Cle Elum Lake, WA
Cle Elum Lake, WA
Residential Pour with Cement-Free Concrete
June 2024, another pour of Cement-free Concrete (C-Crete) was completed for a ground-up residential project overlooking the scenic Cle Elum Lake near Seattle, WA. The architectural design, reminiscent of mid-century Eichler houses, was elevated by architect Ray Johnston, who prioritized an ultra-low embodied carbon footprint. The home utilized C-Crete, a material free of Portland cement and its associated CO₂ emissions – something Eichler himself could never have envisioned.
The project involved up to ~200 cubic yards of C-Crete, beginning with a ~50 cubic yard pour for the foundation, detached guest room, and garage. For this initial phase, C-Crete was delivered using a boom pump with several sharp angles, yet flowed through the hose with a consistency likened to soft-serve ice cream – a video of which is shared below. Despite a low slump of 4 inches – a measure of concrete workability -C-Crete was easily pumpable using a boom pump. The remaining concrete was assigned for pouring walls, slabs, and driveways.
The 28-day compressive strength reached more than 5000 psi, which confirms its structural viability for residential construction.
C-Crete extends sincere appreciation to Ray Johnston for the architectural vision; Scott Tinker (Structural Engineer), Travis Gibson (General Contractor), and James Hutchinson (Ready-Mix Operations) for their hands-on expertise and commitment.