Jan 13 2011
John Wells, founder of the Southwest Texas Alternative Energy and Sustainable Living Field Laboratory, discovered Lexel from Sashco Sealants years ago in his work as a general contractor.
After seeing firsthand how durable Lexel is, John recently used Lexel to construct his field lab in the harsh desert environment he has chosen to call home.
Lexel Sealant
Several years ago, John Wells found himself questioning the path his life had taken and began taking a serious look at how he could live a life that would be more fulfilling. Several years prior to that, John had begun experimenting with alterative energy. Around that same time, John discovered accounts of the pioneer life his relative lived more than 100 years ago. Though their lives were difficult, John was captivated by the sense of joy and accomplishment they narrated. As John read, he began to envision his life as a pioneer in the 21st century.
In 2007, John decided to pack up and leave New York. He and his dog Goldie set out to live life “off the grid” in an alternative energy and sustainable living field laboratory in southwest Texas. John explains that, "Every day, we get up, have coffee with the early morning, do chores, then get on with whatever project we have going… there’s often a choice. We go to bed tired, but very happy and peaceful."
John is assembling by hand every structure on the laboratory grounds, including his home and greenhouse, where he will grow all of his own food. The conditions in the Southwestern dessert are brutal. John knew that he would need building materials resilient enough to withstand the demands of that kind of environment. John used Lexel, a flexible sealant with strong adhesion, to keep his structures intact regardless of the conditions. Because Lexel is a flexible sealant, it is able to withstand the extreme temperature variances of the desert without cracking or peeling. John says that, “I got turned on to Lexel about seven years ago by a carpenter in Spencertown, New York - back when I was a general contractor. Now that I am building my alternative energy and sustainable living field laboratory in the Southwest Texas desert - a little dab of Lexel here and there is what's holding it all together.”
John is in the process of constructing his greenhouse and all of his solar utilities also using Lexel. “I used [Lexel] extensively when I built my tiny house and I’m currently using it to seal gaps and seams on the roof for my mega greenhouse building and on my solar water heater. I also find it very useful as a temporary, movable adhesive to hold ‘stuff’ in place until it gets bolted down for good.”