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The calcined gypsum sets quickly, which is one quality that has historically made plaster of Paris so useful. When calcined gypsum is added to soil, however, the setting time is reduced even further, to mere minutes. Often this quick setting is too fast and a retardant must be added to the mix so it can be poured. When the structure is dry, it is similar to Adobe in various ways, outperforming it in Tensile Strength , hardness, and erosion resistance. It also has less tendency to crack and shrink. Cast earth walls do soak up water, however, if they are not sealed with a Silicone coating or other waterproofer. Using cast earth in place of other materials reduces the time and labor needed to complete a project. Machinery is used in place of much of the Human Labor during cast earth construction. It is often less costly, since earth and calcined gypsum are plentiful and cheap materials to acquire. Few contractors are licensed in the use of cast earth today, but if public demand for structures made of the material grows, more builders will seek training in its use. |
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