Why Use Papercrete?
ASK THE EXPERT ADVICE
Links to the Ask the Experts page

Q: Do you use papercrete just because it is 'green' and good to recycle newspaper or is it better as insulation than traditional mortar?

A: All of the above.

Q: With Papercrete housing can you elaborate more on the effects on the environment besides not using trees and very little cement? How else does this help the environment?

A: In addition to what you mention, using papercrete for building houses can be beneficial to the environment by:
Recycling a material that frequently gets taken to the land fill.
Creating a highly insulated building that saves energy, and thus pollution.
Using a local material that does not need to be transported great distances.

Q: I may be replacing my basement concrete slab (not insulated and is in contact with soil). I am intrigued by papercrete. I want to add three inches of gravel and a vapor barrier to separate the basement floor from ground moisture. Should I consider using papercrete instead of concrete for such an application (567 sq.ft.)?

A: I don't recommend the use of papercrete as a floor. It does not wear well and takes forever to dry out.

Q: Could you use papercrete to build a cheap driveway; if so how would you mix it?

A: Papercrete would not hold up over time to the rigors of a driveway...better stick with gravel, pavers, etc.

Q: If I were to build a 10,000 sf foot house from papercrete, roughly how much would I end up paying per sq feet after all the extras like plumbing, electrical, etc.? I understand it has a lot to do with the design, but I'm trying to figure out how much papercrete is going to save me on my sq footage.

A: I frankly don't think you would end up saving much at all. The walls or shell of a home represents perhaps 20% of the cost, with the rest being components that you can't make from papercrete. Then consider the cost of labor and time and materials to fabricate a papercrete mixer, mix all of that papercrete, and form it into the walls. With a 10,000sf house, this would be a huge undertaking. Why such a large house? Sustainability comes in small packages.