AN ARCHITECT who builds tiny homes out of washing up liquid has weighed in on why it’s the perfect building material.
Joel at Dome Gaia creates tiny dome homes all over the globe out of aircrete – a mix of washing up liquid and cement.
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The two ingredients are mixed together to create an air-filled substance that is cured into brick shapes through a mould.
The bricks can be used to build homes, as well as other structures.
Construction whizz Joel believes that it is a beginner-friendly material and a great place to start if you’re looking to tiny build a home on a budget.
What’s more, those tiny homes could become a side hustle if you rent them out through AirBnB.
“I think aircrete is a really interesting building material because the ingredients it is made with are available everywhere on the planet,” he told Exploring Alternatives.
“And aircrete works well in pretty much every climate there is.
“There’s aircrete domes all over the world that are beautiful, attractive and unique, but also very, very cost effective.”
Joel is the co-founder of unique construction company Dome Gaia.
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He started his career at the age of 14 and has worked in a number of industries, from tech to water purification.
In recent years, the tiny home enthusiast has dedicated his time to building dome homes and hosting workshops teaching others how to do the same.
And of course, his favourite material to build tiny homes with is aircrete.
“On the surface, aircrete looks just like concrete,” Joel said. “But when you pick it up, it’s super light.
“It’s something you almost would expect to see on a movie set.”
But according to Joel, the material is so strong that it can withstand earthquakes.
In a YouTube video for Exploring Alternatives, he revealed the most beginner-friendly “recipe” for making aircrete.
“You start with a mixing container where you put one 94lb bag of Portland Cement,” Joel said. “You’re gonna mix that with 6 gallons of water.
“You just use a hand mixer and you mix this until it’s really creamy. Make sure there’s no clumps in it.
“The foam you use should be between 90 and 100 grams per litre. You just fill up a small bucket with the foam and you weigh it on a sensitive digital scale.
“Then you can add air or subtract air from the foam depending on whether it’s too heavy or light.”
Joel added that aircrete is a “forgiving” material, but it’s imperative to be precise on how much foam you put into the creamy cement.
Once the measurements are accurate, you mix the foam into the cement.
The final step is to pour the aircrete mixture into a brick mould and leave it to cure.
Joel has hosted workshops building aircrete tiny homes all over the world, including in the US, Mexico, Hawaii and Thailand.
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