Pictures of the Wall...

The Water Test...

This video is of the group testing the wall to see how water proof it actually is.

The Construction of the Wall...

Please be advised that the following video only displays the preparation of the cardboard. The video for construction of the wall had corrupted and was unable to be posted.

Random Update...

Just an update on the status of the work. The wall frame has been built and the cardboard cladding has been applied. Testing of the wall has gone underway. Photos and videos to be uploaded shortly... Stay tuned!

The Wall Design...

The Construction Method...

Simple no Frame method

Preparation

1.  Measure the area where you want the wall. Measure both the height and width of the space.

2.  Gather the cardboard. Buy the large cardboard sheets from Bunning’s or any other home improvement store. Or use large cardboard boxes.

3.  Cut the cardboard with a Stanley knife. If using sheet of cardboard, cut the cardboard based on your measurements. If you are using cardboard boxes, cut off enough of the pieces of the boxes to match the measurements you have taken.

4.  Tape the piece of the cardboard boxes together using plaster wall seam tape. This type of tape allows you to paint over the seams.

Stand The Walls

1.  Lay the cardboard wall on the floor.

2.  Measure the width of the cardboard and mark off every 610mm.

3.  Fold the cardboard at each 610 marking.

4.  Stand the wall upright.

“Large open rooms or unfinished basements can be great usable spaces when completed. If you have such an area and have been considering dividing the space into smaller rooms, a temporary cardboard wall might be the answer. A cardboard wall will allow you to try out different room sizes without making an immediate permanent commitment to a major construction project within your home.”

Advanced Frame Construction Method

Supplies:

• Large card board pieces

• Utility knife

• Tape measure

• Pencil

• Small tacks

• Drywall tape

• Paint

• 1 x 1-inch furrowing strips

• Hammer

• Expoxy

• Paint brush

• Drop cloth

• Cardboard Tubes

1. Draw out a small plan of the wall you want to install in your room.

2. Visit Bunning’s or any other home improvement store and purchase some large sheets of cardboard.  Also, you can use cardboard boxes.

3. Measure the room to find out where the wall is actually being placed. Mark the ceiling and floor of the wall placement location. Cut two furrowing strips the length of the wall. Stick the furrowing strip to the ceiling and the other end to the floor and make sure it is straight.

4. Stick rolls of cardboard tubes together horizontally and vertically to create a frame
structure. When your frame is completed it should appear as a ladder lying on its side spanning the floor to ceiling.

5. Measure your cardboard to fit your wall sections and trim accordingly with the Stanley knife. It is important that the corners be absolutely square on each piece.
6. You can now paint the wall if desired and affix the cardboard to the wood frame. Repeat this process until the entire wall frame is covered with the cardboard on both sides.

7. Allow the wall to dry overnight. If there are loose edges, small pins can be used to stick the cardboard down to the wood, but be careful not to nail through the frame onto the other side of the wall as this will leave a hole.

8. Apply the drywall tape to cover any seams you have made when connecting your cardboard. Allow the tape to dry.

9. Paint your new wall in the color of your choice.

The Inspiration and Research...

Inspiration...

This is a double story house, built of cardboard. It is an environmentally friendly house and 100% recyclable. This building is waterproof and it can be used for emergency accommodation.

By Col James of Stutchbury and Pape Architects.


This building is called the 'Paper Tree House'. It is made of recycled cardboard, with an incredible rectangular shape. Thi sbuilding has a waiting space and on the inside a little dinning room, that can be used to have tea.

By Japanese Architect, Shigeru Ban

This is an interesting building, made of cardboard tubes. It has different tube sizes in the inside of the building. This building is used as a boutique in a shopping centre.

By Japanses Architects.



Research...

Corrugated Cardboard Types

Before we start the project we have decided what type of cardboard to use. There are two important things to consider. These are:

• The Flute: Type of corrugation that is sandwiched between the two outer layers of cardboard.
• Wall Construction

There are three different types of flutes:

• C Flute: It has a very high strength and a higher resistance to being crushed. This is one of the most common flutes for shopping boxes and tends, like furniture, glass, etc.

• B Flute: It is a combination of strenght and style. It has a durable and high resistance, and it has more space than other flutes.

• E Flute: This one is very light; it is a good alternative to preform

The Advantages and Disadvantages…

The Advantages:

There are many advantages of using Cardboard in construction. This is what makes using cardboard in construction so great. Firstly, unlike a lot of building materials, Cardboard is very cost effective, especially when it compared to masonry, even concrete. The reason for cardboard being so cost effective is because Cardboard for construction can be recycled from packaging boxes all the way to display boards. Cardboard is a good building material because there is a reduced waste of energy and materials as it can be very easily cut to size. This is the case mainly because cardboard, like mentioned before is a recycled product giving it great ESD properties. Cardboard is made by using renewable resources (wood) which further makes it environmentally friendly.

Another advantage of cardboard construction is the fact that it is lightweight. This means that it can be handled very easily allowing it to be transported in any kind of vehicle (depending on its size) and allows for very fast construction. Also, because cardboard is so lightweight, it allows for the reduction on footing size as the weight of the wall is reduced dramatically thus saving money for concrete and reducing greenhouse gasses. Finally, the thing that makes cardboard so great is the way that it burns. Unlike paper going up in flames, due to the thickness of the combined layers, cardboard chars at a slow rate without a naked flame. This ultimately increases the fire rating and protection of the building.

Disadvantages:

Along with all building product, cardboard has it faults. Unless waterproofed correctly, cardboard is as good in construction as bubbles. Water dramatically weakens cardboard making it floppy and prone to breaking. This would have to be the main disadvantage of using cardboard in construction. Furthermore, unless cardboard is thick, it is very weak and can easily puncture. This is not good in construction. The way around this is by using multiple layers of cardboard sheeting to increase the thickness ultimately increasing its strength.

As like all products, cardboard has both positive and negative properties, however, it’s all about weighing up the pros and cons and seeing whether it is a viable material and with cardboard, it is.

The Materials...

Cardboard Tubing

Treated cardboard tubing is a great recycled product that can be used as a building material for structural reasons or architectural reasons. Cardboard tubes are environmentally friendly and cost effective as well as being light and easy to transport.  Paper tubes must be manufactured from recycled cardboard if you are after specific lengths and diameters for structural reasons but they are easy to assemble with little to any experience using the product. 

 

Cardboard Packaging

B Flute cardboard is a 3mm typical cardboard used for packaging. The cardboard is double faced with corrugated cardboard between the two faces and is one of the most common cardboard types available.

 

Waterproofing

A primer can be used to paint or spray the surface of the cardboard as a means of water proofing. This coating on the faces of the cardboard would allow for water to not penetrate the cardboard. This seal should also keep the cardboard stiff and dry. The exposed edges of the cardboard could be covered with a tape or glue sealant.

The Introduction...

We are a group of students from RMIT University studying Building Design. For our Environmental Sustainability Buildings's class, we have been given an assignment to construct a wall using Environmentally Friendly Materials. OUr group has decided to construct our wall using cardboard construction. The group members are Anthony Perrotta, Andim Taip, Francisca Rodriguez and Matthew Merola.