Alternative building materials

[randomq]

Thanks for explaining, I figured the blue rock was just lava that had been compressed over the years or something.

Just wondering if something along these lines would be possible:
https://www.google.com/search?q=homes+carved+out+of+rock&tbm=isch

[Carey]

There is no real compression of lava "near" (for excavation purposes) the surface...unlike geologically old rock on continents, these newbie islands are formed with fresh surface layers added over a "short" time, and weathered down rather quickly... the weathered Kohalas are estimated to be just a mere 500miillion years old & shrinking in size do tot he effects of weathering & large slumps...

Any structure built into the rock has to deal with the very porous nature of layers of volcanically deposited basalt...water WILL intrude...so it would be a fairly constant job of waterproofing the rock... The carving would be onerous & the result would be dark & not likely dry

When you get here, you will be able to see were creeks & rivers are flowing, then just disappear underground, not big sinks or anything really noticed...the water just flows into a section of porous rock...then reappears further down, even underwater in the ocean... If your rock structure is within one of these (or CREATES one)...you will be fighting a river of water!

[MarkP]

Seen many giant boulders here? No. The lava deposition here results in multiple harder layers alternating with layers of ash and cinders. Hawaii mountains are not good for rock climbing because of the generally "rotten" texture of the rock. Ironically the hardest chunks are made of blue rock, one of the hardest rocks in the world. This is exactly the opposite of what you would want for tunneling through. Those examples linked to are probably dug into sandstone which is very homogeneous and much easier to dig.

[Rob Tucker]

Just as an FYI... my home is built with a walk out basement. I excavated into a slope to do so. Before I poured the slab I got to observe the cut in heavy rain. I was expecting to see a lot of horizontal run off. I saw none. Our ground is so pourous the water went straight down.

Nevertheless I thoroughly water proofed the below grade walls and installed an impact barrier. I've had no problems at all.

[Carey]

After posting about our aluminum framed SIP, I have been sent information on a (fairly) new aluminum house framing that has many superior additions to our aluminum framed house....and is probably a very good match for most of the challenges faced by those building here, (with the MAJOR exception of lava...and getting any HI stamped architect/engineer to even look at it...)
http://catfivehouses.com/aluminum-framing/

One of the very neat things about our structure is the durability of the material & its ability to be remodeled... the CatFive system adds much more design flexibility with the ease of "Unistrut" type connections (if you know it, you know it is very user friendly & is used extensively in industry because of the design flexibility and structural integrity...)

[john the architect]

Carey I would certainly look over and, given the installation specifications, be likely to certify this building method as a licensed Hawaii architect. This is my specialty, alternatives. If aluminum panels work and have advantages and opportunities, let's go for it!

John Maloney
310.562.0362
johnmaloney3@me.com
Hawaii Architect AR8082

[Carey]

John, we are not building (but have an aluminum framed house, constructed in the 70's, that we bought 9yrs ago ( I think 4 were brought into Keaau at that time...)

Our interest in aluminum framing for this area started when we saw this house & has continued over the years... (I am sure that I would not have like the house we are in as much in the upper midwest...as I REALLY liked thermal breaks there... but without that need, the structure we have here is pretty interesting...)

When we saw the CatFive structures, we were even more impressed with the potential they could offer builders here...so I posted for future home builders (hopefully this is our "never again" house.... but wish I had found the info a few months earlier...would so much rather this structure to all of the stuff we will be going through to replace an added on, termite destroyed, wood lanai roof structure!)

[john the architect]

Yes, you would have been the first aluminum home remodeled with a newer aluminum system.

John Maloney
310.562.0362
johnmaloney3@me.com
Hawaii Architect AR8082