Low-Cost Green Home

Pumice-Crete

close-up of Pumice-Crete material
Photos courtesy of Pumice-Crete

Pumice is an extremely lightweight rock formed when volcanic lava cools so quickly that most of its volume is comprised of tiny bubbles of trapped gases. Pumice-Crete is made of three ingredients: pumice as aggregate and just enough portland cement and water to hold the pieces of pumice together. The insulating value of Pumice-Crete comes from both the tiny bubbles within the sponge-like pumice itself and the larger air spaces between the pumice pieces, once the whole wall is sealed by a plaster coating. Pumice-Crete is poured into forms to cast walls in place, then a solid concrete bond beam is poured atop the walls to hold connectors for the roof system. With minimal wall thicknesses of at least 14 inches, Pumice-Crete is strong enough to need no additional structural support for most one- or two-story buildings.

pouring Pumice-Crete into forms

Advantages of Pumice-Crete:

For much more information, see Pumice-Crete.

Here is a completed Pumice-Crete house:

finished Pumice-Crete house