My advice is to pour a few courses then frame in a smaller than finish size door. Use a good lintel over the door extending at least a foot on either side. Be sure to pour all around the corners without a break, especially over the door. Let the whole building cure for a couple of months or until it is really set up depending on your climate. Then come back in and cut out the openings with a chain saw. Be very careful when you do this to have a respirator or you will choke to death.
I have started getting ready to hang doors. The papercrete walls are strong enough to hold a door but you must reinforce before hanging. What I did was drill 3 holes on the door frame. I used the longest drill bit I could find, about 14″ I think and just the right size for the #4 rebar I am using. So I drilled the holes and quickly inserted the applicator tube for some expandable foam insulation. It’s the kind they sell to seal cracks. I immediately pushed and pounded the rebar into the hole and let it set up. That door frame is really in there now.

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