Post by Vater Araignee on Jun 16, 2008 6:28:57 GMT
Hypertufa is some awesome stuff, it is castable, carveable, light weight and fun fun fun.
Usually made of peat moss, perlite and Portland cement, I bet ya got two thirds of it right now.
My intention is not to give you a step by step guide on constructing something, it is to help you inner artist create.
The most basic recipe:
1 part Portland cement
1 part peat <--- BLECK!!! We like Sphagnum peat moss so thats what we should use especially considering your containers will be more likely to get nice and shaggy.
1 part Perlite
2 parts water
Thats it, your basic mixture, but there are some things to take into consideration.
1. Sift the Sphagnum peat moss, you want it dusty and chunks of stuff removed.
2. Mix your dry ingredients first. Completely. Thoroughly. Avoid mixing on containers with corners if you can help it but if you cant then pay special attention to the corners.
3. Don't add all the water at once. Start with half then mix, add a little more and mix some more, your not looking for a runny or soupy mix, you want it to stick to its self like tomato paste.
4. Add other things. Vermiculite adds a golden tone and sparkles, powdered charcoal can darken it. You can even use colored sands from pet stores a word of caution, make sure you know what the sand is because if you use something like Repto sand then you will need to treat the interior of the container with something acidic like vinegar. Preferably filled to the brim and allowed to sit for at least 24 hours after it is fully cured. adding Styrofoam will help lighten it and add insulation. Adding Fibermesh (a common additive to cements and concretes) will strengthen it.
CURING:
First of you are going to want to make sure that you are making your pot, trough, container, paver's, retaining wall brick or what ever in the middle of a sheet of plastic that will allow you to completely cover your project from all sides to keep moisture in. I cant stress this enough, it will help the hypertufa cure stronger and harder.
As mentioned above cover it and after 3 or 4 days uncover it end remove it from its form (if you used one) then use a wire brush to do some smoothing and sharp tools to carve and shape it, maybe even drill some drainage holes. Treat it carefully, it is still a bit fragile <--- that is Italian too.
Cover it back up and let it cure at room temp for another 4 to 5 weeks or until completely dry. If you let it go even longer it will get stronger and don't ask me where the max is, I just don't know the answer.
After your masterpiece is completely dry move it outside and allow it to weather. Hose it down every 2 or 3 days for a month or two. This will allow the free lime to leach away. I know that there is a way to neutralize the lime but my memory escapes me on it and I'm not inclined to look it up. Maybe another member can chime in about it?
Now lets say you don't want to wait for the leaching or look up neutralization and somebody else didn't post how to do it, what are you to do? Never fear, I post a solution here. Fiberglass resin, thats right just paint the interior with it and let it cure.
NOW FOR THE GOOD PART!!!
I wish I had some pictures for you from when I did this. They didn't have digicams (that I know of) and I was not going to waste good money on film when it could be better spent on supplies (I was 17) and I can't get pictures now because Detroit bought that neighborhood and bulldozed it when I was 24. I made a double wall retaining wall out of my recipe.
Vaters retainer recipe:
1 part Portland cement
2 parts peat moss
1 part Perlite
Water (played by ear or eye if you like)
3/4" plywood sheets
Vizqueen
I ripped the plywood into 6" wide strips then cut some into 6" lengths to build forms for making 6"×12"×6" forms.
I made enough bricks to build the interior wall up to a height 24" but here is the catch. I only wrap cured them for 3 days and as I placed them I would carve the ends so that I was not stuck using an inorganic shape. Back then I told my grandmother "I don't want any corners." as I placed the next row I staggered the blocks out about 1/2". Once I placed the second from the top row I laid in visqueen and used real bricks to hold it in place.
Next I got to work building the outer wall staggered in and started carving it so it would not look like steps.
Once It got to the same height as the inner wall I started filling with packing peanuts chunks of Styrofoam and canned insulation. Believe me when I say I fully expected this property to be passed to me and stay mine to the day I died (stupid city) but then again I was also an idiot kid, well not an idiot but defiantly ignorant.
After I got done filling I measured for the widest span and made forms that could span the gap and carved them as I placed them.
Can you guess what I put in there?
If you said a bog and CP's your absolutely WRONG.
I made what I thought was a swamp.
I filled it with sand and sludge and dirt with about 4 inches of water on top.
Planted cattails and tried lily pads from ponds, and tossed in random handfuls of what ever floating plants I came across.
Frogs, snails and fish.
For the most part only cattails and algae survived but year after year I tried and tried and tried.
But the great thing was to lovely moss covered bricks all nice and thick.
The memory of it makes me wish I could make some paver's to cover about a 4'×6' spot for an out door bed.
Well I hope I some how inspired you, have fun being creative.
Usually made of peat moss, perlite and Portland cement, I bet ya got two thirds of it right now.
My intention is not to give you a step by step guide on constructing something, it is to help you inner artist create.
The most basic recipe:
1 part Portland cement
1 part peat <--- BLECK!!! We like Sphagnum peat moss so thats what we should use especially considering your containers will be more likely to get nice and shaggy.
1 part Perlite
2 parts water
Thats it, your basic mixture, but there are some things to take into consideration.
1. Sift the Sphagnum peat moss, you want it dusty and chunks of stuff removed.
2. Mix your dry ingredients first. Completely. Thoroughly. Avoid mixing on containers with corners if you can help it but if you cant then pay special attention to the corners.
3. Don't add all the water at once. Start with half then mix, add a little more and mix some more, your not looking for a runny or soupy mix, you want it to stick to its self like tomato paste.
4. Add other things. Vermiculite adds a golden tone and sparkles, powdered charcoal can darken it. You can even use colored sands from pet stores a word of caution, make sure you know what the sand is because if you use something like Repto sand then you will need to treat the interior of the container with something acidic like vinegar. Preferably filled to the brim and allowed to sit for at least 24 hours after it is fully cured. adding Styrofoam will help lighten it and add insulation. Adding Fibermesh (a common additive to cements and concretes) will strengthen it.
CURING:
First of you are going to want to make sure that you are making your pot, trough, container, paver's, retaining wall brick or what ever in the middle of a sheet of plastic that will allow you to completely cover your project from all sides to keep moisture in. I cant stress this enough, it will help the hypertufa cure stronger and harder.
As mentioned above cover it and after 3 or 4 days uncover it end remove it from its form (if you used one) then use a wire brush to do some smoothing and sharp tools to carve and shape it, maybe even drill some drainage holes. Treat it carefully, it is still a bit fragile <--- that is Italian too.
Cover it back up and let it cure at room temp for another 4 to 5 weeks or until completely dry. If you let it go even longer it will get stronger and don't ask me where the max is, I just don't know the answer.
After your masterpiece is completely dry move it outside and allow it to weather. Hose it down every 2 or 3 days for a month or two. This will allow the free lime to leach away. I know that there is a way to neutralize the lime but my memory escapes me on it and I'm not inclined to look it up. Maybe another member can chime in about it?
Now lets say you don't want to wait for the leaching or look up neutralization and somebody else didn't post how to do it, what are you to do? Never fear, I post a solution here. Fiberglass resin, thats right just paint the interior with it and let it cure.
NOW FOR THE GOOD PART!!!
I wish I had some pictures for you from when I did this. They didn't have digicams (that I know of) and I was not going to waste good money on film when it could be better spent on supplies (I was 17) and I can't get pictures now because Detroit bought that neighborhood and bulldozed it when I was 24. I made a double wall retaining wall out of my recipe.
Vaters retainer recipe:
1 part Portland cement
2 parts peat moss
1 part Perlite
Water (played by ear or eye if you like)
3/4" plywood sheets
Vizqueen
I ripped the plywood into 6" wide strips then cut some into 6" lengths to build forms for making 6"×12"×6" forms.
I made enough bricks to build the interior wall up to a height 24" but here is the catch. I only wrap cured them for 3 days and as I placed them I would carve the ends so that I was not stuck using an inorganic shape. Back then I told my grandmother "I don't want any corners." as I placed the next row I staggered the blocks out about 1/2". Once I placed the second from the top row I laid in visqueen and used real bricks to hold it in place.
Next I got to work building the outer wall staggered in and started carving it so it would not look like steps.
Once It got to the same height as the inner wall I started filling with packing peanuts chunks of Styrofoam and canned insulation. Believe me when I say I fully expected this property to be passed to me and stay mine to the day I died (stupid city) but then again I was also an idiot kid, well not an idiot but defiantly ignorant.
After I got done filling I measured for the widest span and made forms that could span the gap and carved them as I placed them.
Can you guess what I put in there?
If you said a bog and CP's your absolutely WRONG.
I made what I thought was a swamp.
I filled it with sand and sludge and dirt with about 4 inches of water on top.
Planted cattails and tried lily pads from ponds, and tossed in random handfuls of what ever floating plants I came across.
Frogs, snails and fish.
For the most part only cattails and algae survived but year after year I tried and tried and tried.
But the great thing was to lovely moss covered bricks all nice and thick.
The memory of it makes me wish I could make some paver's to cover about a 4'×6' spot for an out door bed.
Well I hope I some how inspired you, have fun being creative.
