Air Crete Construction

When we relocate next year our "bug in" strategy will shift to a "bug out" strategy. While we are moving to a more self sufficient lifestyle, the terrain is not as flat and concealing as we would like. There are, however, some nearby mountainous areas that have a great deal of potential for an off grid bug out and weekend/vacation recreational spot.

I've been looking into inexpensive construction techniques I can use to create organic structures that can blend into the surrounding area. I've been researching techniques like earth bag and cobb, when I ran across air crete. It's basically a lightweight foam of concrete that is very strong, provides good insulation, and is also lightweight - perhaps like pumice.

One of the drawbacks has been that expensive equipment has been required to create the concrete foam, but these guys have figured out a way to make a foam machine powered by a hand drill.

Not sure if this is the route I will go but this is pretty intriguing

 

Loved the part were the guy jumps up out of bed, grabs the wall above the hole in the wall and jumps through! Now try that with an arm and/or leg in a cast!

 

It's called the little dragon - you can find it here along with several other air crete construction tools: Featured Products

$1000 buys you the three main tools you need to build a dome style structure. The little dragon by itself is half that.

 

You don't need to build goofy architecture - I've seen several air crete structures in the Internet that look like conventional homes.

 

I've been interested in those for a while. Haven't done the research on them as I've been pretty busy, but a friend of mine said he has a buddy in Texas that built some and rents them out. Thanks for posting this link.

 

Looks interesting. It seemed to hold up to a small sledge hammer, but I wonder how well it stands up to a .308?

It would seem that with all that trapped air, it would be a fairly decent insulator.

 

So you're moving to the Shire?

 

I'd think about a modified shipping container surrounded by earthbags for that. My thoughts using air crete are organic shapes that blend in and are likely somewhat covered by earth, sort of like a "ghille house". I am planning on a shipping container "cave" for storage when we aren't there.

Not sure if I will use air crete or not, but it's such a fascinating technique I thought I'd share

BTW, air crete isn't just for funny hobbit dome construction.

 

We know there were concrete cargo ships that served for a while around the WWII era. But that was well before air entrainment, much less aircrete was available. I wonder ---

 

I looked into building a concrete sailboat 30 years ago. It has a surprising number of advantages. Air crete would be pretty intriguing for this.

 

Hard to build in a high rise, but an interesting project for eddie to undertake.

 

Do I need to test this too?

 

I don't think it would provide much resistance unless you could mix in something that would allow for the energy to be captured and distributed. In it's standard form I think it would be resistant to cracking.

The best thing I can think of so far for "castle defense" would be a basement with several corrugated window wells of the appropriate size and dimensions - basically fox holes connected to a bunker. Steel plates could be used to seal them off if needed, perhaps on a hinge with a deadbolt to secure. Above perhaps earthbag construction as it is effective and inexpensive, and if you build it around shipping containers even more effective.

 

My first guess would pretty much agree that aircrete is apt to not offer significant resistance to bullets. But, unknown as it is, it could be a subject for future testing.
So far as window wells go, fuggedabowdit in snow country. That said, they can be a good egress route if not filled with something as long as they are supplemental rather than dependable.

 

Oddly enough, my first exposure to them was in snow country, but I see what you mean.

 

So was mine, but we had to clear one for the coal chute ---