@@AvrumgoldThe styrofoam particles carry none of the load in the first place. They are only there to make small voids in the concrete mixture. A more pressing risk is that, if the wall is raised to a very high temperature, the styrofoam material itself pyrolyzes into hydrogen (or methane, propane, or butane) and carbon, which would generate high pressure inside the matrix. Concrete mixtures consistently fail under tension, so this could be a problem. But to be fair, this requires temperatures above 1000°F. Normal concrete spalls and self-disassembles at these temperatures, so it may fare no worse than construction spec concrete, in the end.
Excellent work! I am very interested in this now, and have a new homestead construction that I might consider this for. One criticism, though. The way that you exposed the test subjects to heat was much too transitory to reflect true fire conditions. Dont get me wrong, this is a great and necessary first test, to be sure. But in a real house fire, it's not just a transitory flame that sets things in motion, it's a full pot of grease that burns hot for 30 minutes, or a copper conductor that gets so hot that it melts. Or a room full of boxes with paper documents in them. In a real world situation, a house doesnt burn down until a massive amount of heat builds up first. It's TRUE that a single strike of a lighter can burn a house down, but for the first 10 minutes of that fire initiation, a single cup of water can put it out. Hence, why fire retardants work in the first place - a little resistance early on yields a radically different outcome. This is why your tests are extremely useful, instructive, and valuable, but it is also why more extensive testing should be done. Companies or governments should pick up your work and take it to the complete finish line. Oh, and the fire of the future will be the electric car batteries burning in the garage. Energy is energy, so the heat release will be comparable to 20 gallons of gasoline burning for an hour in a concentrated space. Almost nothing survives that, but everything is comparable as to resiliency in such conditions. Car batteries, by definition, carry their own oxidizer, so in some ways, they act more like rocket fuel than plain old gasoline, which is limited by how much air can get to it. A car battery can instantly get to many thousands of degrees, far hotter than gasoline or natural gas. Whole different topic - I'd love to see how this mix would fare in Roman concrete mixtures. Thank you for your work for mankind!
Back in the 1990's I built several houses with a product called Rastra, which was a combination of Portland cement, sand and recycled styrofoam. A couple of the houses I built were in the Camp Fire in 2018 in Paradise CA. While the roofs burned, the windows melted out and the plaster fell off of the walls. The Rastra remained intact. One of the houses had a melted engine block in the yard. So, styrofoam when mixed with cement will become inert. It's the direct oxygen contact that causes it to burn.
@@AbundanceBuild I Google Rastra. Got wiki data. Compressive strength was 56 psi and tensile was 43 psi. Sounds like it might be same compound as your styrocrete. Maybe research ing Rastra would give u structural data to be able to meet codes and get permits.
Wow Stephen!! I can not thank you enough for sharing all your hard work and knowledge!! This is just what I needed to now for the tiny house I’m building right now. Perfect timing!! I’m so thankful for all you have shared. Thank you so much 😊
That truly is amazing, Stephen! Thanks so much for sharing! I made a shredder like you suggested...with a flower pot! I have been so inspired again and am making my own samples. Tiny arch home...here I come! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for this video! My architect step-son thinks I am nuts for even looking at your information. I think this video will get him to look at your methods a little closer. He wants to find a way to help people on the reservation (where he currently lives) have better homes.
Hi Bradley, I did not invent this method. Parts of Europe have used this and similar methods for years. We are always the last to embrace some great building techniques.
As Stephen noted in his videos and his reply to your comment, this material has been used throughout the world as well as in the US for decades. Rastra has been making cement + eps ICF blocks since the '70's, and Bautex produces a variation as well, both available in the US. I'm sure there are other manufacturers here in the states as well, but those two I know off the top of my head. This material is best as insulation, and though it does have some structural strength, it should not be relied on alone to support heavy loads or high stress. Personally, though I wouldn't build my house from just this(I live in hurricane alley, guaranteed 2-3 tropical storms/hurricanes per year), I'd trust it just fine for outbuildings or insulation. No building material or technique is ideal in all circumstances. The 'best' option for a given project depends on goals, local climate and weather patterns, locally available materials, local laws and codes, neighbors, site specifics, available labor, aesthetic considerations, budget, and I could go on all day. Good luck with your son and hope you both can get your projects done and help some people.
Could you film the process in detail for mixing the smaller batches with the exact ratios. I think I am getting a little lost because I think I am not seeing all the additives and exact measurements. Could you make an easy formula, like add a gallon of this and 5 gallons of that , put in a cup of this addivtie and mix. Please and Thank You. Your work is awesome!
he's using a mixer that costs thousands of dollars. someone needs to make a diy mixer that is a lot cheaper! his recepie is in the comments section in his other videos. just search for his nmae Stephen williams in the comments
@@khandam7709 Smaller electric mixers that do about 4 cubic feet can be bought for under $400. I’ve mixed about 25 yards with mine over the years. I was thinking of getting rid of it until I started watch this. I’m thinking of building a small detached shop. I’d make something like SIPS lying down with studs installed and then stand them up.
@@Chris_at_Home I just posted something but thought I'd chime in here. If you make a flat v-shaped (\_/)2x4 in the mold, it cold add to usefulness as well as allow you to slide the panels together if you did it on the side as well.
@@shannonp4037 Definitely, and I’d use adhesive and ratchet straps to hold it as it sets. I’m into energy efficiency. Our house is double stud walls filled with closed cell foam.
Shredded styrofoam is more fire resistant than I would have thought! Thanks for sharing! I still wonder what would happen if you kept the torch in one place instead of moving it around. We are excited to share the results of our aircrete test samples soon, we are getting some surprising results! 👍🙂
Seeing what you are doing gave me the idea of using this stuff to insulate a polebuilding home with it. You have the sheet metal on the outside and use a slip form on the inside of the building to form the walls. Coming up with a 10 to 12 inch thick insulated wall would be easy and cheap.
Kriss since you don't need any strength you can use the lighter mix to coat the styrofoam to make it fire resistant. 1.5 gallons of portland, 1 gallon water, 20 gallons of foam, 55 gallons of shredded foam. If you pour it in wet it will stick together. It will work great. You must be way up north to need 12 inches.
@@AbundanceBuild we are looking at property in northern Nevada that is offgrid so making things as thermally efficient as we can is a must to keep power usage down. The walls are more likely to be 9 inches thick.
This is an incredible method of building. I talked to my city ordinance office, and they are okay with this method of building providing there is a wood or steel frame to hold the materials. I will buy the online class tomorrow after I get home from work. This will go a long way toward remodeling my 120-year-old house. Also, thanks for talking to me by email.
Young Mister Rogers vibes. Great teacher here. Wholesome. Love it. I might build some auxiliary structures out of this stuff in the future because of your videos. I didn't think of it before. I was thinking in terms of 2x4s and steel siding... I wasn't even planning on having these structures be insulated... that's just a bonus of your system. I wonder if building a chicken coop from this would be sensible...
Looks great. Like here in Colorado where wild fire is a real issue. Awhile back we had a fire about 10 miles South of where I live take out several neighborhoods for about 1200 houses in one afternoon. Literally the houses burned like a forest with the fire burning the houses coming in as a wind driven grass fire. Houses built with your syroctete look like they would not have supported such a fire. This looks like a very good material to use in most construction around here. Maybe should be used as allot of the burned out home owners can't afford to rebuild due to high cost of construction and low insurance pay outs.
I've tried it 2 ways. The first is using the little spheres styrofoan is made of - Results too brittle. The second is making the particles much finer - like the fineness of perlite ( The original aircrete additive). I get better results making the styrofoam particles smaller.
Styrocrete is popular here in Siberia. But add polypropylene fiber to your mix. And another thing, we call it wooden soapy resin, or smth like that, in russian Смола древесная омыленная. Good luck!
So that's pretty interesting. I guess the fibre adds more stability to the styrocrete. But what exactly is this "wooden soapy resin" ? Is it like wood fibres in water and with more additives? Cheers mate.
@@radicalphil1871 Maybe "saponified wood resin" will be more clear? It`s a kind of adhesive between styrofoam and cement, makes the mix more liquid without adding more water, traps some tiny bubbles of air in the mix. Good luck!
Wow! Surprising results. Really good idea to do a control comparison with the foam insulation that currently goes up in modern homes. Modern homes are real tinder boxes though so probably not a great benchmark! Sadly that's what we live in today. The concern I have with non-natural materials is what do we do at end of the life of the product? If we incorporate toxic materials into our built environment we are swallowing a poisoned pill as these chemicals are sure to leach into our environment. Alas the damage is already done as synthetics are already used everywhere in construction so I guess it's best to play the hand we have. Keep up the good work!
Totally agree! Our buildings will last an extremely long time but if it needs to be torn down, the building can be ground down and reused as filler in the next building's walls. So the end of life is also better than traditional buildings
Great videos Stephen! I am finding myself looking forward to each new episode with great anticipation! Unfortunately, I will never be allowed to build what I want to with this in Scotland but I think that it would be great for a shed and perhaps even garden furniture depending on the strength. I am imagining a rocket stove heated bench using your Styrofoamcrete to support the bench top and ducting the hot flue gases which would warm the bench top.
You're welcome! If you want our complete research check out our new Online Class at abundance.build/classes/ use coupon code TH-cam for $400 off in December!
God Bless you infinitely Sir for your amazing ideas and contributions. I pray you are Blessed and protected always. I'm a fem w no experience but would love to learn step by step how to build a 1000 sqft home. I think that could still be a comfortable size. What I would do different is build the home in an 8ft to 10ft high slab that you can instantly do an all around porch w stairs on front n back and on one side of it. A ramp into a closed in garage large enough for a workshop. Look forward to yourwell detailed tutorials. Thank you so much.💓💛💓
Holy smokes (or rather lack of)!!! I cannot believe that shredded styrofoam does not readily burn, readily emit flames and does not emit ANY black smoke! These results are not something I would not have guessed in a million years. This channel is highly enlightening!
I'd love to see your mix used on a metal frame building, such as the garage frame you're sitting in during the last scene. Turn it upside down and fill the roof area with styrocrete about 4-6 inches thick. Once set, roll the structure on one side (or stand it up) and make the walls. Good, solid, metal-framed & insulated building!
Hi. I just discovered your channel and binge watching it. An idea for fixing stuff to your walls. Drill a hole, inject expansive PU foam, push in the plastic sleeve. Wait for the foam to cure and put your screw in.
Phenomenally informative video!! You inspired me to insulate an old house with eps/borate - what is that awesome blower?! I can tell you that the borax/boric-acid solution amazingly repels almost everything that crawls. Cannot understand the surprising fire resistance from just shredding eps (sure that was not a treated source - the eps panel makers are supposed to treat everything they make). Thank you! (added note: The treated eps as loose fill solves a big problem with cellulose, where an old uninsulated house has rotted-out building paper, any insulation will get wet. Cellulose will really never dry out, but eps will!)
I'm curious about the structural impact on the block when exposed to high Temps. It's great for some applications that it won't combust but the shredded stryfoam is turning to gas faster than it can combust.. what that do the the structure of the block after heated up like that?
Mr. Williams, I wonder if you have ever considered adding hemp to the mix, or using hempcrete as a finish. it is carbon negative, and highly fire resistant.
With a structural material, it's not just a question of whether or not it burns, but how it affects the structural strength of the material. This is why you have to fireproof structural steel.
I agree. The walls must be likely to collapse in the event of a fire. I can think of plenty of uses for this though. Particularly in wet environments... think global warming. Good foundation in swampy ground I would imagine. For buildings and roads.
Great Videos!!!!! I am interested in building Arched Huts so that we can get the homeless off of the streets. If you look at what Canastoda Huts are doing to provide the same functionality. They end up costing around $2000+ per hut. My thoughts are making a series of forms up to cast the end wall/door wall/ and several "rings"; (all having several cut off plastic conduits, such that all the pieces would be tied together via tie bolts.). I think this structure would be under $300 in materials, and be fireproof!!! Great Work!!!
What about Aircrete Styrofoam as an insulating product for a post and truss building? The strength is in the reduced wood construction but with an 8 or 10" steel clad wall this gets interesting.
Hey Steve, It’s been a slow processhere in Ky with the heat Index hovering around 115 degrees. But, with working in the middle of the night, I’m making some progress, Started a little different idea on the roof. Just hoping it will workout
Great videos! Thanks so much for making them! A couple thoughts- i wonder how the cost comparison of aircrete vs styrofoam aircrete balances out when you factor in time. I wonder how much time the extra steps to acquire and process the styrofoam, and packing in the forms takes. Time = money. But maybe the time is negligibe. You'd know better than most of us! It would also be interesting to see how the structural properties of the styrofoam aircrete degrade from fire compared to aircrete.
I think it was in the previous video about the Styrofoam shredder he built. After the time and modest cost of making the shredder he estimated around 20 minutes per 35 gallon bag to gather and shred the Styrofoam. This is offset by the cost for the greater volume of concrete in regular aircrete, plus there is longer drying/curing time required for regular aircrete of same thickness plus reduced R value.
Can you test the structural changes in a loaded wall with a fire at the bottom of the wall.... Will the melting styrofoam affect the integrity of the wall? And at what temperature does it begin to degrade.
Thanks for the thorough testing and sharing it. I would have enjoyed seeing a cross section of the last test to see the damage to the internals if any. Subd
What is your stucco mix? It just looks like mortar or a layer of cement? Can you do a video on your mixes for your stucco and how you layer the aircrete? Did you build your own aircrete gun? I love your videos hope I see more great content like this!
Could also test as vertical hanging as is in the wall, not just horizontal. Vertical burning usually spreads faster like burning grass uphill. It heats ahead of itself so it burns / propagates faster. Good stuff
What about exposre to solvent liquid and vapors? nice to see you testing this promising materials. I was also thinking as styrene as a carcinogen and a possible threat to underground water leakages.
Compulsive viewing, thanks very much. great to have all the quantities listed. I intend to have a go at an OSB sip panel in the not to distant future. The 2 questions I had were regarding fire safety and how well the mix bonds to the OSB, You have gone a long way to making me feel confident regarding fire safety, I just need to do some testing on the bonding issue. Thanks again Chris
CB, when I forgot to oil my mold I about never got it broken free and if I waited a few more days I would have had to tear the wall up to break it free. It sticks well.
Moral of the story is unless the sun is about to go red the walls around the little pigs ain’t gonna give. Thanx for vids. Gotta couple questions though . Any way you give me holler thanx
How do you get to use these new materials with the USA building codes…? Even when they are stronger and fireproof, it seems that approvals will be hard to get…even for sheds in some areas. This seems quite superior and with lower labor intensity than earth bags as a building material, although earth bags will hold up against high winds and flooding. Thank you for the interesting videos…
Wow how lucky that you happened upon the exact solution to my problems! I can't believe this is the only video of yours I missed which happened to be the most relevant to the issues plauging my household and constantly a problem I've been wracking my brain over what am I going to do I came home with my SUV filled to the brim by two beautiful people who get coolers for insulin and we have an arrangement so I'll get what I need soon to save my household. Per your advice, after the knob and tube is clear, would it be more beneficial to use just shredded and treated styrofoam or using the styrocrete in between the walls??? Also I want to make a shower area japanese style and I was hoping I could use waterproofed styrocrete for the sealed space with some stone carving and maybe a tree since I got raw hardwood flooring in a weirdly spaced bathroom that would be perfect to just separate off a watertight shower area where you can easily wash an ornery 1 year old, hydrophobic dog, or confused chickens with complete ease and just a nice are to keep plants and a family style shower and tub area. Would I be able to cover it with something better suited to water proofing so I could go all out for my dream shower? I'm also super into concrete rock features like the ones they make in fancy pools with caves and amusement parks. Here is a great video (much smaller shower) that really made me eager to get a shower area like that....th-cam.com/video/F-VGM9TWYaA/w-d-xo.html I'll just first have to assess the damage from the burst pipe. I mentioned briefly the entrance and second bathroom seems to be floating and of course no pipe insulation or anything like that so hopefully I can find the pipe and not spend too much repairing it so I'd really be interested in a mostly enclosed styrocrete crawlspace so I never have water running though and freezing my floors. I'm hoping I can get away with a lot of sliding storage with weather sealed doors for outside tools. Also my coop light fell over and we caught it smoldering completely filled with smoke so I wrecked my back in adrenaline fueled snow shoveling into the hole since the coop is raised so I was worried about the undercurrent recatching. I'm definitely going to use the aircreaye in the open coop walls and I may lower the floor to ground level and do styrocrete floor and insulation covering the barely anything besides vynl siding walls. I always knew I wanted concrete under the sand floor so the poop and all that dries out better and stuff My life kinda seems like a series of unfortunate events but then I find people like you who motivate me to always make it work!!!
I just discovered the channel, and I must admit I'm intrigued. I'm looking into the possibility of constructing a small home and was wondering if this would work as pre-formed panels that were put into place at the construction site? What about adding a wire mesh core? Would they be durable enough to support a stone or brick veneer? Do they take compression well enough to support a roof with a snow load or do they require additional support? Fascinating stuff and I look forward to more!
Another thing to test is the ph of your choice of "soap" for your foam. It will be better and the foam will last longer if the ph is about 7. If your "soap" is acidic add small amounts of baking soda until you reach neutral ph.
Lovely! I just wanted to ask for the fireproofing solution, so you have 7 oz of borax, 3 oz of boric acid and 2 quarts of water. How much shredded styrofoam can you treat with it? 55 gallons? Thank You!
Matei I am not sure as I have only mixed up a small batch for testing. But I was amazed at how far it went. You just have to wet it and leave it to dry.
It would be interesting to see what the fiber mesh/stucco coated block looked like inside the block after that heat was applied. Cut it across the heated sections. I'd bet there is a void in there which in the cast of a burning building might jeopardize the structure. (??)
This is not how building fires work. To properly test for building fires, you need to create a test chamber, which is a closed box with styrocrete walls. By raising the temperature inside the chamber, burning gases can be produced, which will yield different results. The best way to conduct the test is by observing how RVs burn.
I am not a safety specialist, or chemist, but back when I used to work with network cabling, we had 2 types of "fire prof cables". The ones who did not "melt", helping to propagate the fire, and the ones who did not had some very nasty chemicals that release toxic smoke when burned (hospitals required this last one as many people can't be simple moved away in case of small fires). We often miss understood what "fire prof" means. It will burn, but it will not drip literal fireballs over really combustible materials (have you ever seen how fast a common couch burn? IT'S WILD how quick you can summon hell). BTW, great information value. Keep the good work.
Here's are two tests I would like to see: 1) Fill a vertical wall space with loose styrocrete. In this wallspace approx 1 foot from the floor, simulate an electrical outlet. Apply the heat source at this "outlet". How does the perform with sustained heat and plenty of material above? 2) How much does this loose material settle and compact from time and gravity? 5 years, 10 years later? I have no idea how to simulate 15 years of gravity in one day of testing.
Thank You - Stephen ! Another wonderful Video ... MORE ... MORE... MORE - Please ! And thanks for the link to Dr Energy. I suspect you are in Tenn ( ? ) ... I'm building a Passive Solar house in NKu ( Cincinnati Area ). Going to use 'Dry Stack' 12in Block for Int/Ext Walls - for Thermal Mass. I've been struggling with Ext Foam Insulation for my ( Ext & Perimeter ) Insulation ( 12 in ReClaimed ) Styrofoam ... because of the Flammability/Melting. This has me thinking about 'Forming Up' your stuff - instead of 'glueing' plain ( un treated ) Foam Panels .... Your thoughts ? Thank again. papawbil
Thanks Bill. Forming up and pouring this around the exterior of your block concrete walls will work very well. Very easy to stucco over it to finish it out. Portland cement makes it fire resistant.
That "untreated" styrofoam is not untreated. Actual untreated Styrofoam will burn about like its weight in gasoline. I remember burning some of the old stuff when I was a kid. There was no way you were going to hold on to one end while burning the other end because the flame would spread with a whoosh. I don't think much of that old foam still exists. If my memory serves, the old Styrofoam's foaming agent was isobutylene, which is about as flammable as propane. The stuff that you're burning as untreated is probably foamed with a CFC and was marketed as flame-resistant. That said, putting Styrofoam or expanded polystyrene into concrete is an excellent idea because it will greatly slow the escape of the greenhouse gasses that most commonly are used to expand the foam.
ENROLL IN THE ONLINE CLASS HERE:
abundancebuild.com
Well said! Subscribe for new builds coming soon!
Just donated look forward to seeing more testing videos in future
@@joshuajean4683 Thank you! Lots of big announcements coming soon!
@@AvrumgoldThe styrofoam particles carry none of the load in the first place. They are only there to make small voids in the concrete mixture.
A more pressing risk is that, if the wall is raised to a very high temperature, the styrofoam material itself pyrolyzes into hydrogen (or methane, propane, or butane) and carbon, which would generate high pressure inside the matrix. Concrete mixtures consistently fail under tension, so this could be a problem. But to be fair, this requires temperatures above 1000°F. Normal concrete spalls and self-disassembles at these temperatures, so it may fare no worse than construction spec concrete, in the end.
Excellent work! I am very interested in this now, and have a new homestead construction that I might consider this for.
One criticism, though. The way that you exposed the test subjects to heat was much too transitory to reflect true fire conditions. Dont get me wrong, this is a great and necessary first test, to be sure. But in a real house fire, it's not just a transitory flame that sets things in motion, it's a full pot of grease that burns hot for 30 minutes, or a copper conductor that gets so hot that it melts. Or a room full of boxes with paper documents in them. In a real world situation, a house doesnt burn down until a massive amount of heat builds up first. It's TRUE that a single strike of a lighter can burn a house down, but for the first 10 minutes of that fire initiation, a single cup of water can put it out. Hence, why fire retardants work in the first place - a little resistance early on yields a radically different outcome. This is why your tests are extremely useful, instructive, and valuable, but it is also why more extensive testing should be done. Companies or governments should pick up your work and take it to the complete finish line.
Oh, and the fire of the future will be the electric car batteries burning in the garage. Energy is energy, so the heat release will be comparable to 20 gallons of gasoline burning for an hour in a concentrated space. Almost nothing survives that, but everything is comparable as to resiliency in such conditions. Car batteries, by definition, carry their own oxidizer, so in some ways, they act more like rocket fuel than plain old gasoline, which is limited by how much air can get to it. A car battery can instantly get to many thousands of degrees, far hotter than gasoline or natural gas.
Whole different topic - I'd love to see how this mix would fare in Roman concrete mixtures.
Thank you for your work for mankind!
Back in the 1990's I built several houses with a product called Rastra, which was a combination of Portland cement, sand and recycled styrofoam. A couple of the houses I built were in the Camp Fire in 2018 in Paradise CA. While the roofs burned, the windows melted out and the plaster fell off of the walls. The Rastra remained intact. One of the houses had a melted engine block in the yard. So, styrofoam when mixed with cement will become inert. It's the direct oxygen contact that causes it to burn.
That is amazing! Thanks for sharing this.
Wow, what a testimonial!
@@AbundanceBuild I Google Rastra. Got wiki data. Compressive strength was 56 psi and tensile was 43 psi. Sounds like it might be same compound as your styrocrete. Maybe research ing Rastra would give u structural data to be able to meet codes and get permits.
Rastra is a fantastic building system.
I went to paradise after the Camp Fire. I had never seen so much devastation in my life. I left very sad.😢
Wow Stephen!! I can not thank you enough for sharing all your hard work and knowledge!! This is just what I needed to now for the tiny house I’m building right now. Perfect timing!! I’m so thankful for all you have shared. Thank you so much 😊
Schneider, you are the exact person I am hoping to help with this. DIYer's wanting to build their own home. Thanks for the feedback.
That truly is amazing, Stephen! Thanks so much for sharing! I made a shredder like you suggested...with a flower pot! I have been so inspired again and am making my own samples. Tiny arch home...here I come! Thanks for sharing!
You're welcome! subscribe for new builds coming soon!
Stephen this is a game changer! Please continue to make more videos. I'm learning a lot about what Aircrete can do. Much appreciated.
You got it! New builds incoming!
Thank you for this video! My architect step-son thinks I am nuts for even looking at your information. I think this video will get him to look at your methods a little closer. He wants to find a way to help people on the reservation (where he currently lives) have better homes.
Hi Bradley, I did not invent this method. Parts of Europe have used this and similar methods for years. We are always the last to embrace some great building techniques.
As Stephen noted in his videos and his reply to your comment, this material has been used throughout the world as well as in the US for decades. Rastra has been making cement + eps ICF blocks since the '70's, and Bautex produces a variation as well, both available in the US. I'm sure there are other manufacturers here in the states as well, but those two I know off the top of my head. This material is best as insulation, and though it does have some structural strength, it should not be relied on alone to support heavy loads or high stress. Personally, though I wouldn't build my house from just this(I live in hurricane alley, guaranteed 2-3 tropical storms/hurricanes per year), I'd trust it just fine for outbuildings or insulation. No building material or technique is ideal in all circumstances. The 'best' option for a given project depends on goals, local climate and weather patterns, locally available materials, local laws and codes, neighbors, site specifics, available labor, aesthetic considerations, budget, and I could go on all day. Good luck with your son and hope you both can get your projects done and help some people.
Refer him to the comment by Mendo Home Power for real world test in the CA Camp fire
Could you film the process in detail for mixing the smaller batches with the exact ratios. I think I am getting a little lost because I think I am not seeing all the additives and exact measurements. Could you make an easy formula, like add a gallon of this and 5 gallons of that , put in a cup of this addivtie and mix. Please and Thank You. Your work is awesome!
he's using a mixer that costs thousands of dollars. someone needs to make a diy mixer that is a lot cheaper! his recepie is in the comments section in his other videos. just search for his nmae Stephen williams in the comments
Thanks you sold me on aircrete, as a creative person I can see the endless possibilities for it!
@@khandam7709 Smaller electric mixers that do about 4 cubic feet can be bought for under $400. I’ve mixed about 25 yards with mine over the years. I was thinking of getting rid of it until I started watch this. I’m thinking of building a small detached shop. I’d make something like SIPS lying down with studs installed and then stand them up.
@@Chris_at_Home I just posted something but thought I'd chime in here. If you make a flat v-shaped (\_/)2x4 in the mold, it cold add to usefulness as well as allow you to slide the panels together if you did it on the side as well.
@@shannonp4037 Definitely, and I’d use adhesive and ratchet straps to hold it as it sets. I’m into energy efficiency. Our house is double stud walls filled with closed cell foam.
Thank you for sharing what you have learned without having to pay you for it. Keep up the good work and put out more videos.
You're welcome! Subscribe for new builds coming soon!
Shredded styrofoam is more fire resistant than I would have thought! Thanks for sharing! I still wonder what would happen if you kept the torch in one place instead of moving it around. We are excited to share the results of our aircrete test samples soon, we are getting some surprising results! 👍🙂
New bubble free recipe coming soon!
Seeing what you are doing gave me the idea of using this stuff to insulate a polebuilding home with it.
You have the sheet metal on the outside and use a slip form on the inside of the building to form the walls. Coming up with a 10 to 12 inch thick insulated wall would be easy and cheap.
Sounds doable.
Kriss since you don't need any strength you can use the lighter mix to coat the styrofoam to make it fire resistant. 1.5 gallons of portland, 1 gallon water, 20 gallons of foam, 55 gallons of shredded foam. If you pour it in wet it will stick together. It will work great. You must be way up north to need 12 inches.
@@AbundanceBuild we are looking at property in northern Nevada that is offgrid so making things as thermally efficient as we can is a must to keep power usage down. The walls are more likely to be 9 inches thick.
This is an incredible method of building. I talked to my city ordinance office, and they are okay with this method of building providing there is a wood or steel frame to hold the materials. I will buy the online class tomorrow after I get home from work. This will go a long way toward remodeling my 120-year-old house. Also, thanks for talking to me by email.
You're welcome! Glad it got approved!
Young Mister Rogers vibes. Great teacher here. Wholesome. Love it. I might build some auxiliary structures out of this stuff in the future because of your videos. I didn't think of it before. I was thinking in terms of 2x4s and steel siding... I wasn't even planning on having these structures be insulated... that's just a bonus of your system. I wonder if building a chicken coop from this would be sensible...
Haha yes chicken coop video coming soon!
Excellent styrofoam aircrete project 👍
Thanks! New builds incoming!
Thank you for investing all the time and resources on this great cause.
Thanks for watching! Please subscribe to see new builds coming soon!
For a fire test you must hold the torch perfectly still. Waving it around yeilds an uneven heat. Still this demonstrats great results!
Yes we learned a lot from this initial test and look to get more official test next! Subscribe for new builds coming soon!
Looks great. Like here in Colorado where wild fire is a real issue. Awhile back we had a fire about 10 miles South of where I live take out several neighborhoods for about 1200 houses in one afternoon. Literally the houses burned like a forest with the fire burning the houses coming in as a wind driven grass fire. Houses built with your syroctete look like they would not have supported such a fire. This looks like a very good material to use in most construction around here. Maybe should be used as allot of the burned out home owners can't afford to rebuild due to high cost of construction and low insurance pay outs.
Definitely! It is very fire resistant! It is crazy the materials people are forced to use ignite so quickly
Awesome.
It feels like a new era in building materials, and is hope of for people looking at spending their lives in mortgage payments.
Thank you.
exactly! subscribe for new builds coming soon!
Nice work, very impressive
Thank you! Subscribe for new builds coming soon!
Enjoy your efforts in sharing knowledge. Thanks!!
Youre welcome! subscribe for new builds coming soon!
Already subscribed. My personal plan in the gothic arch 12"-15" thick walls, but made circular to build a triple dome home.
I am very impressed with your channel. Thank you for the videos and ideas.
Thank you! Subscribe for new builds and big announcements coming SOON!
Brilliant!
So informative, thank you 💛
Thank you!
You are amazing. Thank you for your efforts to educate us all. I am very Grateful !!! Will be using this for sure.
Thank you and you're welcome! Subscribe for new builds coming soon!
Hey stephen have you hit it with a pressure wahser? id like to know how it does under pressure
Good idea! Subscribe for new builds coming soon!
Thin shell coat of ferrocement in mesh... and DONE!! Love it!
Thanks!
What a comprehensive test. What a great building material! Hope the abundacoat is as good as the stucco coat in your test
Thank you! Yes it performs just as well!
I've tried it 2 ways. The first is using the little spheres styrofoan is made of - Results too brittle. The second is making the particles much finer - like the fineness of perlite ( The original aircrete additive). I get better results making the styrofoam particles smaller.
Good job! New recipe video coming soon
Styrocrete is popular here in Siberia.
But add polypropylene fiber to your mix. And another thing, we call it wooden soapy resin, or smth like that, in russian Смола древесная омыленная.
Good luck!
So that's pretty interesting.
I guess the fibre adds more stability to the styrocrete. But what exactly is this "wooden soapy resin" ? Is it like wood fibres in water and with more additives?
Cheers mate.
@@radicalphil1871 Maybe "saponified wood resin" will be more clear?
It`s a kind of adhesive between styrofoam and cement, makes the mix more liquid without adding more water, traps some tiny bubbles of air in the mix.
Good luck!
Can you provide a mix, ratio recipe for that?
Thanks for the tips! Stay warm! Subscribe to see new builds coming soon!
Looks like a good idea. Foam waterglass for the aircrete component and I'll bet your fire resistance increases tremendously.
Good idea!
Wow! Surprising results. Really good idea to do a control comparison with the foam insulation that currently goes up in modern homes. Modern homes are real tinder boxes though so probably not a great benchmark! Sadly that's what we live in today. The concern I have with non-natural materials is what do we do at end of the life of the product? If we incorporate toxic materials into our built environment we are swallowing a poisoned pill as these chemicals are sure to leach into our environment. Alas the damage is already done as synthetics are already used everywhere in construction so I guess it's best to play the hand we have. Keep up the good work!
Totally agree! Our buildings will last an extremely long time but if it needs to be torn down, the building can be ground down and reused as filler in the next building's walls. So the end of life is also better than traditional buildings
Great idea, and inspiring experience, thank you so much
You're welcome! Thanks for watching!
Great videos Stephen! I am finding myself looking forward to each new episode with great anticipation! Unfortunately, I will never be allowed to build what I want to with this in Scotland but I think that it would be great for a shed and perhaps even garden furniture depending on the strength. I am imagining a rocket stove heated bench using your Styrofoamcrete to support the bench top and ducting the hot flue gases which would warm the bench top.
Nothing says you can't be eccentric and live in your garden shed. 😉
@@PatrickKQ4HBD LOL
Actually, there are laws in Scotland that specifically address that...
Thank you! New regulatory testing and builds coming soon!
Just realized that you have never posted a video on how your shredded styrofoam aircrete is made. Could you please make video of that?
coming soon! subscribe to be notified!
Love this content! Such an interesting building material. Keep it coming! :)
Thank you! Will do!
Thanks from Algeria
You're welcome! subscribe for new builds coming soon!
Wow, amazing! Thanks for doing the work to figure it out.
You're welcome! If you want our complete research check out our new Online Class at abundance.build/classes/ use coupon code TH-cam for $400 off in December!
God Bless you infinitely Sir for your amazing ideas and contributions. I pray you are Blessed and protected always. I'm a fem w no experience but would love to learn step by step how to build a 1000 sqft home. I think that could still be a comfortable size.
What I would do different is build the home in an 8ft to 10ft high slab that you can instantly do an all around porch w stairs on front n back and on one side of it. A ramp into a closed in garage large enough for a workshop. Look forward to yourwell detailed tutorials. Thank you so much.💓💛💓
Thank you! Subscribe for new builds coming soon!
Workshop July 25 - 28th!
We have been looking for a product to expand our production materials to build our tiny homes...very, very interesting...Thanks Stephen...Wow!
Youre welcome!
This info is priceless, only thing is you give no recipe for mix, what ratio of cement/water/airctete/sterofosm. Thanks in advance
Info on previous video
See minute 9:05 or so for "wall formula"
New recipe video coming soon! Subscribe to be notified!
Keep the videos coming! So informative sir!! Please discuss costs more. How much to build walls, houses, etc?
You got it! New cost breakdown video coming soon! Subscribe to be notified!
Awesome information. Happy New Year .
Thank you! You too
Holy smokes (or rather lack of)!!! I cannot believe that shredded styrofoam does not readily burn, readily emit flames and does not emit ANY black smoke! These results are not something I would not have guessed in a million years. This channel is highly enlightening!
New builds coming soon!
I'd love to see your mix used on a metal frame building, such as the garage frame you're sitting in during the last scene. Turn it upside down and fill the roof area with styrocrete about 4-6 inches thick. Once set, roll the structure on one side (or stand it up) and make the walls. Good, solid, metal-framed & insulated building!
Thanks for the tip! Subscribe for new builds coming soon!
Pretty cool. What about using this for concrete countertops? Especially for outdoor bbq patio countertops….. I’m sure the possibilities are endless.
Go for it! Subscribe for new builds coming soon!
Interesting! Thanks for sharing.
You're welcome! Subscribe for new builds coming soon!
Hahaha i was just posing this question to my husband. So glad you made this video!!
Haha you're welcome! 😁
@@AbundanceBuild It was also nothing I expected I thought that would flame like crazy.
@@AndreaGrinoldsSoap Same! We were pleasantly surprised by the results!
Thank you
You're welcome! Subscribe for new builds coming soon!
Hi. I just discovered your channel and binge watching it.
An idea for fixing stuff to your walls.
Drill a hole, inject expansive PU foam, push in the plastic sleeve. Wait for the foam to cure and put your screw in.
Thanks for the tip!
I’d be very interested in a short/long term buoyancy test, wondering if it would be a candidate to use in some sort of floatation application.
Good idea! We will test it soon. Subscribe to be notified!
Phenomenally informative video!! You inspired me to insulate an old house with eps/borate - what is that awesome blower?! I can tell you that the borax/boric-acid solution amazingly repels almost everything that crawls. Cannot understand the surprising fire resistance from just shredding eps (sure that was not a treated source - the eps panel makers are supposed to treat everything they make). Thank you!
(added note: The treated eps as loose fill solves a big problem with cellulose, where an old uninsulated house has rotted-out building paper, any insulation will get wet. Cellulose will really never dry out, but eps will!)
Thanks SpaceCrete, the blower is an old electric Black N Decker leaf blower/vacuum. Works great and it's powerful.
I hope you’ve applied for a patent on this process. Q: can it be blown through a large hose like shotcrete? It’s amazing!
Open source for humanity! Our method is faster than a pump. Subscribe for new builds coming soon!
I'm curious about the structural impact on the block when exposed to high Temps. It's great for some applications that it won't combust but the shredded stryfoam is turning to gas faster than it can combust.. what that do the the structure of the block after heated up like that?
New regulatory tests coming soon! Subscribe to see the results!
Great ingenuity and research. Subscribed.
Thank you! Huge discoveries coming soon!
Mr. Williams, I wonder if you have ever considered adding hemp to the mix, or using hempcrete as a finish. it is carbon negative, and highly fire resistant.
Hemp is expensive and takes a long time to cure. We prefer to recycle. subscribe for new builds coming soon!
With a structural material, it's not just a question of whether or not it burns, but how it affects the structural strength of the material.
This is why you have to fireproof structural steel.
I agree. The walls must be likely to collapse in the event of a fire.
I can think of plenty of uses for this though. Particularly in wet environments... think global warming.
Good foundation in swampy ground I would imagine. For buildings and roads.
Thanks for the tip! Subscribe for new builds and tests coming soon!
Great Videos!!!!! I am interested in building Arched Huts so that we can get the homeless off of the streets. If you look at what Canastoda Huts are doing to provide the same functionality. They end up costing around $2000+ per hut. My thoughts are making a series of forms up to cast the end wall/door wall/ and several "rings"; (all having several cut off plastic conduits, such that all the pieces would be tied together via tie bolts.). I think this structure would be under $300 in materials, and be fireproof!!! Great Work!!!
Great idea and a wonderful use for this. Please share your ideas as you design this.
What about Aircrete Styrofoam as an insulating product for a post and truss building? The strength is in the reduced wood construction but with an 8 or 10" steel clad wall this gets interesting.
Also could Aircrete styrofoam be used for a insulation layer under a 4, 6 or 8 inch concrete floor with in floor heating between?
Good idea! Subscribe for new builds coming soon!
Hey Steve,
It’s been a slow processhere in Ky with the heat Index hovering around 115 degrees.
But, with working in the middle of the night, I’m making some progress,
Started a little different idea on the roof.
Just hoping it will workout
You can do it!
No test for trying to light a raw block of styrocrete on fire without the mesh/stucco? I was looking forward to that being included.
That is one of the test blocks! (6:49 minute mark)
I'd like to see a block of styroaircrete put into a fire pit. The idea would be to simulate a worst case scenario wild fire.
Good idea! Subscribe to see the results of new tests!
Great videos! Thanks so much for making them!
A couple thoughts- i wonder how the cost comparison of aircrete vs styrofoam aircrete balances out when you factor in time. I wonder how much time the extra steps to acquire and process the styrofoam, and packing in the forms takes. Time = money. But maybe the time is negligibe. You'd know better than most of us!
It would also be interesting to see how the structural properties of the styrofoam aircrete degrade from fire compared to aircrete.
With a 9 foot wall you would have to do between 3 and 9 separate pours and cures. And make the wall twice as thick to get the same R value...
I think it was in the previous video about the Styrofoam shredder he built. After the time and modest cost of making the shredder he estimated around 20 minutes per 35 gallon bag to gather and shred the Styrofoam. This is offset by the cost for the greater volume of concrete in regular aircrete, plus there is longer drying/curing time required for regular aircrete of same thickness plus reduced R value.
Thanks for sharing!
Can you test the structural changes in a loaded wall with a fire at the bottom of the wall.... Will the melting styrofoam affect the integrity of the wall? And at what temperature does it begin to degrade.
tests coming soon! subscribe to be notified
Brilliant
Thanks! Subscribe for new builds coming soon!
Beautiful
Thank you
Thank you!
You're welcome! Subscribe for new builds coming soon!
I'm very inspired and excited about your research and results. Please continue with this work.
On it!
This experiment is remarkable. Thank you so much for this effort. My hope to fulfill a four decade long dream of a monolithic dome!
To make this stuff work with a monolithic dome you would need an inner and an outer form right?
And uh... Don't put it in Tornado country 😋
You can do it!
Thanks for the thorough testing and sharing it. I would have enjoyed seeing a cross section of the last test to see the damage to the internals if any. Subd
Good idea! We are pushing for permiting and will have more detailed results at that time. New builds coming soon!
What is your stucco mix? It just looks like mortar or a layer of cement? Can you do a video on your mixes for your stucco and how you layer the aircrete? Did you build your own aircrete gun? I love your videos hope I see more great content like this!
Coming soon! Subscribe for new recipe video!
Could also test as vertical hanging as is in the wall, not just horizontal. Vertical burning usually spreads faster like burning grass uphill. It heats ahead of itself so it burns / propagates faster. Good stuff
Thanks for the tip! New test coming soon! Subscribe to be notified!
Very insightful video, please continue vlogging so a lot of people will learn from your experience.
on it! subscribe for new builds coming soon!
Really starting to like your channel. Just subscribed.
Thanks! New builds incoming!
What about exposre to solvent liquid and vapors? nice to see you testing this promising materials.
I was also thinking as styrene as a carcinogen and a possible threat to underground water leakages.
We are testing for safety! Stay tuned
Doing more to save the world than all the jetting eco warriors at Glasgow.
Haha we werent invited again! New builds incoming!
Big thankyou for this.
You're welcome! Subscribe for new builds coming soon!
Compulsive viewing, thanks very much. great to have all the quantities listed. I intend to have a go at an OSB sip panel in the not to distant future. The 2 questions I had were regarding fire safety and how well the mix bonds to the OSB, You have gone a long way to making me feel confident regarding fire safety, I just need to do some testing on the bonding issue. Thanks again
Chris
CB, when I forgot to oil my mold I about never got it broken free and if I waited a few more days I would have had to tear the wall up to break it free. It sticks well.
@@AbundanceBuild Thanks again for taking the time to reply, I will let you know when I have had a go and show you the results.
Chris
Moral of the story is unless the sun is about to go red the walls around the little pigs ain’t gonna give. Thanx for vids. Gotta couple questions though . Any way you give me holler thanx
Thanks!
I think your channel cold grow with just a bit of interaction with comments. Thank you for posting the videos!
Exactly! We are trying to catch up haha. New builds coming soon!
Could you use lime instead of cement?
@@ToshiSanglir-qx3cn It's possible but lime is much weaker so you would be sacrificing the structural element of our mix.
This is very interesting to compare to hemp-crete.
Hemp is expensive and takes too long to cure
Thank you for the good job and research!
You're welcome!
How do you get to use these new materials with the USA building codes…? Even when they are stronger and fireproof, it seems that approvals will be hard to get…even for sheds in some areas.
This seems quite superior and with lower labor intensity than earth bags as a building material, although earth bags will hold up against high winds and flooding.
Thank you for the interesting videos…
You're welcome! These buildings hold up great! Codes do vary widely but we are working towards getting approvals
Wow how lucky that you happened upon the exact solution to my problems! I can't believe this is the only video of yours I missed which happened to be the most relevant to the issues plauging my household and constantly a problem I've been wracking my brain over what am I going to do
I came home with my SUV filled to the brim by two beautiful people who get coolers for insulin and we have an arrangement so I'll get what I need soon to save my household.
Per your advice, after the knob and tube is clear, would it be more beneficial to use just shredded and treated styrofoam or using the styrocrete in between the walls???
Also I want to make a shower area japanese style and I was hoping I could use waterproofed styrocrete for the sealed space with some stone carving and maybe a tree since I got raw hardwood flooring in a weirdly spaced bathroom that would be perfect to just separate off a watertight shower area where you can easily wash an ornery 1 year old, hydrophobic dog, or confused chickens with complete ease and just a nice are to keep plants and a family style shower and tub area. Would I be able to cover it with something better suited to water proofing so I could go all out for my dream shower? I'm also super into concrete rock features like the ones they make in fancy pools with caves and amusement parks. Here is a great video (much smaller shower) that really made me eager to get a shower area like that....th-cam.com/video/F-VGM9TWYaA/w-d-xo.html
I'll just first have to assess the damage from the burst pipe. I mentioned briefly the entrance and second bathroom seems to be floating and of course no pipe insulation or anything like that so hopefully I can find the pipe and not spend too much repairing it so I'd really be interested in a mostly enclosed styrocrete crawlspace so I never have water running though and freezing my floors. I'm hoping I can get away with a lot of sliding storage with weather sealed doors for outside tools.
Also my coop light fell over and we caught it smoldering completely filled with smoke so I wrecked my back in adrenaline fueled snow shoveling into the hole since the coop is raised so I was worried about the undercurrent recatching. I'm definitely going to use the aircreaye in the open coop walls and I may lower the floor to ground level and do styrocrete floor and insulation covering the barely anything besides vynl siding walls. I always knew I wanted concrete under the sand floor so the poop and all that dries out better and stuff
My life kinda seems like a series of unfortunate events but then I find people like you who motivate me to always make it work!!!
Thanks for sharing! New builds coming soon!
I just discovered the channel, and I must admit I'm intrigued. I'm looking into the possibility of constructing a small home and was wondering if this would work as pre-formed panels that were put into place at the construction site? What about adding a wire mesh core? Would they be durable enough to support a stone or brick veneer? Do they take compression well enough to support a roof with a snow load or do they require additional support? Fascinating stuff and I look forward to more!
go for it! subscribe for new builds coming soon!
What are the mix composition and percentages used?
We are filming an e-course now that will include our perfected mix and self-healing stucco! We aim to have it ready early July stay tuned
Another thing to test is the ph of your choice of "soap" for your foam. It will be better and the foam will last longer if the ph is about 7. If your "soap" is acidic add small amounts of baking soda until you reach neutral ph.
Thanks for the tip! Subscribe for new builds coming soon!
Nice work! Good video. I'm very interested in this technology. I dreamed of opening my own block maker\home designer biz.
thanks! subscribe for new builds coming soon!
is you cast panels with hardfacing, stand them up, then pour between them, you can eliminate some work
Thanks for the tip! Subscribe for new builds coming soon!
Lovely! I just wanted to ask for the fireproofing solution, so you have 7 oz of borax, 3 oz of boric acid and 2 quarts of water. How much shredded styrofoam can you treat with it? 55 gallons? Thank You!
Matei I am not sure as I have only mixed up a small batch for testing. But I was amazed at how far it went. You just have to wet it and leave it to dry.
It would be interesting to see what the fiber mesh/stucco coated block looked like inside the block after that heat was applied. Cut it across the heated sections. I'd bet there is a void in there which in the cast of a burning building might jeopardize the structure. (??)
new tests coming soon! subscribe to see the results!
This is not how building fires work. To properly test for building fires, you need to create a test chamber, which is a closed box with styrocrete walls. By raising the temperature inside the chamber, burning gases can be produced, which will yield different results. The best way to conduct the test is by observing how RVs burn.
We are looking to fund better tests soon! Subscribe to be notified!
should try it using magnesium phosphate cement much stronger than portland
Correct but more expensive and difficult to source. Portland is everywhere
@AbundanceBuild the styrofoam is absorbing like 90% of the costs anyways
@@prototype9000 yea go for it! For us we are trying to help people with low incomes in places without easy access to rare materials
@AbundanceBuild geopolymers are another possibility as well been researching how to polymerizing what we have laying below our feet
@@prototype9000 good idea!
I am not a safety specialist, or chemist, but back when I used to work with network cabling, we had 2 types of "fire prof cables". The ones who did not "melt", helping to propagate the fire, and the ones who did not had some very nasty chemicals that release toxic smoke when burned (hospitals required this last one as many people can't be simple moved away in case of small fires). We often miss understood what "fire prof" means. It will burn, but it will not drip literal fireballs over really combustible materials (have you ever seen how fast a common couch burn? IT'S WILD how quick you can summon hell).
BTW, great information value. Keep the good work.
Thank you and thanks for sharing!
Could you post a load test to see the strength compared to wood
Also could you add fiber glass to it
ICC testing is extremely expensive but we could make a home made version! Subscribe to be notified when we release it!
Absolutely!
What about toxic fumes?
Have you ever tried baking soda instead of /or to use with borax as a fire retardant?
Good idea! New recipe videos coming soon!
I'm going to make some of this stuff! Just gotta figgure out if it is better to rent a mixer like that or buy one used.
You can do it! Subscribe for new builds coming soon!
Here's are two tests I would like to see:
1) Fill a vertical wall space with loose styrocrete. In this wallspace approx 1 foot from the floor, simulate an electrical outlet. Apply the heat source at this "outlet". How does the perform with sustained heat and plenty of material above?
2) How much does this loose material settle and compact from time and gravity? 5 years, 10 years later? I have no idea how to simulate 15 years of gravity in one day of testing.
new regulatory tests coming soon! subscribe to be notified!
What about shredding newspaper instead of using Styrofoam? Since newspaper is used as insulation as well like cellulose?
You should research papercrete which is another alternative building material
Thanks for the tip!
Thank You - Stephen ! Another wonderful Video ... MORE ... MORE... MORE - Please ! And thanks for the link to Dr Energy. I suspect you are in Tenn ( ? ) ... I'm building a Passive Solar house in NKu ( Cincinnati Area ). Going to use 'Dry Stack' 12in Block for Int/Ext Walls - for Thermal Mass. I've been struggling with Ext Foam Insulation for my ( Ext & Perimeter ) Insulation ( 12 in ReClaimed ) Styrofoam ... because of the Flammability/Melting. This has me thinking about 'Forming Up' your stuff - instead of 'glueing' plain ( un treated ) Foam Panels .... Your thoughts ? Thank again. papawbil
Thanks Bill. Forming up and pouring this around the exterior of your block concrete walls will work very well. Very easy to stucco over it to finish it out. Portland cement makes it fire resistant.
This was my top question after the first video I saw from you
New builds coming soon!
That "untreated" styrofoam is not untreated. Actual untreated Styrofoam will burn about like its weight in gasoline. I remember burning some of the old stuff when I was a kid. There was no way you were going to hold on to one end while burning the other end because the flame would spread with a whoosh. I don't think much of that old foam still exists. If my memory serves, the old Styrofoam's foaming agent was isobutylene, which is about as flammable as propane. The stuff that you're burning as untreated is probably foamed with a CFC and was marketed as flame-resistant. That said, putting Styrofoam or expanded polystyrene into concrete is an excellent idea because it will greatly slow the escape of the greenhouse gasses that most commonly are used to expand the foam.
Thanks for the info!