timbercrete

[zongatron]

Hey peoples

Whats the goods on timbercrete?

I was planning mud brick, but came across timbercrete and it looks interesting...

Anyone got any experience, insight, heard rumours?

[Harry72]

http://www.timbercrete.com.au/

[Brickie]

Expect to pay a massive premium to get a bricklayer to even look at the job, let alone actually do it.

[zongatron]

why?

[Brickie]

why?

I looked at a job once that had them, I was directed to the website that said "any decent bricklayer will have a learning curve to lay them" or similar to that.

Any decent bricklayer?

So straight away any bricklayer is a dill, and more so if they tackle these pseudo bricks.

Good luck with it..

[Metung]

Zongatron, what is their advantage over conventional bricks or mud bricks and why would you bother to use them?

[addo]

They're a higher R-value than conventional bricks, and usually go on a slab with no edge rebate (like ICF construction). So theoretically you're saving on formwork time and insulation. Probably supply cost would be close to mudbrick manufacture costs onsite.

Drawbacks as I see it - they're a "skinned" product so erosion over time reveals the rougher internal finish, as a single skin construction material they require a void-free mortar process with stipulated mix formulas and additives, they require sealing inside and out - another cost, and also the irregularity of your jointing may not appeal to all tastes.

IMO the tech PDF is a shocker! Typos, inconsistent quality illustrations and the typical "alternative materials" problem - a complete obsession with their own product. It means in places where they could have achieved better aesthetics (and above average results otherwise) with mixed media, instead there's an ugly photo with too much Timbercrete...

Cheers, Adam.