Ferro cement

[mvk]

Anybody have any experience with this?

I'm playing around with a kind of Quonset hut structure and was wondering if I could cover it with ferro cement and maybe bury part of one side? how about waterproofing it?

Also wonder about doing a foundation with it. I have been considering block, maybe dry stack, but why not ferro cement, maybe lolly columns every 6'-8' feet then fill in with foam, wire, and coat?

Mike

[glenn kangiser]

I've done some.  Helped a customer do a septic tank effluent sump for a pump.  It worked great.

There are additives you can put in it , or stuff you can put on it to seal it.  I got some of this to repair a water tank.


http://www.sanitred.com/
Wet Basement Waterproofing, Finishing & Flooring, Swimming Pool, Deck & Concrete Crack Repair, Roof & Industrial Floor Coating

Only problem I see with ferrocement would be getting engineering and if the ground is not stable possibly great side pressure especially on flat walls -- rounded walls would be stronger.

[n74tg]

I am using drystack foundation walls with surface bonding cement; details at blog address below.

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Here is a guy that used ferrocement AND drystack on his project

http://www.texasmusicforge.com/gimmeshelter.html

[mvk]

>if the ground is not stable possibly great side pressure especially on flat walls -- rounded walls would be stronger.

Every time I think I've reinvented the wheel I find the tire won't hold air

Thanks guy's I was looking for both those links anyway now I can just search under my own name.

I have been reading about this and I guess on the free form stuff the engineering is really complicated, I just spaced the side pressure and thought about holding up the floors and roof. We have clay so that probably would be the worst.

Mike

[glenn kangiser]

Clay can expand and contract a bit but unless it is really saturated doesn't always move.  There are variations of clay called claystone such as the porphyry my place is in here.  It can be very stable. 

The road cut at the bottom of our mountain is 10 to 20 feet deep in places and near vertical with rock in it and has be remaining standing unsupported since before 1989 with no sign of ever having any problem.

If that cut had been in sand and rock it would not be there.  If it had been attempted it would simply have caved in. 

There are many mines in the porphyry that have been open since the 1850's and others have been caved in since then.  Conditions vary greatly and to know your soil you must spend time with it...hold it...feel it...touch it...

Study digs you make - road cuts in similar soil, post holes - etc.  In time you will have an understanding of what it will do. For a house foundation a local engineer may know the soil and be able to help with the footings, foundation, etc. for a fee of course.