Hypertufa is an artificial stone intended as a substitute for natural Tufa rock. Natural Tufa rock is a porous cellular rock found in limestone rich areas and has for centuries been hollowed out and carved for sinks, bath tubs, animal troughs, planters, decorative stepping stones and so on.
So in short, hypertufa is a man-made rock-like tufa resembling material that can be used for relatively inexpensive garden ornaments. Hypertufa creations are very durable and will last many years with no care. Basic hypertufa recipe ingredients are varying combinations of Portland cement, peat moss, sand, perlite, or vermiculite, and water. To improve strenght you can add fiberglass fibers or an acrylic hardener to the mix. Dyes are also available to add color if desired. Hypertufa without dye dries to a greyish color similar to normal cement. Dyes come in liquid form and are added to the water mixed with the hypertufa.
Hypertufa can be cast into a variety of shapes which, when dry, can resemble ancient stone or aged concrete. It's relatively easy and a lot of fun to make. There are a number of different recipes to produce hypertufa. Which will you choose depends on what end result you are desiring - Lightweight? More durable? Want to carve it?...and so on. Hypertufa offers almost limitless possibilities of garden ornaments that can be made. You are limited only by your imagination.
Before you start your own Hypertufa projects let me warn you that this can be quite a messy business. It can be messy, sure, but it can also be a lot of fun. You will feel like a child making mud pies. Believe me, it's fun!
Materials you will need to start your own Hypertufa projects include: peat moss, portland cement, sand, vermiculite or perlite, water, chicken wire for large creations (for reinforcement) and some tools like rubber gloves, mixing tub or wheelbarrow, wire brush, wooden dowel and so on. Nothing fancy.
A word of advice: Start small, try a rock, a simple bowl or a trough before moving to more complex creations.
When choosing a mold, keep in mind the plants you will be planting. Some ready-made mold choices that are acceptable for some hypetufa project include: cardboard boxes, styrofoam ice-chests, plastic containers, plastic dish pans and so on. The possibilities are endless. Before you send any container to the trash, consider its hypertufa potential. You can also make your own molds with materials such as wood, polystyrene foam (used for house insulation) or styrofoam.
Making Hypertufa is nothing risky or dangerous as long as you follow some basic safety procedures: wear a dust mask when mixing the dry ingredients, work in a well-ventilated area, wear rubber gloves and off course always apply a bit of common sense.
Teak is a large East Indian tree with white flowers and hard, yellowish-brown wood. It was originally used for shipbuilding because Teak is extremely strong and resilient. Also, due to its oily nature, it held up well in the waters of the sea.
When Teak was originally harvested, elephants had to be trained to move the trunks from the jungles, because Teak being so oil-rich was extremely heavy. The transportation of other kinds of woods was by floating the logs down the rivers, but because of the weight of Teak, that was impossible. The elephants would drag the trunks to the coast where it would then be used in shipbuilding, repair or loaded onto ships to be carried to the artisans. The artisans, without the assistance of the elephants, would not have been able to use Teak in creating their art.
In many countries Teak has been used for use in the garden, such as in making park benches, because of its durability. There are park benches in England, made from Teak that are almost one hundred years old. If you've ever had the opportunity to travel to Asia, you may have seen some ancient temples in Thailand. Many of their pillars were made from Teak, and are still standing, even though the masonry part of the temple may have fallen apart, giving further evidence to the strength of Teak.
In favorable conditions Teak can reach 150 feet in height, and their trunks can reach 5 feet in diameter. It is a slow growing tree. Teak is used in outdoor furniture because it resists shrinking, rotting, swelling and splintering because of its dense grain, and as previously noted, is water-resistant because of its oily nature. It also has a pleasant odor. Some people are also now using Teak inside their homes, because of its natural beauty and durability.
If you're in the market for garden art, consider items made from Teak. With it being so long-lasting, you'll be able to pass it down through your family. Inner Gardens is a wonderful place to look for garden art.
Both Robert Hill & Charles Benninghoff are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Robert Hill has sinced written about articles on various topics from Lose Weight, Acupuncture Chiropractor and Cars. To get more information about Hypertufa and to learn how to create beautiful hypertufa garden objects visit - blog.. Robert Hill's top article generates over 40500 views. to your Favourites.
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