Lumber Made from Newspaper Looks Like Real Wood

 The "newspaper lumber" might be a real possibility for those highly involved in single stream recycling and its by-products by mixing in recycled plastic and even adding a high tech insulation layer. The result could be a very viable alternative to wood stud construction. With the right additives this could be a very strong, termite resistant and fire resistant product.

 

Some of you may also recall  articles on aerogel, papercrete and other very interesting and innovative  products that can also be adapted to the building industry.

 

Doesn’t the material in the photo above look just like real wood at first glance? Upon further inspection, the text on the top plank gives away the “lumber’s” true origin – newspapers! Developed by Mieke Meijer for design firm vij5, Kranthout (Dutch for “newspaper wood”) is a new material made of old newspapers that are rolled together and milled into planks. The versatile product even mimics the appearance of wood crain and can be drilled and sanded just like real wood.

xtreme Origami: An Upcycled Gown Made From 1,000 Newspaper Cranes

by Yuka Yoneda, 07/18/10

Hear ye, hear ye, read all about this expertly crafted newspaper gown by Yuliya Kyrpo, now on display at London’s Science Museum. Krypo assembled her headlining bustier dress—complete with a flowing peacock train—from 1,000 paper cranes, which she painstakingly hand-folded from old Metro newspapers.