[Cob] More on Asphalt Emulsion (AE)

[Charmaine Taylor]

AE is not breathable, and is not meant to be.  Purists should run away now...or cover
their ears at this point...AE can be used to waterproof and seal many things, and it is
a non-toxic, non-offgassing inert material...just bentonite clay ( for volume-) "tar'
and water held in suspension.

Go to the hardware stove and look at a can of Henry 107  AE...you wish see the info
needed.   And earthbag is not going to breath much anyway of encased in polybags...the
lime will breathe and release mositure from being trapped against the  walls, but will
not penetrate the  AE...so you have a double duty solution.  You can't make lime stick
to plastic/polyprop bags so you must choose an alternative.  best to use cloth
bags/burlap, canvas, and try a clay-lime slip then a lime plaster over it for true
natural  walls.

By using AW in many test projects I am impressed with its options for use...but it can't
be all thngs to all people.  SB buildes ares using an AE-Clay plaster aroound windos and
door sills to prevent moisture intrustion which could rot bales..this is a good idea,
adobe makers use it in 5-10% vol on bricks to prevent weather erosion...so it hava  long
history of use...the road indurtry used many other AE types which do off gas, are
volitile when  heated, have chemicals added, etc..but this is NOT the same AE as you can
use.

I am currently working on a booklet entitled " Fun with Asphalt Emulsion" as there are
many many useful applicaitons for all homeowners.

good luck....


Ms. Charmaine  Taylor/ Taylor Publishing
http://www.dirtcheapbuilder.com
http://www.papercrete.com


Pack McKibben wrote:

> I'd like to pose another question to the list.  I've amended my plans to include
> the use of Asphalt Emulsion over my earthbag wall and then use a lime render
> on top of that.  Wanting to build as naturally as possible, I wonder if the use of
> Asphalt Emulsion, is the classic problem/balance of using what will work and building
> as natural as possible.  I did a google search to educate myself about AE
> and wonder if this is breathable, since it has asphalt cement in it?  My neighbor
> tried an adobe papercrete mix on her earthbag walls, and now its all pulling away
> from the wall.  It did not attach to the poly bags the way she'd hoped.  I'm going
> to tell her about using AE and need to be able to explain why this is used, it not
> being the most earth friendly, in my thinking, at least.
>
>
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