Cementitious based structural lumber product and externally reinforced lightweight retaining wall system

A method for constructing a building using non-wood construction products comprising the steps of:

• a) constructing a plurality of planar frame sections from elongated elements, said elongated elements being structural members adapted to support a load, at least a plurality of said elongated elements being formed from fiber-reinforced cellular concrete, said step of constructing including fastening a plurality of elongated intermediate elements having first and second ends to an elongated first end element at the first ends of the intermediate elements such that each intermediate element is substantially parallel to the other intermediate elements and the intermediate elements are substantially perpendicular to the first end element, and fastening an elongated second end element to the plurality of intermediate elements at the second ends of the intermediate elements such that the second end element is substantially perpendicular to the intermediate elements and substantially parallel to the first end element;
• and
• b) fastening a first planar frame section to a second planar frame section such that the plane of the first frame section is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the second frame section.

A lumber product for use in building construction, the lumber product comprising fiber-reinforced cellular concrete made from a cementitious material, water, fiber, and an aerating material, made to form an elongated rigid element of lumber-industry-standard dimensions, wherein the cementitious material makes up approximately less than about 83% of the total weight of the lumber product, the water makes up approximately less than about 30% of the total weight of the lumber product, the fiber makes up approximately less than 4% of the total weight of the lumber product, and the aerating material makes up approximately less than 1% of the total weight of the lumber product.

A frame assembly for use in construction of a building, the frame assembly comprising:

• a pair of elongated linear structural members positioned in spaced apart relationship;
• at least one elongated linear structural member extending between the spaced apart pair of elongated linear structural members, at least one of the elongated linear structural members being formed from a non-laminated, substantially homogenous fiber reinforced cellular concrete.

A lumber substitute product for use in building construction, the lumber substitute product comprising fiber-reinforced cellular concrete made from cement which makes up approximately 18-40% of the total weight of the product, fly ash which makes up approximately less than about 50% of the total weight of the product, silica fume or other pozzolans which makes up approximately less than about 25% of the total weight of the product, water which makes up approximately 20-30% of the total weight of the product, fiber which makes up approximately 0.4-3.2% of the total weight of the product, and an aerating material.