How to Construct Houses with Plastic Bottles !! w/comments

by nav.sparx

intro

How to Construct Houses with Plastic Bottles !!
Waste bottles for construction? Yes, it is difficult to think of a bottle as a brick. But a mud-filled bottle is as strong as a brick and whatever you can do with a brick, you can do with a bottle too..Plus it has got lots of advantages too...

This project was done as a part of our college activity.The man behind this innovative idea is a german named Andreas Froese,who is also the founder of 'ECO-TEC' .

OFFICIAL WEBSITE : http://www.eco-tecnologia.com

About ECO-TEC

* Found in 2001 by Andreas Froese Germen citizen and its head quarters is at Honduras Central America.
* ECO-TEC has done more than 50 eco friendly projects at Honduras, Columbia, Bolivia.
* ECO-TEC has experience working with Govt, Non-Govt and International organization.
* ECO-TEC has won lot of environmental awards for innovation.
* Developed technology to build with pet bottles which helps to reuse plastic bottles and avoid plastic menace.
* Developed technology to build water tanks with pet bottles.

Being a student of Architecture, I was able to be a part of this innovative construction with Plastic Bottles.

Building with Bottles :

This is an effective solution for reusing the plastic. Bottles have the following advantages over bricks and other construction materials.

1. Low cost - You know how much a bottle costs!
2. Non-Brittle - (Unlike bricks)
3. Absorbs abrupt shock loads - Since they are not brittle,there can take up heavy loads without failure.
4. Bio climatic
5. Re-usable
6. Less construction material
7. Easy to build
8. Green Construction

(photos on website)

step 1Bottles,bottles everywhere!
The video shows the strength of a mud filled plastic bottle.

When you make a clay brick, the time and the energy used right from mixing the clay to baking it in the kiln and taking into account the firewood used for that, you will see that the bottle brick is far more energy-efficient.
The technology also reduces the carbon emission that happens during the baking of an ordinary brick . The heat generation from cement factories can also be reduced as this technology uses only five percent cement. The foundation for the entire construction is obtained from building waste and so the mountains from which granite is blasted out can be saved too..
PET Bottle can last as long as 300 years (undoubtedly longer than the cement used to bind the bottles together in the walls!).

The following picture is of an ecological house constructed in Honduras using some 8,000 PET bottles, in the process freeing up an estimated 12 cubic meters (m3) in the local landfill.

The house also features a living roof (sometimes called a green roof) of sod and turf. Such roofs not only have aesthetic appeal, but tend to insulate the house better than conventional roofs, lowering heating and cooling costs. They are also cheaper than conventional roofs.

When wet, the 102 square meter (m2), living roof of the casa ecol?can weigh as much as 30 metric tons (Mt, toneladas). The PET bottle walls can support the weight.


Comments: (as of 8.22.10)

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Jul 13, 2010. 10:41 AMspark master says:
See old "Mother Earth News" chord wood housethere is also a beer can house and they used other stuff as well. benefit of empty sealed up bottle is it becomes an insulator.
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Jul 12, 2010. 1:16 PMspark master says:
Everything old is NEW again "The Mother Earth News" had articles on this type of construction back in the 1980's (maybe 70's) I do like the instructable though. If I can find the issues where they show it I will let you know the year and issue. People used Chord Wood and bottles and cans and tires. All in an attempt to reuse the unreusable. thanks for posting this, I will visit their website sparkie
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Jun 20, 2010. 12:49 AMcyrusdaquigan says:
nice one! good construction material alternative.cheap but durable..
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Mar 17, 2010. 2:02 PMgnoll says:
I was curious as to what your measurements were for the "mixture made of earth, clay, sawdust and a little cement."

Also, if the pillars are the main support for the roof, do you have to use any reinforcement for the walls like rebar?

Thanks so much for posting this Instructable!

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5
Mar 8, 2010. 8:46 PMEmmettO says:
I like it. What is being used as mortar here? Another similar ible has in the comments that you do not use cement mortar. Are you only using dried clay as a mortar? If so, how do you make the water tanks? I know that clay is water resistant but it isn't water tight.
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Jan 16, 2010. 9:03 PMlancesb says:
This is crazy, yes I agree with the green factor of production; but how much time & labor is used in packing the bottles? Wouldn't it be more profitable to recycle the bottles into solid building materials? Roofing tiles, flooring, siding, countertops; the demand for more eco friendly products is finally on the rise, I personally don't think it helps to give out good ideas which may detract from more viable options. This IS a great idea, but the average homeowner will not be able to afford this anytime soon.

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Mar 7, 2010. 9:25 AMstrayturk says:
Lancesb, you are right for developed countries where labor is expensive, and materials are not, in contrast to underdeveloped ones where this is exactly the opposite.
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Jan 20, 2010. 3:59 PMPurocuyu says:
It might be crazy for a first world economy, but I think in other places, it can make sense. I lived for a few years in rural Mexico, and the people there have way more time, and energy than they have money.
This doesn't seem to be a project intended to maximize profit. It seems to me to be intended to allow people with modest means, but with serious drive to build a house. Within those confines, doesn't it seem to be successful?
I imagine some people would look at this and think,"what a drag to fill all those bottles" but maybe if those people had no home, but plenty of dirt, and maybe some bottles, they might think it is a viable option.
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Feb 24, 2010. 12:32 AMPinky212 says:
I understand completely where you are coming from. When people have little or no money and a lot of time, it is time well spent (invested) to create something usable and needed even if the "average" person would not spend the time doing it. Most 2 worker families in the U.S.A. don't have (or take) the time to bake bread and other bakery items, cook meals, or sew clothes and decorative items. However, seniors and disabled persons on a limited income (and often at or near the poverty line) who are physically able to spend their time doing those tasks, save (or don't spend as much) money. Remodeling clothes, hemming pants, hemming and/or remodeling curtains, etc., given to them or purchased cheaply at garage sales/thrift stores can take alot of time. But, again, it's time well spent for the person who has little money.
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Feb 6, 2010. 7:44 PMElmoRoyD says:
I agree, i live in México, I am mexican. I worked in a project of PET bottles recycling, and you are right, if your "job" is to gather plastic bottles from the trash, to sell it at $1.50 Pesos, that is less than .15 dollar cents for kilo. You do have a lot of time and energy.

Here in Mexico we dont have problems with recycling, people can throw beer cans in the streets without feeling guilty about pollution. Someone else is going to pick it up and sell it. Actually i never put cans in the trash can that is outside of my house, i just put them aside, that way is easier for them.
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Mar 7, 2010. 9:18 AMstrayturk says:
You can use Irfanview. It's an awesome image viewer/editor program that also has FLV capability, and it's free. http://www.irfanview.com
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Mar 4, 2010. 6:01 AMAlfredo Harmsen says:
I can not watch the videos. Is it possible to have them with other program? Thanks Alfredo
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1
Apr 28, 2009. 9:20 AMalphaseinor says:
I like the use of materials, I wonder if this will work in the US... much easier to make curved walls. Not to mention the R value for hot climates!
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Feb 24, 2010. 12:40 AMPinky212 says:
Zoning laws in many localities would, unfortunately, prohibit home building using this unconventional method. This may be the case in other first world countries, too. Of that I do not know.

I know a case in Minnesota, U.S.A. where a home owner was forced to remove a wellbuilt and well designed (small Victorian-like) play house for his granddaughters to play in when they visited. He'd put in many, many hours of work but because he hadn't obtained building permits for this toy and it was a shelter structure that didn't meet the minimum size allowed, he couldn't keep it. He choose to move it to another location with less strict building codes, etc. Pity.

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Feb 11, 2010. 1:47 AMdufferdev says:
superb work... too good... where is it Made... Can I come to see it ???
Thanks..........
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7
Feb 11, 2010. 6:06 AMnav.sparx (author) says:
Have a look at www.eco-tecnologia.com
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Feb 11, 2010. 4:10 AMandreasfroese says:
We have done projects in
Honduras
Colombia
Bolivia
India
www.eco-tecnologia.com
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7
Feb 11, 2010. 6:15 AMnav.sparx (author) says:
Sir , what project are you presently working on ?
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Feb 11, 2010. 7:32 AMandreasfroese says:
preparing a water tank project in Africa and other in Chile
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Apr 19, 2009. 6:51 PM8bit says:
Is this easier than making bricks?
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Feb 10, 2010. 8:09 AMandreasfroese says:
you need 2-3 minute to fill one bouttle and no machine
www.eco-tecnologia.com
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Apr 19, 2009. 8:58 PMvalhallas_end says:
If you could speed up the filling process, this would be so much faster - homemade bricks are a pain to cure properly (I cannot count how many times I've laid out a batch to dry, then realized too late I'd added too little clay or some small detail, and Crack!). I love the texture you can get with this system.
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Nov 19, 2009. 8:24 AMSnoopytooth says:
It doesn't describe how to make square corners and the diagrams don't show that part.

Please can you add to this instructable how to end the straight walls?
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Feb 7, 2010. 1:36 AMve_ness says:
IF your not a pro this won't come easy. Laying brick, er bottles, can't be learned over night. Well if you want a good end product that is. You'll need to layout the wall, consider reinforcing, then be able to lay the "corner lead" level, plumb, square (if called for), and in range. IF you can't do so within a certain tolerance you jeopardize the stability of the structure. If you can, then bravo.

If your a novice the best thing to do would be to hire (or barter) the services of a bricklayer to lay the corners for you. The corners are built first and then the middle is filled in. If you want to play, jump in the middle of the wall where you can be "supervised" by the pros and really can't muck things up too much.

http://www.lets-do-diy.com/Projects-and-advice/Brickwork-and-masonry/Building-a-brick-wall.aspx
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Nov 21, 2009. 2:09 PMruthy nov says:
Thank you for a wonderful idea!
In my country we have large collection baskets on the streets for recycling plastic containers. It is obligatory to do so.
Please tell the exact proportions of sand-clay-cement.
I think the caps should be glued!
a word to LARZE - re-using plastic bottles is so dangerous! No sterilization possible and they become a sourse of deseases. This is done in poor countries like India, bery bad indeed.
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Feb 7, 2010. 1:21 AMve_ness says:
The ratio for the mortar mixture depends on the climate in your area. I work as a commercial bricklayer in Chicago and we typically use type S or N mortar. I use one bag of cement (94 lbs), one bag of type S Lime (40 lb bag), and 64 shovels of sand if it's dry. If the sand is wet then use less.

http://www.graymont.com/applications_mixing_methods.shtmlFurther explanation:

http://www.mc2-ice.com/support/estref/popular_conversion_files/masonry/mortar.htm

Keep in mind that the parts are used by common material measurements used in the US.

OR just save your self the headache if your not a pro and buy "Masonry mix" which is known by the product name here as "spec mix".

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2
Feb 7, 2010. 12:23 AMLight_Lab says:
I have seen something like this done with empty glass beer bottles here in Australia. It seemed a great idea as the bottles let in light like amber glass bricks. I always wondered though how you discouraged critters from taking up residence in the bottles (unless you recapped them). This is not a problem with sand filled plastic bottles, and the construction is more flexible.
I wonder if you could conveniently combine rammed sand plastic bottles with rammed earth car tires. Use the tires for the columns/pillars, and bottles for the walls.
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Jan 15, 2010. 9:53 PMthe crowing says:
This is such a cool idea. I love it!
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Nov 19, 2009. 6:42 AMporcupinemamma says:
go to this site and enjoy every one!

http://www.agilitynut.com/h/bh.html
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Nov 2, 2009. 4:32 AMharshada says:
this is amazing..
i want to know where this thing is constructed.. i would love to visit the place.... please share the infor as early as possible i m quite keen.....
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Nov 19, 2009. 6:40 AMporcupinemamma says:
Me too!
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Oct 24, 2009. 1:50 AMpolana says:
Why do we fill the bottles with sand for?? Why don't we use water or better leave them empty (fill the with air)???
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Nov 17, 2009. 5:48 PMjuanoporras says:
Because the empty (air) bottles are more susceptible to collapse with heavy loads; if you fill them with water the problem is that water spans and contracts with temperature changes, same problem with air, so the house will "move" and create cracks on the mortar. sand is the best environmental and structural choice which is one of the main reasons of this project. somebody tell me i'm wrong.

BTW really nice project, thanks for sharing, I will certainly use these tips ;).
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1
Aug 6, 2009. 5:00 PMA good name says:
It isn't an innovative thought. Mike Reynolds has been doing the same thing since like 1970.
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Sep 20, 2009. 4:01 PMAnathema_Herem says:
Amen and amen. If one is more interested in this type of building, look up Earthship Biotecture. Mr. Reynolds has created houses that are art forms.

http://www.earthship.net/

One of these years I'll have the land to build one, myself. Ah, dreams.
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Sep 12, 2009. 6:14 AMpinkhairkid says:
its on my bucket list whenever I find myself with a lot of time and a lot of plastic bottles, ill do it
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Jul 31, 2009. 10:56 PMazntrooper93 says:
WICKED first i thought u were just making the foundation or something thats really cool but wont it erode fast
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Jul 19, 2009. 10:07 PMporcupinemamma says:
Excellent!!!!
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Jun 24, 2009. 2:26 PMlarze says:
I think the bottles would be better saved for recycling as liquid containers. They are not ecological because to produce them you need so much oil, especially to replace the bottles which would go off circulation. Better to emit a bit of CO2 for bricks than emit a lot more CO2 because of oil for bottles and use the increasingly scarce oil, in my opinion. But in innovational sense, this instructable is great anyway.
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4
Jul 10, 2009. 6:43 AMJavin007 says:
I think you miss the point here. They wouldn't produce bottles to build houses (notice that the bottles are all different brands.) These are bottles that would otherwise end up in a landfill, or even be recycled, which chemically is not nearly as good as it sounds.

cowscankill says:
That is soooooooo awesome. I don't know why we don't build more bottle houses.
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May 17, 2009. 7:10 AMKenmundo101 says:
Amazing idea... voted AND really like
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11
May 16, 2009. 10:34 AMyokozuna says:
five stars, voted, faved.
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May 16, 2009. 9:57 AMMortokeiro says:
Fantastic idea!
I'll try to do that!
but a small wall or pillar to beguin!
=D
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May 13, 2009. 3:43 PMDimitrios says:
I love the idea. Just wondering if a funny guy opens the caps and the sand flows out.... Or same thing if a heavy object flies against the wall, there is only like one inch surface concrete (plaster) if that cracks and bottle cap cracks, one empty bottle. If I can collect enough bottles I might actually try this for a fence wall. Just worrying about the dry sand in the bottle that can run out like water
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May 14, 2009. 5:11 PMradiochemist says:
to ensure that doesn't happen, maybe you can try adding a little bit of water to the dry sand bottles before you put the cap on
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May 13, 2009. 8:53 PMnav.sparx (author) says:
Good question..Since these bottles are filled with sand (ofcourse very tightly, which helps to build up good pressure inside it),there's little chance that the cap will break.
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May 30, 2009. 11:49 PMArghus says:
no way, if u look at the picture u see the part with all the caps its covered by the cement like mixture
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1
May 12, 2009. 6:32 AMzippydaspinhead says:
Do you use cut up plastic bottles for the shingles on some of the houses? If not another way to reduce cost of the roof and the amount of plastic going to waste. Just an idea
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May 8, 2009. 11:36 AMCoffee bean says:
Very nice, but were did you get all those bottles!
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May 8, 2009. 7:48 PMnav.sparx (author) says:
From restaurants,supermarkets,neighbourhood houses etc ... :D
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May 6, 2009. 2:57 PMrookie1 says:
Great instructable. I really like the idea. If you want a green roof, what do you use as a base for your roof? What do you use as a vapor barrier ?
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May 6, 2009. 8:14 PMnav.sparx (author) says:
The angle of the roof should be greater than 30 degrees. Typical sheds will already have an asphalt or bitumen felt layer for waterproofing. Green roofs require an additional layer of water proofing material, and this needs to be root-proof. For this you can use heavy-duty pond liner. Only a single sheet is required, which can be fixed with a strong mastic sealant. In case of vapour diffusion through walls,Gypsum have virtually no ability to block it. Neither does the brick. But here,plastic bottles can prevent it to a large extent. However,it is not enough. About choosing the insulation material , You could say all insulation is green, regardless of what it's made of because by definition, insulation saves energy. :) .You can use polythlene , fibre glass or cellulose. Current building science recommendations are to locate the vapor retarder in the thermal envelope (exterior walls and ceiling/roof) depending on the climate zone. Heating-dominated climates require an interior vapor retarder. Cooling-dominated climates require an exterior vapor retarder. In mixed climates it is often better to have none. It is also important to allow water vapor to diffuse out of the building envelope (outward in heating climates, inward in cooling climates).
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May 3, 2009. 4:19 PMYeah Yeah 5166 says:
do u.s. codes allow this medium of building material? I consume a fair share of bottled drinks and would love to find a way to reuse them.
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Apr 28, 2009. 9:20 AMalphaseinor says:
I like the use of materials, I wonder if this will work in the US... much easier to make curved walls. Not to mention the R value for hot climates!
REPLY
Feb 24, 2010. 12:40 AMPinky212 says:
Zoning laws in many localities would, unfortunately, prohibit home building using this unconventional method. This may be the case in other first world countries, too. Of that I do not know.

I know a case in Minnesota, U.S.A. where a home owner was forced to remove a wellbuilt and well designed (small Victorian-like) play house for his granddaughters to play in when they visited. He'd put in many, many hours of work but because he hadn't obtained building permits for this toy and it was a shelter structure that didn't meet the minimum size allowed, he couldn't keep it. He choose to move it to another location with less strict building codes, etc. Pity.

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Apr 22, 2009. 10:11 AMLithium Rain says:
Very nice! I very much like this.
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Apr 20, 2009. 4:34 PMIdahoDavid says:
WOW!!!! It's a stack log house without the logs. What an incredibly innovative use of waste resources for the self-builder. I am inspired.
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1
Apr 19, 2009. 6:51 PM8bit says:
Is this easier than making bricks?
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Feb 10, 2010. 8:09 AMandreasfroese says:
you need 2-3 minute to fill one bouttle and no machine
www.eco-tecnologia.com
REPLY
Apr 19, 2009. 8:58 PMvalhallas_end says:
If you could speed up the filling process, this would be so much faster - homemade bricks are a pain to cure properly (I cannot count how many times I've laid out a batch to dry, then realized too late I'd added too little clay or some small detail, and Crack!). I love the texture you can get with this system.