Production

Papercrete production can be done in 5 steps:
• Soak newspaper in water overnight to soften the fibres and make mixing easier. (weight the newspaper dry)
• Mix the soaked paper until it becomes a homogeneous pulp.
• Add Portland cement, sand and water. (proportions can differ)
• Blend into a concrete mixer or similar machine (Papercrete Tow-Mixer) the ingredients until the mix becomes a thick consistent pulp.
• Pour mix into forms (wooden or metal) to create blocks of any size and shape. Allow the mixture to sit in forms until set
• Once dry you can remove the forms (after 3-4 days in a wet climate)• After 28 days the blocks take their final dimensions and can be used in construction.
The process is easy but requires accurate measurements. It is important to weight the newspapers before soaking them because after it will be difficult afterwards.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKyxRJGQ50U

Soaking newsaper overnight, so the fibers will get softer

Paper pulp

Pour mix into forms

Remove forms and examine the specimens

About Menelaos Kokkinos

Menelaos Kokkinos TU Delft mgkokkinos@gmail.com
This entry was posted in Introduction. Bookmark the permalink.

2 Responses to Production

  1. imogen lees says:

    Hi
    I am also investigating papercrete really as part of an architectural project into what we can do with the waste that our school produces daily – so paper. Upon reading your recipe information I was interested whether you squeeze the water out of the newspaper after soaking it and adding it to the portland cement? For the experiements i have carried out I have squeezed the water out so that the newspaper is almost dry. I would be interested to hear your answer.

    regards
    imogen

    • Hello
      The amount of water in the mix is really important and affects materials properties.
      I had to create specimens with similar properties for the testing so I added the cement in the wet newspaper pulp to have more accurate results. If you dry the paper pulp you will decrease the drying period but you might have problems with the cohesion of the mix. On what climate are you working? What do you want to build?
      Your idea sounds really nice, and I am interested for the results so please keep me posted.

Leave a comment