BLOOMFIELD, N.M.—The woman was busy, up to her wrists in thick gray mud while positioning 16-inch blocks to form the wall of a building.
The man at her side produced a level every few minutes to meticulously check her work. He periodically moved the wheelbarrow of mud further down the line so she could slap another shovelful of mortar in place.
And both of them were paying for the opportunity.
The pair were among more than 30 property owners and building professionals who turned out this past spring for a day-long demonstration and hands-on workshop about Papercrete, a recently rediscovered building material—originally developed more than 70 years ago—that consists of shredded recycled newspaper, water, cement, and common sand.
Think industrial-strength papier-mâché; that can be poured into block forms, shaped into "logs," used as a sub-layer for concrete flooring, serve as mortar between dried "bricks" of the same material, and even spread on interior or exterior surfaces for a stucco-like appearance. When dry, blocks measuring 6 by 10 by 16 inches weigh about 10 pounds each.
"We're looking for anything that's easy to develop and gives good value to the dollar," said Tom Burns, an area contractor and guest at the seminar.
Strong and Non-Flammable
Entrepreneur Lex Terry, host of the session, said engineering tests conducted by Western Technology indicate a compressive strength of 2,800 pounds per square inch. Terry said the material is considered virtually non-flammable—blocks smoldered but did not burn when baked for nine hours at 1,800 degrees.
From a cosmetic point of view, the material can be colored in much the same manner that dyes are added to cement. Finished surfaces can be painted and covered with sheet rock or siding.
Burns believes ecology ultimately will make Papercrete a commonly used material.
"This would certainly address the wood shortage, and it will eventually," he said. "When this was first patented in 1928, lumber was cheaper and the availability of paper was an issue. Things have changed completely since then. With this, instead of putting it in a landfill, you could be putting it in a house."
Anita Choates, who is planning a new home, said she attended the workshop because "conventional building doesn't interest me, (and) it seems like there are so many applications for this. This is efficient housing."
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