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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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?!

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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...

This is yet another great video. Thank you for all the great information!

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

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

Excellent tests, thanks!

I have been waiting for your new video. Thanks 😊

Thanks for all the information and ideas.

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.

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

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.

Thanks Stephen… I always learn something!

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.

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

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

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.

Excellent points

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

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.

awesome video. I am starring to collect styrofoam and when it warms up in the spring will try building with it! you are a great scientist and inspiration!

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.

Thank you.

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.

More videos please!!

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!

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?

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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

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"

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

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.

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

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.

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.

Hreat video #KZfaq 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.

one thing to consider here is the effect of fire on this material. Styrofoam will give off some nasty chemicals when combusted.

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!

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.

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

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

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 :)

Ohh wow I'm in decatur alabama. Your like 30 minutes away!!!

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 🤔

the mortar mix in the great wall of china used sticky rice.. its why it still stands..

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?

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

Could this be used instead of traditional insulation and still pass inspection? Very interested in using this for a build but not sure weather it would pass code.

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.

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

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?

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

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.

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

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.

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?

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.

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

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

Unless you have carpenters that know how to use a particular system it will not be adopted unless there is a very good reason. There is no good reason for sips and styrocrete due to cost. If you build a double 2x4 wall on the exterior and have a few inches between the two to stop thermal bridging, you have an r-30 wall that anyone can build at low cost.

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

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

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

I think you should also test hemp hurd crete

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

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

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

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?

What mix would you use to insulate under a slab?

Stephan, i would love to visit your place. I live in huntsvills. Are you near by?