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Spring Workshop: Papercrete

  • The City Repair Project 1421 Southeast Division Street Portland, OR, 97202 United States (map)

This free, easy workshop will show you how to mix papercrete and form it into a mold.

Papercrete is a versatile material made with upcycled paper, cement and perlite.  It can be sculpted into any shape. It’s paintable, durable and surprisingly weather resistant; the pot you make today will last outside for many years.

Compared to ceramics, it’s much lower in cost and requires no kiln firing, and works for sculptures of any size. Compared to pure concrete, it’s easier to sculpt, cheaper, and much lighter.

This workshop is not for kids, given the messiness and health concerns of working with cement and the required proper usage of Personal protective equipment (PPE).

What to bring with you:

  • A good respirator (because dry cement powder is toxic to inhale)

  • Wear clothes you wouldn’t mind getting a little cement on, and/or bring an apron

  • if you have paper, please bring that to replenish our supply, preferably newspaper, preferably shredded, no glossy coatings, and no plastic (such as the windows in envelopes)

  • We will gladly accept your plastic garden pots for our collection. If you have something special you’d like to use as a mold, please bring it! We will have many plastic pots to use as molds

We will provide gloves and all the materials required for the workshop. We would prefer that people arrive on time, due to the phases of this process. If you're late, you may have to wait for instruction.

Here is a video introduction to Papercrete with Andrew!

Earlier Event: March 20
Thursday Drop-In Hours (Online)