Different Kinds of Hypertufa Recipes

 

Different Kinds of Hypertufa Recipes

A hypertufa is an anthropic rock that is composed of numerous aggregates that is combined together using Portland cement. Since they are really porous and lightweight, they're commonly made as garden ornaments, often as plant containers. A hypertufa is an substitute for tufa, a steadily precipitated limestone deposited from springs.

There are various recipes for creating hypertufas, although the basic formula is that it is one part cement for every three parts aggregate. For the most standard recipe, the main ingredients are 1 part Portland cement, 1آ½ parts peat moss, and 1آ½ parts perlite. Portland cement is available in two colors: gray or white. Gray is alright for most projects; on the other hand pick white if you prefer a granite look to the outcome or if you need to use colorants. Peat moss is included in the recipe as when it decays, it will leave holes and crevices that copies the attribute of a true tufa rock. At the same time perlite is the material that makes a hypertufa lightweight.

Instead of perlite, you can substitute it with vermiculite, although you may have a harder time finding one. Vermiculite will add a bit more weight to your hypertufa. In addition, it brings a glowing effect to your hypertufa. The proportion of materials is similar with the first recipe.

Sometimes you may want to create a tougher, heavier hypertufa. This can be achieved by adding sand to your mix. Take note that the type of sand will have an effect on the feel and color of the result of your project. For the proportion of this recipe, make use of an equal ratio for all the components. Another ingredient that can be added to fortify your hypertufa is fiber mesh. For this recipe you need to use 2 parts of Portland cement, 2 parts perlite, 1/2 part coarse sand, 1 1/2 parts peatmoss, and just a tiny bit of nylon fiber mesh.

Peat moss can also be replaced with coir, a processed coconut fiber. The recipe for this variation is 2 parts portland cement, 2 parts coir, and 1 1/2 parts perlite. Keep in mind that coir does not decay as fast as peat moss and for that reason this recipe may not look like a real tufa rock, in contrast to those constructed with the latter.

You can also use hypertufa as a mortar, to combine genuine or synthetic rocks. For this purpose, you will require clay soil, builders sand, and acrylic fortifying base. Black potting soil may also be used as an alternative to peat moss. The recipe is 1/2 part peat moss or black potting soil, 2 parts builders sand, 1 part Portland cement, and the acrylic fortifying additive.

As a final note, the key to every recipe is the proper adding of water. Add water slowly until you reach the desired consistency of your mix. You can always put more water anyway if you figure out that it is not enough.

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