Hi

I want to make a raised vegetable bed, and the way forward seems to be
to use cheap breeze blocks and then coat them with hypertufa for a
more natural look. I did initially want to use timber, but don't want
to use treated wood and untreated wood wouldn't last very long.

I have seen a few websites on usibng hypertufa, most most seem to be
on making a planter using a mould- different from actually covering
breeze blocks. I wondered whether anyone had any experience in doing
this. The only real question mark is over allowing it to cure....you
are meant to hypertufa away from direct sunlight, but the raised bed
needs to be in direct sunlight. any help appreciated
thanks
R.

On 5 Apr 2004 04:54:20 -0700, (R) wrote:

Hi

I want to make a raised vegetable bed, and the way forward seems to be
to use cheap breeze blocks and then coat them with hypertufa for a
more natural look. I did initially want to use timber, but don't want
to use treated wood and untreated wood wouldn't last very long.

I have seen a few websites on usibng hypertufa, most most seem to be
on making a planter using a mould- different from actually covering
breeze blocks. I wondered whether anyone had any experience in doing
this. The only real question mark is over allowing it to cure....you
are meant to hypertufa away from direct sunlight, but the raised bed
needs to be in direct sunlight. any help appreciated
thanks
R.
Don't know much about hypertufa, but AIUI the home-made stuff is a
mixture of peat and cement. I would think the only problem with
sunshine is with the cement drying too quickly before it sets off. Two
solutions. Do it on a dull day, or cover with damp hessian sacking or
old carpet after you've applied the stuff, and damp it down it once or
twice during the day. Should be OK after 24/48 hours anyway.


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net