Wood-Fiber Cement Blocks

If it were just a new type of concrete form for foundation walls, Faswall would be an interesting product. But it’s much more than that. Faswall blocks offer exciting new possibilities for building houses and small buildings that are affordable, non-toxic, and made with high recycled-content materials. Adapting a technology that has been used in Europe for decades, Dr. Hansruedi Walter is producing blocks made from cement and recycled wood fiber. The blocks are strong, lightweight, and durable, and can be worked with conventional saws and routers. They also insulate well, which is one of their biggest advantages over conventional concrete block.

The standard Faswall product is a block 12" high, 9" wide, and 12", 24", or 36" long. A 24" corner block is also available. The 36" block weighs just 39 pounds. The blocks are about 80% wood fiber, which has been specially treated with a patented, non-toxic process that mineral-coats the fibers, making them immune to rot or insect damage. The treatment also prevents sugars and tannins in the wood from reacting with the cement, which would interfere with proper curing.