How Do They Make Papercrete?
The first step in making papercrete is pulping the paper. Any paper can be used, including old newspapers, phone books, and cardboard. The paper is ground up with saw blades in a large barrel, and mixed with plenty of water to make a slurry. Once the paper has been pulped, the builder adds cement. Depending on what the papercrete will be used for, more or less cement is added more for harder surfaces such as floors; less for walls. At that point, the papercrete is a thick, gray paste and can be used exactly like concrete. Many times, the builder will choose to make bricks. The papercrete is simply poured into molds, then set out in the sun to dry. Once dry, the bricks can be used like traditional bricks using more papercrete as the mortar to hold the bricks together. Because the paper is absorbent, there must be some type of coating on structures made with papercrete. Any water resistant paint or coating may be used, but Stans favorite is a lime wash made with lime, water, salt, and ne
