Cheap Ideas For Insulation

I use sawdust both in wet and dry mixes. According to the North Dakota State University sawdust is R 3.4 that stacks right up with most fiberglass. http://www.ageng.ndsu.nodak.edu/envr/Insulatn.htm

The more pure the sawdust the higher the insulation value, the more you additives(clay, lime, Portland cement) the more stable it is. When I first got the idea to use it was when I remembered an old apple barn filled with pure sawdust between pine boards. The walls were about a foot to a foot and a half thick and also I remember hearing that’s how they kept ice in summer… packed in sawdust.

My wet mix, for insulation only, in a pump house was 9 sawdust 1 clay and 1 lime. For a dry mix I just mixed in a few shovel fulls of lime to a bobcat bucket load of sawdust, just enough to lighten it up… not very scientific I’m afraid, simply to ward off pests and I’m not full convinced any is needed, the old barn had none and I have piles of sawdust laying around with out infestations of any kind.

Then there’s papercrete or padobe one fellow on the papercretenews list has been using paper with no additives. Like making hand made paper, only much thicker. It would be similar to a solid block of cellulose insulation I suppose. If you were to purchase your insulation I think my first choice would be cellulose made from recycled news paper. I also think corrugated cardboard is an overlooked source of free insulation. chris 3crow ( ( ( p.s. salvaged barn lumber is a great resource..