Styrocrete Insulation Test! The PROOF You Need to SEE!!

[@timdunn2257]

I made my house with Premier SIPs, structural insulated panels, which is styrofoam with OSB laminated one the inside and outside. 10" thick walls cost little more than 4" walls, so my walls are R40 with no thermal bridging at all except around windows and doors, and the posts for the roof's ridgeline beam. My cathedral ceiling is R-44. It's really easy to heat, and in summer, it's very cool. The house is basically a giant igloo cooler.

[@AbundanceBuild]

Great job!

[@JohnDaniels]

SIPS LOOKS awesome 👍🏻

[@UsenameTakenWasTaken]

What's the fire safety on that foam?

[@lowrads3653]

As a lab tech, the ice bottle approach can be a very good proxy, at least if the "curve" is timed well. Each gram or cc of liquid water in the bottle represents 334 joules of energy. If you can halt the experiment when there is a bit of both ice and water in each bottle, you should get quantifiable values for each. A good experiment requires duplicates and ideally some sort of blank or spike.

[@AbundanceBuild]

Lowrads thank you for your feedback. I am happy to hear that the frozen bottle test is a good proxy. And yes I still had just a little ice left on the worst one I was testing.

[@davepennington3573]

That's a very clever thermal testing system, plenty good for most people's purposes. If you use cellulose fiber instead of aircrete you'll have EPIC*, which you probably have seen Aircrete Harry making (the hard way). Every now and then he tells people about "the mad scientist" who invented it 10 years ago and taught him how to make it. Here's the OPEN SOURCE formula: 2 buckets of fully saturated pulp (start with 5 lbs of dry cellulose fiber, mix VERY well with water) One bag of portland cement (92 lbs) Mix portland into the pulp VERY well (the cement becomes INFUSED into the fiber) Mix in EPS beads (between two and five buckets depending on the mix design) Mix VERY well with maximum agitation, adding water as needed to make a thick slurry. Your mortar mixer is a good tool for the job. I have a book coming out soon which includes much more detailed instructions and how to make an EPS grinder/blower/bagger which quickly and easily makes the beads you need to make EPIC. Your lawnmower grinder is clever, this design uses a wood chipper with a gas engine so its considerably quicker and makes a uniform bead size which is essential for spraying. Keep up the great work! *EPIC = EPS plus Paper Infused with Cement

[@AbundanceBuild]

Dave, Thanks for sharing all of this. The Epic mix is very strong but my hunch is it is not very insulative based on my other tests. This is a pretty heavy mix. I really want to see your shredder design. I 'm glad you are inventing better methods as well.

[@robbrubaker6869]

@Dave Pennington please send me your book info when you have it. Thanks!

[@corrlinn]

@Dave Pennington I'm also interested in this method and wonder if Hemp pulp could be substituted for the wood fiber

[@corrlinn]

Pls send book details when you have them! Thx

[@bobjoatmon1993]

Someone commented on an old post of mine and before I left from reading it I noticed this one and had a comment. I live in East Texas and did a lot of experiments and one of the things I did was with EPIC but there were problems with it. And that was mold. I believe that in a drier climate where a lot these alternative building methods are being used EPIC is fine but after a few months exposed to weathering (because your not really testing a material for houses if your not exposing it to everything a house is) my EPIC tests were covered with mold on the shaded side. The paper fibers were being attacked by mold which evidently was eating them. I'd have thought the alkalinity would have stopped that but obviously it didn't or it just 'wore out' after a year of rain and dampness. And at the end of a year, the surface that has mold growing on it was a bit softer.... So what would it be in 20 years? So after 3 years of testing all the different things, I went with styrocrete with BEADS, not shreaded because I'd seen that there was too much variability in shreaded Styrofoam size n density to give consistency wanted for every square foot of the walls of a house. EPIC is a great material in the right climate, just be aware that it is climate affected.

[@timi707_1]

I feel like what we need is some company to start producing a kind of SIP block of aircrete or this eps/aircrete composite. Some kind of interlocking OSB sheathed block that would provide unidirectional stability and even uplift resistance, without requiring mortar or another adhesive to stick the blocks together, so it can be assembled into a wall super easily. I wish I had a factory so I could just start making them

[@khandam7709]

already being done by 2 companies Earth Friendly block and the perfect block, but expensive to ship a product that is mostly air.

[@rongray4118]

There have been a few people who have videos on youtube who have done just this. Honeydocarpenter did a fantastic shed. Great video using steel studs.

[@duanethieme4186]

This is one way, spider tie kzbin.info/www/bejne/d3fEhHqDZsh7Z9U

[@lilymcnabb6621]

@@rongray4118 I wish honeydo carpenter would get those rocket mass heater plans ready to sell. Been waiting more than a year past his estimation.

[@timothykeith1367]

This type of material could be good for roofs in fire prone areas. I've read that cracking can be a problem for commercialization and that improved binders could be expensive

[@MrQbee87]

About the AAC used in Europe (well at least in Poland). For the outside walls we use 24cm (approximately 9,5 in) thick AAC blocks. 30cm are also available. On top of that we use minimum 10cm of styro for insulation. We also insulate our foundations/foundation walls.

[@AbundanceBuild]

Thanks for the info!

[@happy2b4]

This is absolutely the best of its kind on youtube! So well presented! Someone into aircrete/epscrete who really understands, and can explain, energy efficiency of building envelopes - and that energy performance is the most important part of a dwelling structure. It is too bad that tract home construction has not improved in over a half a century, except where they are forced to.

[@AbundanceBuild]

thanks! subscribe for new builds coming soon!

[@krissfemmpaws1029]

I'm glad you are testing this stuff like you are. Makes me more convinced this would work well in a polebuilding home. With 6x6 posts and 2x gurts inside and outside you get a 9 inch thick wall at just an R-3 that gives you an R-27 over most of the wall. Where the gurts are it's an R-18. Around the posts you would have R-8 or so. More importantly little to no air migration through the walls.

[@AbundanceBuild]

Kriss yes this mix would work great for a pole barn. You could even go to the lighter mix for strictly insulation in your pole barn and get even a higher R value mix.

[@krissfemmpaws1029]

@@AbundanceBuild true but the sruff still needs to be able to flow for filling voids around the posts. We are talking a 9 inch thick wall. R-27 is better than most of today's construction.

[@williambrandondavis6897]

@@krissfemmpaws1029 gonna take a lot to hold all that in while it cures. What do you think the pressure at the bottom of a 8 foot by 9 inch by any measure chamber filled with liquid would be? If you poured a 8 foot deep wall the pressure difference from the bottom vs the top is going to make the walls density decreases as you go up the wall. Making the r value also differentiate. Needs to be poured in blocks or sheets or sprayed in thin layers.

[@krissfemmpaws1029]

@@williambrandondavis6897 the stuff is a lightweight slurry because of the shredded styrofoam for starters. That decreases the density of the product as does the aircrete. My idea is form 18 to 24 inch lifts of the wall at a time. This way you can control the bulge of the siding as you are filling the cavity with the slurry. I'm looking at using a polebuilding or a Versatube building as the shell so all I'm doing is filling the voids with the slurry, because it's acting as insulation and not part of the structure it doesn't need to be packed tight like he needed for the core of his walls.

[@mudslinger888]

Even better to eliminate the forest of trees in a structure altogether…

[@raydreamer7566]

This is a GREAT video and so educational . I have a house building in Canada Near Georgian Bay that is over 100 years old and never properly updated insulation wise. I wish I could come up with a way to pour this type of Styro-Aircrete into my mostly hollow walls to get some kind of insulation value better than zero...

[@nicholashall3479]

There is a commercial product called AirKrete that is designed for this. There are contractors that specialize in this in the US, and they do a lot of projects on existing homes. They actually pour it in as a 2 part cement and it expands inside the wall cavity with the bubbles being created via chemical reaction. It's very cool stuff and has been around for about 20 years.

[@AbundanceBuild]

You can do it! Subscribe for new builds coming soon!

[@badawesome]

1. cut hole in hollow wall 2. blow in cellulose or fiberglass 3. not rocket science

[@rowgler1]

I live up north and have spent a lot of time in TX, you are very smart to insulate your slab. Now that thermal mass works for you. Heating from the floor up is the most practical way to go, even the Greeks and Romans knew that. Hot attics in the south are relentless. An insulated roof and a vented cupola to circulate the air works great in the south. It also increases your useable living space. You know your stuff. I've seen some wood framed buildings in Dallas with flat roofs that had an exterior of stucco. After a few years all the wood framing rotted out. You are on the cutting edge. There are all these subdivision communities around Dallas where every home is built the same, always AC units and ductwork in a hot attic space. Makes no sense?!

[@AbundanceBuild]

New builds coming soon! stay tuned!

[@jethrom8702]

Stephen, I think you are on the forefront of this revolution in materials. I applaud your thoroughness.

[@AbundanceBuild]

thanks! subscribe for new builds coming soon!

[@hardnoxgrad5763]

I’m very happy to see you tackle this issue. If you need an investor…let me know how to connect.

[@AbundanceBuild]

[e-mail]

[@philliptoone]

Good job! This is one of the few channels I use the notification bell for. I am REALLY interested in what you are doing here. I plan to experiment with this StyroAircrete (I love the name by the way) this next spring.

[@AbundanceBuild]

You can do it!

[@GardeningViking]

I'm from Oneonta,Alabama I'm glad I found your video we're clearing a site for our off grid home.

[@AbundanceBuild]

Great! You can do it!

[@Subgunman]

We installed a radiant floor heat in our new construction. It as placed over a styrofoam base that holds the piping in place. After that a three inch lightweight concrete that is mixed with a latex liquid, shredded fiberglass and perlite for the aggregate. The latex additive allows for expansion and contraction, the shredded fiberglass helps keep the concrete from cracking while the pearlite keeps the concrete lightweight. After 17 years no issues, once the floor heats up it takes little to keep it warm.

[@AbundanceBuild]

Great job! Radiant floor heat is worth the investment! You can use Abundacrete in the slab to achieve the same effect

[@CrackerFL]

Wow you have been doing your home work! I've been following Aircrete Harry and Matt on the build show. Nice to see poly wall used in flooring

[@AbundanceBuild]

Thanks!

[@TarrinLupo]

Could you please put the exact ratios you use to make the Styro Aircrete please. I watched your videos and the exact mix is unclear.

[@justincowley84]

I've been searching for this as well

[@krissfemmpaws1029]

In his videos he shows the mixes he used.

[@justincowley84]

@@krissfemmpaws1029 I've watched them all about ten times. He did tell one mixture for the styro-concrete two down from the styro-aircrete. (8 to 1) but not the styro-aircrete itself. Unless it's the same mixture just without concrete.

[@cniconstantnever-endingimp6104]

Yes please share they fórmula !!

[@justincowley84]

Found it at 9:14 of the fire test video... also the ratio for blow in insulation at 7:10 of the fire test video.

[@DocJaeBass]

I'm very inspired and excited about your research and results. Please continue with this work.

[@AbundanceBuild]

Thanks! Will do!

[@michaelashworth2774]

Another great video ! Thanks for sharing! Glad to see that you are in Alabama. So your tests and construction builds are very relevant to my future projects!! I asked some questions on another video of yours that I watched earlier, can't wait for your answers when you get time !!! Thanks again, Michael.

[@AbundanceBuild]

sorry for delay trying to catch up on thousands of comments! new builds coming soon

[@h.skiprobinson7668]

Stephen, you are doing great job. It also makes sense from a material standpoint what you are saying and trying to prove. I think the Styrofoam adds both R factor as well as more stability in the finished product, of course with the right size and shape particles and air mixtures as a variable. I'm sure even the size of the air bubbles in the AirCrete and Styrofoam makes a different. If some one could make small little styrofoam balls or small tubes you could potentially increase the stability and R factor even more. If the can make those little popcorn pellets they can surely make balls, ovals or something close.

[@heartobefelt]

another possibility is carbon nano tubes , it aids strength , i came here searching for ways to validate the insulation values

[@AbundanceBuild]

Thanks for sharing! Subscribe for new builds coming soon!

[@Chris_at_Home]

Our garage has a four foot frost wall that has 4” of foam along with 1 1/2” under the slab. Our walls are double stud foam filled.

[@AbundanceBuild]

great job!

[@RedandAprilOff-Grid]

We plan to do some R value tests on our aircrete samples soon. Aircrete's strength, and I'm sure its insulation value, varies a lot depending on how much foam is added and how well the batch turns out. We plan to use heat rather than cold for our tests.

[@AbundanceBuild]

I have enjoyed your tests so far. You are very thorough and describe the process really well. I wish you the best on your home project. Keep the videos coming.

[@RedandAprilOff-Grid]

Thanks! The Google result of R-6 per inch is what originally drew us to aircrete, but we realized pretty quickly that it probably wasn't accurate. At this point we are more interested in a stronger structure, because thermal mass is really effective in the desert. Our daughter is living an old poured concrete ranch bunkhouse that they fixed up to live in, and it does amazingly well without any insulation. 🙂🏜️

[@erikvielman]

just watched through the end and felt like , what is the conclusion or take away from this video? would be great to have a table of the results for comparison.

[@AbundanceBuild]

New tests coming soon!

[@natekola1151]

Been studying for years aircrete and Icf etc . Use of the foam and Watching your videos is super helpful I am Building my own home in mtns in Az amd actualy threw out some Ideas and paused my design process to heavily consider this method . I cant juts build like many places in the south however I’m gonna get crafty on ways Around code issues for sure thanks for the input and dedication to helping solve our larger scale Issues

[@krissfemmpaws1029]

I'm thinking of using this in a polebuilding home.

[@weaverclips]

From what I understand there large areas of AZ. that have no codes to work around. If you happen to be in one of those freedom loving areas,. You can build your own home however you please. Of course this understanding I have is from KZbin so YMMV.

[@natekola1151]

Yah unfortunately only I’m areas pretty much nobody wants to live in haha. There is still some basic codes, most of non code areas are in super south desert areas or extremely remote. I’m in not when az where mtns and pine trees are boundless and beautiful. I’ve been looking at alternate ways for about 4 years on this particular parcel and have been around building most of my life in some fashion. Stuff has flat just gotten tougher to do in nicer areas period. It’s a trade off but I’ll for sure be bending rules where I can, thanks so much for the information it’s useful and relevant .cheers

[@AbundanceBuild]

You can do it! Subscribe for new builds coming soon!

[@georgevanvalkenburg2560]

STEPHEN, HAPPY THANKS GIVING, MAY SOON BE AN AL RESIDENT. YOUR DISCUSSION SPOT ON!

[@AbundanceBuild]

thanks!

[@Jagdtyger2A]

In my State new construction requires that slabs be insulated, walls be 2x6 (or better) and insulated and the attic be insulated. I'm not impressed by much in my State, but we have good building codes

[@AbundanceBuild]

Good luck on your build!

[@peterbeyer5755]

I’ve told Matt Risinger of Risinger Build who builds passive houses in Houston and has over a million subscribers to contact you to do a story on your building method.

[@AbundanceBuild]

Wow thank you Peter! [e-mail]

[@WhistleLad]

Great video brother. Bravo. Thank you for all your diligent work.

[@AbundanceBuild]

Youre welcome! Subscribe for new builds coming soon!

[@WhistleLad]

@@AbundanceBuild I am subscribed 👍🏼

[@swatisquantum]

Finally someone who understands how ridiculous American stick built homes are. I realized this after going to Asia and seeing everything built with concrete. When you walk on 2nd and 3rd floors, no creaks. These layered houses in america are going to be maintenance nightmares. So many voids where pests can hide. Mice, termites, mold, etc

[@heartobefelt]

same in australia , the intensive labour from stick homes alone creates an incredibly inefficient way to build anything. I have a method now to reduce labour by 70 % , exceed the required insulation value and some other bonuses

[@AbundanceBuild]

Its time for an alternative!

[@KenFushen]

I am most confused of the difference between Styro Aircrete and Styro Concrete. In the video, the ration of mixtures cut off the screen and was not fully explained. I'm assuming the Styro Aircrete has a higher ratio of EPS due to its higher insulative value. What is the ratios of the Styro Aircrete and how does one mix this versus the Stryo Concrete. I actually purchased your course and am trying to get a handle on best uses and applications of the various mixes. I'm contemplating doing a hybrid conventional build with staggered stud 24 on centers and styrocrete as filler. This would allow for conventional framing and eliminate thermal bridging as the styrocrete would run in the interior without bridging by the 2 by material. I follow a lot of Matt Risinger on high efficiency building and am trying to reconcile some concepts for conventional construction with your ideas which I also find exceptional by being budget friendly and environmentally friendly. I'm also trying to design something that can meet code and with roof structure load, I'm struggling creating a case for a pure exterior walled styrocrete build as despite your anecdotal demonstration of your shop build, I don't think an inspector in East Texas will go for it without more data on stress loads. I'm not an engineer but I think I could sell a traditional stick framed home on staggered studs which would be able to clearly support the roof structure. I'm also considering some post beam construction but am not as familiar as I've only personally had building experience with conventional framing design.

[@AbundanceBuild]

@@KenFushen We have completely stopped using Aircrete in our mixes. Aircrete is not worth the effort and makes the mix weaker. It's especially poor when pouring because the weight pops the bubbles negating the effects. We highly recommend just using the foam ratio in the course

[@KenFushen]

I’ve decided against traditional framing. I’m going to post frame the house to give nailers on the interior with the girts for different kind of finish options besides stucco mainly because of the labor intensiveness and time to apply. I plan to use steel trusses to give me 10 feet OC with a solid frame and code worthy. Also this type of construction will make electrical pull much easier with the openness of the exterior walls eliminating the need for drilling.

[@juligrlee556]

I want to use styro and aircrete for a wall insulation with rapid set and zero slump concrete. It this possible. Should I do this or choose commercial closed cell spray foam.

[@AbundanceBuild]

Juli you can fire treat shredded styrofoam and blow it into your walls. You need to put up insulation cloth first to hold it all in. You could do your walls and roof with this method. You don't even need the aircrete. But you can also do a light aircrete mix and pack it into the walls after it dries. If you put it in wet it takes a long time to dry and can mold on you.

[@juligrlee556]

@@AbundanceBuild thanks

[@ssoffshore5111]

Good stuff! I wish this product was commercially available and at a reasonable cost!

[@fuzzyfriendlydoggy]

Me too. Would be great if I could pay someone to spray it inside my attic instead of foam. One less building material offgassing sounds good to me.

[@khandam7709]

the cost to ship a product that is 70 to 90% air is not ecnomical so I doubt you will ever see it at a reasonable cost unless you do it yourself with local resources. that's the beauty of the product IMHO.

[@nicholashall3479]

It is commercially available at a reasonable cost. The product is called Perfect Block. Basically it's an insulated concrete form made of a mix of EPS beads and Portland cement. Unlike 99% of insulated concrete forms however, rather than a monolithic vertical slab, it creates a lattice structure, so that 80% less concrete is used and the R value of the wall is therefore dramatically higher. You can build 5 story high structures out of the stuff. Cool product.

[@AbundanceBuild]

Working on it! Subscribe for new builds coming soon!

[@paul-m3g]

I'm a builder/ carpenter. I remember I was working on another builders house doing finishing work, and I asked him if he insulted the house well. He responded, no, I want air to flow through it so that the humidity doesn't stay in the walls and cause mold and rot. He said his father was a builder also, and when he remodeled older houses he saw a lot of rot inside the walls because the walls didn't have air flow. My response was that these houses had the insulation installed incorrectly. The object is to keep the heat/cold OUTSIDE, and the heat/cool INSIDE. When I quit a house I was always anal about the insulation. The more the better, the tighter the house, the more energy efficient the house is. The moisture content is managed by using proper vapor barrier on the inside and a "breathable" house wrap on the outside. This builder also responded by saying "you want airflow". My response was," yes, but you want control of the airflow". If you want fresh air in your house open a window, not let the winding do it for you. Yes, there are some problems with styrofoam sealed houses with condensation, but that can be controlled by proper de humidification. Bottom line, the tighter the insulation, the better. It's the best investment on return you can put in your house.

[@AbundanceBuild]

Very well said! We now use a waterproof additive in our stucco to further mitigate moisture!

[@michaelmerryman7806]

I hope next is structural tests! I'm really interested if this could be used as precast floors for a second story and the load bearing capabilities of the walls. I live in Florida so I also wonder if there is some way of figuring what kind of wind load it can handle. very cool stuff!

[@josiahclemence767]

I agree. My first question was can I ever convince an inspector that what I am doing is safe then realized I needed to know how safe it is structurally and have numbers to prove it. Thinking about the material logically I can see that while it is stronger than styrofoam I question the strength of pieces of foam kind of glued together with concrete. I don't doubt the idea nor it's validity. I would be curious about compression loads, point loads, and deformation loads it could take. It's possible that aircrete while having a lower r value has better structural properties that offset it's disadvantages.

[@AbundanceBuild]

Coming soon! Subscribe to be notified!

[@emceh]

Great insight, thanks. It's true AAC is very popular here in Europe but also it's later on wrapped with 5 inch styrofoam blocks. Also Truth is that 30-40% of heat (as warm air tries to escape raising up) is lost via the ceilings. Recently heat exchangers are very popular here in Europe that save even more energy.

[@AbundanceBuild]

Thanks for sharing! subscribe for new builds coming soon!

[@jhonyperez4772]

Thank you, really appreciate the time you put into this, I am planning on using this form of insulation next year

[@AbundanceBuild]

Great job!

[@loachridge]

I'm coming in late to this. But, I am seeing the potential for panels being poured that can be fastened together using currently available steel stud and channel. If a foundation wall for a single level structure is needed; using your numbers as they are presented; then a 4 inch wall would get close to R13. A pretty standard thickness in Michigan. Now, 4 by 8 panels with steel stud on one side and channel on the other, at approximately 110 lbs a panel, they could be dropped into position and screwed together onto just about any prepared surface.

[@AbundanceBuild]

thanks for sharing! subscribe for new builds coming soon!

[@rowanshole]

I know you are standing in a corner Stephen, but the audio quality in that room is a lot better than I expected. No where near the reverberation I was expecting. I suspect you have skim coated the walls with 1:3 cement: fine sand? How far away from the facing walls are you?

[@AbundanceBuild]

About 2 feet. I am now using a wireless lapel mike on my shirt that is working much better now.

[@rowanshole]

@@AbundanceBuild cheers Stephen. I've looked at material from Richway aircrete company and others, and cellular Concrete is very good for lessening reverb/ reflections etc. Appreciate you sharing your knowledge, techniques and experiments.

[@hopechannelcat5462]

could you show how you make your aircrete or styro aircrete and the machines you use to make foam and mix. i've watched your styrofoam shredder but never seen how you make it. this would be helpful. did you buy a foam generator or make one. very interested

[@AbundanceBuild]

subscribe for new builds coming soon!

[@johnbies7041]

I live in Toney Alabama… I am retired from the Army, I am frequently accused of being an Engineer profession, ..I would absolutely love to have a chance to talk with you about the things you discussed in this video… kindest regards, John Bies

[@AbundanceBuild]

John we are neighbors. My email is [e-mail]

[@emmanueladetutu8739]

Hi Stephen, thanks for all your videos!! I am about to give styro-crete a shot. I have two question in mind. 1) can I use only cement and EPS without the air foam? what will the effect on the structure having only cement and eps. 2) I grew up know that dipping EPS in petrol/benzine melts the eps to form some kind of sticky glue, what will be the effect of splashing petrol/benzine on the aircrete? or having it expose to such chemical.

[@AbundanceBuild]

You're welcome! New recipe videos coming soon! You can melt it with a few chemicals to make glue. Good luck!

[@dennisboscodemello2123]

Dipping eps with petrol make a gluing fluid which is used for water proofing in India low cost method. I have used it for water proofing on my roof

[@mikecondoluci53]

how does the house breath if you make it so air tight? sounds like it would get moldy to me, tell me if im wrong

[@AbundanceBuild]

Cement walls don't really need to breathe much, the air exchange is handled by your ventilation set up. The material itself is mold proof since it is entirely cement-coated stucco

[@saintdavid89]

Thanks for doing this testing and making the video. Is there any way you'd consider doing a sound barrier test? You could use all the same structures and maybe simulate a typical 2x4 interior and/or exterior wall?

[@AbundanceBuild]

new tests coming soon!

[@AbundanceBuild]

👍

[@mudslinger888]

1:8 ratio by weight or volume? Have you compared eps vs perlite of different sizes? Or a combo

[@AbundanceBuild]

New recipe video coming soon! subscribe to be notified!

[@jackspencer8290]

Do you think the styroaricrete at 10lbs / cubic foot would be light enough to use between joists as attic insulation?

[@AbundanceBuild]

Probably but we also used shredded Styrofoam treated with Borax as loose fill and it works great! Check out our fire test video to see it in action!

[@DBRGB]

You’re in Alabama and I’m in SC. Anyway we could meet up so I can speak with you directly as I have too many questions. Also, I learn best when I’m able to physically see in person, how something is done.

[@AbundanceBuild]

We are about to announce our first workshop planned for July! There will be many more opportunities to build in person going forward! Subscribe to be notified!

[@AbundanceBuild]

Workshop July 25th - 28th!

[@joshsoorlin579]

Finally another video!!! Can u do a vid on strength or weight or compression

[@AbundanceBuild]

tests coming soon! subscribe to be notified

[@bobjoatmon1993]

Great information, thanks for all your hard work to research, test and video it all for us. Another variable that people are going to have is the sizing of the shredded styrofoam from DIYer to DIYer which will have great effects on R value.

[@AbundanceBuild]

Yooure welcome! subcribe for new builds coming soon!

[@santocominos3252]

Have you made a video of the ratios of foam to the other ingredients, or rather a formula for what you're mixing?

[@AbundanceBuild]

Coming soon! subscribe to be notified!

[@ioda006]

I'm interested about using styrocrete blocks instead of pouring it straight into a form. I understand your arguments against it, but I have some specific applications. Could you use styrofoam in the mortar? One of my concerns is the thermal bridging that the regular mortar creates.

[@AbundanceBuild]

To get a good block make sure to compress them in the mold so it forms a solid bond. I don't think it would work in mortar but you could test a small amount and see how it holds

[@motionsick]

Bro this is like the final piece of the puzzle for cheap container home/cabin builds.

[@AbundanceBuild]

It is the final piece of the puzzle for many building methods! 😁

[@TheOldGuyPhil]

Stephen Williams mix is 3 1/2 gallons (volume) of Portland cement, 2 gallons of water, 25 gallons of foam, and 45 gallons of shredded EPS. This will make 45 gallons of mix that packs down to 35 gallons in your wall.

[@AbundanceBuild]

New foam free recipe video coming soon! Stay tuned

[@Lisacee7]

Thank you for all your research. I appreciate your content.

[@AbundanceBuild]

You're welcome! subscribe for new builds coming soon!

[@telocity]

I've seen a comment from Russia and they use polyproline shredded in their aircrete. Which makes we wonder about using shredded hemp bast for filler.

[@heartobefelt]

chopped basalt fibre , chopped fibreglass , polypropelene fibre (as used in shotcrete) are all decent reinforcing fibres that i am surprised didnt get used in 3D house printing yet. 3D print of houses could benefit greatly by having the fibre chopper and discharge right near the nozzle , combined with woven mesh feeding off a roll every 3 - 4 feet of wall height. For poured in place walls using aircrete , styrocrete or pearlite Geopolymer , such fibres could also be added however as long as those dont have a suitable structural compressive strength they will still need a structural framing (unless 3D print can provide the exterior with wall cavity filling afterwards using aircrete.

[@AbundanceBuild]

thanks for the tip! subscribe for new builds coming soon!

[@spudboy291]

Wonder if you could coat a styro aircrete wall with joint compound?

[@AbundanceBuild]

Go for it! Subscribe for new builds coming soon!

[@robertogondou8016]

que pasaria si le ponés una botella descartable de plastico de coca cola en el interior del bloque con tapa. la colocas en el congelador destapada, la sacas y tapas antes de sacarla, cuando se calienta el aire aumenta el volumen del aire y queda mas dura, mejoraria la aislacion termica?

[@AbundanceBuild]

¡gran idea! A por ello

[@chrisgriffith1573]

Having air bubble in the block is a lot better than foam products, because the foam will off gas over it's lifetime making it pretty unfriendly. Styro also will shrink over its short lifespan, and does not like moisture, creating thousands of opportunities for mold, mildew, and externally giving foundation footholds to moss and lichens, even mushrooms, and fungus... I love the idea of this stuff.... but after ten years of the elements its hard to see how you would not have problems due to the nature of styro.

[@carlacowling1789]

Good points, but I feel that encapsulating the styrofoam in the aircrete or even concrete means off gassing is contained and the styrofoam is less likely to decay as it's not exposed to the elements. Additionally, finishing the surface with stucco or a skim coat protects the exterior of the bocks and they are unlikely to deteriorate.

[@Weirdomanification]

You said mold four times

[@AbundanceBuild]

Thanks for the tips! Subscribe for new builds coming soon!

[@chrisgriffith1573]

Problems with cracking are common to those that skip out on the preparations of leveling and tamping of the foundation to begin with. Proper prep is often not observed, and the placement of the foam boards is not supported, spaces beneath those boards creates stress points and that is when you get a crack 10 years down the road, either due to moisture migration pooling there, or from earth settling into that space dropping the level of the pad surrounding that spot.

[@AbundanceBuild]

thanks for sharing! subscribe for new builds coming soon!

[@ernestlageman1553]

Hello am reading about the r values here in the Netherlands and they use rc and rd valueThis is what the translation says;The insulation value depends on the thickness and composition of the foam concrete. The foam concrete that Faber uses for installing the comfort floor and insulating the crawl space provides an insulation value of 0.9 RC for every 10 cm thickness of the foam concrete layer.

[@AbundanceBuild]

thanks for sharing!

[@mistywoods1248]

Thank you so much for the experimenting that you are doing. How are your adjustments coming along with your styrofoam shredder? Have you added the buckets to help cut down on the flying styro? If so, how's that working out for you? Your invention reminds me of a giant food processor, and I've been collecting equipment and material to construct my own :)

[@mudslinger888]

It’s also a kin to paper Crete blocks I’ve made using a giant blender tub on a car rear differential and pulling it to blend. Paper Crete is also good in its own right too. Also hemp crete and wood shavings.

[@AbundanceBuild]

You can do it!

[@olsonlr]

Just dropped in to look. How structural are these materials? Able to completely replace wood/steel/concrete traditional structural members?

[@AbundanceBuild]

Yes the strength in our method comes from the homogenous fiberglass mesh and cement shell of the building. It distributes weight well! And the Styrofoam actually adds a lot of compressive strength!

[@trevorrisley5419]

Another great video, man. Keep up the good work. 😃

[@AbundanceBuild]

thank you! subscribe for new builds coming soon!

[@wcguthrie]

Well done analysis, what do you think about using aircrete on the outside of a shipping container home?

[@AbundanceBuild]

Bill, it should work great. Then stucco the outside surface and paint it.

[@khandam7709]

should help with condensation, which is the biggest problem with steel boxes and hot/cold air.

[@khandam7709]

You need to insulate inside toobto avoid condensation

[@valdimirputin1335]

What is the difference between Styro Aircrete and Styro concrete ?

[@AbundanceBuild]

The aircrete foam, which is basically bubbles that you inject with a foam generator. Our new mix AbundaCrete no longer requires the pesky foam generator!

[@valdimirputin1335]

@@AbundanceBuild DOes Styro concrete too contents Styrofoam /EPS (Expanded Polystyrene) ?

[@AbundanceBuild]

@@valdimirputin1335 yes shredded EPS!

[@xephadoo]

I also live in Alabama, and am curious: how are you getting your recycled styrofoam for your projects? I am about to build an earth-ship styled earthbag home, and would like to use styrocrete for some of my insulation needs, but I have not idea on where to course it.

[@AbundanceBuild]

We are selling bags at our workshop July 25th - 28th if you want it quickly! You can also get your own from furniture stores or appliance stores.

[@substanableprojects]

I was wondering why no one is putting lime in their aircrete or styro aircrete mixes. Would it help or not really? Also on the videos when installing these cretes into foams would cement vibration tool help with voids?

[@AbundanceBuild]

We considered lime but it is more brittle and not as cost effective. We prefer to pack it in very tightly to secure the styrocrete bond! Subscribe for new builds coming soon!

[@substanableprojects]

@Abundance Building Concepts thank you for all the info in your videos. We're getting ready to do a below grade greenhouse and with the R values this gives I'm excited on using it for the walls and planter boxes.

[@AbundanceBuild]

@@substanableprojects Love it! Have fun! Should work great!

[@Escekar]

Is styroaircrete weak? Can it stand movement of land? What stress level can it stand?

[@AbundanceBuild]

New tests coming soon! Subscribe to see the results!

[@countryside8122]

Add aluminum sulfate to your regular cement mix. They have been doing this in Europe for some time now. The Aluminum sulfate causes the cement to turn into a cement with air pockets in it. It is light weight and has a high r value. They use it in walls and also can pour like you do in here and also add rebar to it. It is just as strong as cement.

[@zazugee]

but does it need to be autoclaved or not?

[@AbundanceBuild]

Thanks for the tip! Subscribe for new builds coming soon!

[@johnathandignan4329]

Hang on now. If the r-value is approximately the weighted average of the r values of the materials, as you would expect for a compound, what is the effective difference between this and concrete with polystyrene sheathing?

[@AbundanceBuild]

New tests coming soon! Stay tuned

[@Christ_on_the_River]

Am I correct in thinking you can cut styro-aircrete with a wood saw?

[@AbundanceBuild]

Correct

[@Bas20hz]

If I built an earthbag home and put a few layers of styrocrete on the outside, would that insulate it enough for a very cold climate?

[@AbundanceBuild]

Yes but Styrocrete needs compression to bond, therefore we use a mold!

[@Bas20hz]

Thanks!

[@ericdelevinquiere9902]

Great presentation, I wonder if you could add some tags for each block post production. Easier to identify on camera which is which for someone unfamiliar with the materials.

[@AbundanceBuild]

Great idea!

[@scottn9492]

This video would benefit from a few charts and graphs as you talked through the different ranges of numbers.

[@AbundanceBuild]

Good idea!

[@WhistleLad]

Steve’s Dome home was actually made from thin bricks. It was one of the domes Hajjar and Steve built prior to their familiarity with Aircrete. Many think Steve’s dome home is made of Aircrete since it is on Dome Gaia’s website, but it was an earlier build. Hajjar had many domes built with brick prior to venturing into the Aircrete realm.

[@AbundanceBuild]

Thanks for letting me know this. I wondered about that because the video shows using concrete blocks at first but I I couldn't tell if Steve's house was aircrete or not. I tried editing the video but found it to be really difficult so I will just have to leave it.

[@georgewhite7687]

still little confused witch one had the best R value and the mix parts ?

[@AbundanceBuild]

New tests coming soon! Subscribe to see the results!

[@aaronblake1533]

Stephen, how does Styro Aircrete hold up to freeze/thaw cycles when it's wet. Does it crumble? I'm thinking about insulating the outside of my cinderblock shop with this material, but we have to deal with freeze/thaw cycles, and I don't want it to fall apart. Also, does this material let moisture pass through to the other side of the wall, or is it a vapor barrier? This can lead to condensation and mold problems if it blocks the moisture on the cold side. I'd love to take advantage of this material, but I don't want to regret it later. Thanks!

[@AbundanceBuild]

Aaron, aircrete handles freeze thaw cycles really well because of the air spaces in the mix. Styrofoam does very well as well but I have not done any testing with this. Water can pass through aircrete and styro aircrete. It is not a vapor barrier. Once you stucco it you need to coat it with a product that is water proof and water vapor permeable. I am using elastomeric roofing paint for this.

[@ruggedist]

Great info as usual, Stephen! Thanks for making the vids and sharing the research. We need a loosely organized association of sorts.

[@AbundanceBuild]

This channel is that! subscribe for new builds coming soon!

[@brichardson7884]

Great video! Subscribed. I really liked your R value test. Have you tried hempcrete at all? I like the concept of aircrete, but it seems like a lot of people struggle with making good reliably repeatable foam. Hempcrete and styro-crete seems more "me-proof"

[@AbundanceBuild]

Hemp is expensive and takes too long to cure

[@nwflboy007powell8]

Stephen, thanks again for your videos and the enthusiasm and passion you show. As I expressed in you last video I am curious about your mix design and the possibility of further experimentation of additional mix designs. Non autoclaved uses some styrofoam in addition to graphene and aluminum powders. Polystyrene ( open or closed cell), shrinks 5% with age where as closed cell polyurethane doesn't. For additional strength I mentioned using hemp netting, fabric, fiber or paper. What about building building blocks or panels for easier construction? I was a lab tech in Florida for 14years myself, but dealt mostly with asphalt and polymers, but have done retension walls, sound walls, sidewalks, curbing, inlets, pipes and other concrete structures. Unfortunately, due to health issues I was forced to retire and am disabled. This has long been an interest of mine and my wife has put up with me dragging her around the country visiting different factories using panelized foam, fiberglass, blown concrete, etc. I concur minimums for walls should be R30-50 and roofing R50 or more. Solar energy is a pipe dream as over $500 billion has been spent in R&D and it still isn't green nor does it produce or store the energy needs because of certain government interference of behalf of big power interests. There is no one magic bullet to cure the ills of the industries or power demands, but several small things simultaneously could lead to that end.

[@mudslinger888]

I’ve been on a similar quest for many years as well, and was also forced into early retirement. Contact me if we can share ideas. KR8 peace at G. Mail. A design built taught many thick wall systems including light clay straw, cob, straw bales, adobe, rammed earth, perlite cement, sod. Working out a refractory mix design now.

[@AbundanceBuild]

New recipe video coming soon! Subscribe to be notified!

[@x_jaydn]

Hey Stephen, How well does Styro-crete hold up after being (kiln) fired? I want to know if they'll survive a house fire and whether or not the structural integrity and/or R Values are maintained after the internal Styrofoam has melted/vaporized 🤔

[@AbundanceBuild]

New tests coming soon!

[@Twistedmetal-qe8kx]

Great video, really like your approach to actually trying and testing everything.

[@AbundanceBuild]

Thank you! subscribe for new builds coming soon!

[@CET675]

I have been waiting for your new video. Thanks 😊

[@AbundanceBuild]

Youre welcome! subscribe for new builds coming soon!

[@michaelleone7863]

Stephen can you do a video on how well screws can drive into the "styroaircrete", try various size screws and lag bolts, try screwing drywall or plywood or osb sheets directly to the styroaircrete

[@AbundanceBuild]

Michael this is a problem with styro aircrete because it does not hold nails or screws. This is partly why I am going to light wood trusses in the wall which will form the mold for pouring and give nailing surfaces for hanging trim, cabinets, siding, roofing etc. I have determined that styro aircrete is not strong enough by itself for load bearing walls. It is holding on my wall but I am pushing my luck with this build and have added a 2x4 inner framed wall for structural backup.

[@davidkreimer2970]

Stephen Williams...Could you once again give your formula for styro concrete...8:1. Is this by volume or weight??? thanks for your work.

[@AbundanceBuild]

Hi David. The mix is 3 1/2 gallons (volume) of Portland cement, 2 gallons of water, 25 gallons of foam, and 45 gallons of shredded EPS. This will make 45 gallons of mix that packs down to 35 gallons in your wall.

[@randytucker3083]

@@AbundanceBuild thanks so much for the mix .

[@The_clueless_Nomade]

I happened to stumble upon your video. I wonder if that would work in a cargo van or a teardrop trailer build I have going on?

[@rodneybrooks6096]

Cement - think crystals that hold everything together.

[@mudslinger888]

I’d be careful using crumbly materials in a moving structure…

[@AbundanceBuild]

Need a mold to pack it tightly! New builds coming soon!

[@teknotech]

Your idea is very thought provoking, to use styrofoam and increase thermal insulative qualities. Have you seen any acoustical insulative properties as well? Thanks for sharing!

[@AbundanceBuild]

great acoustics! subscribe for new builds coming soon!

[@ruthdoyle9085]

Could you test styroadobe? Then airstyroadobe...?

[@AbundanceBuild]

Good idea! Go for it!

[@webyankee6558]

What I did not hear you say anythink about the strength of the blocks if they are going to be used in a wall of a building. 1 story high, 2 stories high? What is the limit?

[@AbundanceBuild]

The strength of the structures does not come from the styrocrete. The trusses and fiberglass mesh provides the strength for the building! Check out our videos on our two story shop with elevator and subscribe for new builds coming soon!

[@webyankee6558]

@@AbundanceBuild There are no trusses in the wall behind you, so please address my question and tell me what is the load bearing strength of the wall.

[@AbundanceBuild]

As I said, the strength comes from the fiberglass mesh as well. There are no official tests done to give definitive numbers. The ICC testing costs around $200K so I haven't been willing to pay for that alone

[@webyankee6558]

@@AbundanceBuild If someone builds using this they should have some idea that it is not going to come crashing down, they should know the limits of the material being used. I would like to know.

[@AbundanceBuild]

We would all like to know! All the indications from our research and tests indicate the strength but unless we crowd fund the testing - it wont happen.

[@-robo-]

A (shared) google sheet of your data would be very cool.

[@AbundanceBuild]

Good idea! Subscribe to be notified when we make something like this available!

[@lowrads3653]

Would it work as a roofing material?

[@bobjoatmon1993]

Yes, with qualifiers. Is it on load bearing rafters? Or are you going to put some reinforcement in it and also cast it with thicker "beams" on the underside? Because a certain amount of the styrofoam embedded in the concrete matrix is going to show on the surface there's going to have to be a coating or membrane over the styrocrete that's waterproof and UV resistant.

[@Thoracius]

You should use a roofing material that is resilient to hail damage, waterproof (not porous or prone to cracking), and not heavier than your roof is engineered to hold.

[@AbundanceBuild]

Yes, subscribe for new builds coming soon!

[@mking3219]

That's all well and good, but where do you find cheap styrofoam beads?

[@ssoffshore5111]

See his previous video(s) on making it, you get it for free locally... but it requires some work.

[@AbundanceBuild]

We shred recycled styrofoam from furniture stores! Subscribe for new builds coming soon!

[@nwflboy007powell8]

Graphene-enhanced concrete is tested and it provides a 146% increase in compressive strength, a 70% increase in flexural strength, and a 400% decrease in permeability. The incorporation of graphene in concrete would develop structures with increased durability, an increased conductivity, and thermal properties. Resulting in an overall decrease in CO2 emissions. Hemp concrete or hemp lime, it's a biocomposite made from a mix of the woody core of the hemp plant, lime binder, and water. The hemp core (also hemp hurd or shiv) has a high silica content that allows it to strongly bind with the lime.. As a result, you get a lightweight, cementitious material with good high insulation properties that weighs six to eight times less than concrete. It's ability to aborb CO2 emissions actually make it a carbon negative product. Because of the high moisture content care must be taken in the drying or curing of hemp, unless your intention is to make hemp graphene. At this time hemp is available in moderate amounts except for industrial or textile use and is utilized in a variety of products from clothing and shoes to bulletproof vests, car parts, artesian niche soaps, oils, beauty and health products. For hundreds of years it has been available as rope for maritime travel in boats and netting. Hemp as a means of paper and due to it's strength even the paper is utilzed to make implements, dishes, cups and musical instruments. Aircrete is simply concrete with bubbles., there is no set formula. Fine foam, which has a high density, can be added to increase aerated concrete's strength, which results in a stronger aircrete. When high densities of foam are included, aircrete can become brittle, and chipping can occur. This type of aircrete will have limited compressive strength and could not be load-bearing.Aircrete offers many traditional concrete benefits with added properties to enhance sustainable and energy-efficient homes. Aircrete offers superior insulation properties due to foam and air bubbles built into concrete itself which can be enhanced by adding various types of polystyrene or polyurethane foams improving it's insulation values.Aircrete is most often used for exterior and interior walls. However, aircrete can also be used for several other home applications, such as precast blocks and panels and concrete slabs for an insulated flooring system. In some cases aircrete is used for poured roofs, increasing insulation capacity of ceilings and attics where heat tends to escape from homes. When used with additives it's load bearing capabiities, compressive strength, durabilities and other characteristics are greatly enhanced.

[@skygonzo9813]

Good information is there any cost comparisons for materials you describe

[@AbundanceBuild]

Thanks for the tip!

[@EmpoweredPercussion]

Hreat video #KZbin should create a policy to make people who give thumbs down write the reason(s) why and to to go a step further reward them.

[@AbundanceBuild]

haha! we welcome all feedback! subscribe for new builds coming soon!

[@ares0wept]

Thanks for all the information and ideas.

[@AbundanceBuild]

youre welcome!

[@Jagdtyger2A]

I am still trying to find out exactly what aircrete is, how it is made why I have yet to hear you answer this very important question. Many of us off grid types would be interested

[@AbundanceBuild]

New videos coming soon!

[@bigdaddyyc]

Great videos. Have you done any strength tests on the styrocrete?

[@AbundanceBuild]

New tests coming soon! Subscribe to see the results!

[@maxx4944]

im looking to build a custom cooler that can retain ice for a weekend trip. i need a strong material with good insulation that will hold its shape when adding items. any recommendation?

[@AbundanceBuild]

go for it! subscribe for new builds coming soon!

[@LouisFPak]

Thanks Stephen… I always learn something!

[@AbundanceBuild]

Youre welcome! subscribe for new builds coming soon!

[@nicholashall3479]

I love that you did these tests! Could you go into a little more detail about the results in a future video? I'd love to see some actual data about the insulative performance of the various mixes. It sounds like you were weighing the residual ice after a fixed time. As you pointed out, thermal mass and retained heat have an outsized effect here. It would be enormously helpful for us to see a simple bar graph showing the 70 degree performance vs the 0 degree performance with grams of residual ice as the unit. I think averaging the grams of residual ice after x minutes at both 70 degrees and 0 degrees would give a pretty "score", and I'd love to see the data.

[@AbundanceBuild]

tests coming soon!

[@TeamRiceUSA]

Thank you.

[@AbundanceBuild]

You're welcome! subscribe for new builds coming soon!

[@vinvan4237]

How does this compare to say a block brick wall with styrophome boards on the outside?

[@AbundanceBuild]

new tests coming soon! subscribe to see the results!