How To Make Cement From Wood Ash

It is easy to make your own do it yourself cement. Instructions all over the internet abound! But what if you don't conveniently live where you have unlimited access to lime or shells? Now what do you do?

Well, I am here to tell you that you can still make your own cement, even if you live far from lime. All you need is access to wood. Here is how to make it step-by-step.

I know this works but there are thousands of species of trees. Some species will have more calcium in them and those would be the best choices. Experimenting with various woods and tree parts will let you discover which trees work best where you live. As a general suggestion to get you started I would steer clear of pine or other conifers and stick to hardwoods. The leaves and bark might work better than the actual wood... maybe. So test your product before committing a lot of time to any particular species and tree part.

The first step is to gather a lot of your material. So get a huge pile of leaves and or bark or the actual wood and burn it. Don't burn it in a place where the ash will get mixed with dirt or old ashes. High temperature is needed for complete combustion. So a furnace or oven will aid with that.

So, after you have burned your supply of wood or leaves, now let it cool. Now collect the ashes in a glass or clay container. Pour in clean clear water. Use enough so that the ash is completely covered then add a little bit more. Mix. You don't want pockets of dry ash.

Once the ash is well mixed allow it to sit for a minute then pour off all excess water. Leave only the mushy sloppy ash.

Allow the slurry to dry out some. When it is thick enough to form bricks take it out and form up your ash into small bricks. They need to be small. 2 inch squares.

Now reheat this brick in a forge or oven. Important: You must heat it so that it is completely heated through and through and is glowing orange. The color is important because the color is an indicator of the temperature.

Allow the brick to cool. Do not leave the brick in an oven. You want the brick to cool as rapidly as possible without actually putting it in water. Once cooled, put the brick in water. If you are successful the water will get hot and the brick will bubble. This is called slacking. Stir up water and brick with a stick until it crumbles away and dissolves. You will need the water to evaporate away so only use enough water to get the job done.

Now mix in crushed pottery (See how to make pottery here or sand and clay. You may need to add a little water to form a cement motar mixture.

Form your mixture into a brick and allow it to dry. This will take a few warm days. It is best to allow it to dry without the addition of heat. Slow drying is more even drying and that is desirable.

Test your final product after drying by placing it in water. If it worked it will not dissolve.