For information. Wetter mix does not indicate a weaker end product if the curing is slowed/delayed. For armatures, wetter with a higher cement mix left to dry slowly/ponded(covered) will result in much better results than fighting a dry and curing mix.
We didn’t use a plasticiser! Honestly, we’ve been using them for nearly 2 years now and they’ve been great! We’re pouring our table soon and will be using 3:2:2 again ☺️
These are amazing...I cannot wait for part 2! I have so many questions...did you get the sheet metal angle made up or did you bend it yourself? What sort of sand did you use? Did it have the aggregate in it or did you add it? Very well done!
Oh thanks so much! They turned out great in the end, part 2 shouldn’t be too far away! Yep, we got the sheet metal locally and the angle bent locally as well, that was actually the most expensive part of the whole process. We used white sand and aggregate (sourced locally). The granite is quite pink/colourful around where we live so it looks super cool when it’s ground back a bit 😍
Hey! We just used our local equivalent of blue metal which is more pink toned due to the nature of granite here. The white cement was just from Bunnings. I think it’s called Malaysia White 🤔 and yep, white sand and white oxide! The mix was a bit of trial and error. Basically just follow a regular mix but if you can afford to - go easy on the water and make it dryer 👌🏼
That’s okay! Oh no, not even from Bunnings? They should be able to order it in for you. We just added the oxide simply to make it as white as possible 👌🏼
Yep, it was basically a regular mix but Dane tried to make it as dry as possible. Just add the water to the mixer slowly. He basically just did it by eye.
Not so sure that would work very well, you can however get release agents 👌🏼 but we were going to grind ours anyway so it worked out okay. Probably would be worth the extra $ if you didn’t want to grind them as much.
@somewhereoutthere. i work with concrete for a living... doing drive ways and other projects we if you spary no joke engine oil on the inner timbers or metal edge borders and pour you concrete they release pretty much instantly with no bubbling or missing chunks or cracks... 27 yrs experience
This is very interesting! It’s like baking 😂 I’d say we’d give it a go next time but we’ve since discovered that a melamine edge (rather than metal) releases perfectly 👌🏼 we should have just done it from the start, it would have been more cost effective too. Thanks for the advice!
Your metal forms worked great! Just spray WD-40 on them, and give it a quick wipe with a cloth before pouring. Nothing happens to the concrete, when you pull the forms off, you’ll actually still feel the WD-40 on them.
Ooooh good tip! 😍 We’ve done some more since and found that melamine was a more cost effective material and also comes away from the concrete better 👏🏼
For information. Wetter mix does not indicate a weaker end product if the curing is slowed/delayed. For armatures, wetter with a higher cement mix left to dry slowly/ponded(covered) will result in much better results than fighting a dry and curing mix.
Cheers Romeo 👍🏼😂
Epic job guys!
Thank you so much 👏🏼
Love the benchtops! They look fabulous!
Awww thanks Miki! We’re happy with how they turned out 🥰
Great looking bench!
Did you stick with the sharp edges or did you round them off afterwards?
Thank you! Nope, we kept the bevelled edge. They’re not too sharp once you go over with a resin pad 👌🏼
Hi - pouring similar outdoors soon - did you use a plasticizer?
Was the 3:2:2 the right decision do you think?
We didn’t use a plasticiser! Honestly, we’ve been using them for nearly 2 years now and they’ve been great! We’re pouring our table soon and will be using 3:2:2 again ☺️
Haha at first I completely saw a ufo and an old ship in the sea in the thumbnail!
These are amazing...I cannot wait for part 2! I have so many questions...did you get the sheet metal angle made up or did you bend it yourself? What sort of sand did you use? Did it have the aggregate in it or did you add it? Very well done!
Oh thanks so much! They turned out great in the end, part 2 shouldn’t be too far away! Yep, we got the sheet metal locally and the angle bent locally as well, that was actually the most expensive part of the whole process. We used white sand and aggregate (sourced locally). The granite is quite pink/colourful around where we live so it looks super cool when it’s ground back a bit 😍
Hi what aggregate and cement did you use. White cement with white sand and bluestone aggregate?? What was the mix??
Hey! We just used our local equivalent of blue metal which is more pink toned due to the nature of granite here. The white cement was just from Bunnings. I think it’s called Malaysia White 🤔 and yep, white sand and white oxide! The mix was a bit of trial and error. Basically just follow a regular mix but if you can afford to - go easy on the water and make it dryer 👌🏼
Thanks for the reply. We are in Perth to and can’t find white cement anywhere. Lol. Why did you add white oxide if you already had white cement?
That’s okay! Oh no, not even from Bunnings? They should be able to order it in for you. We just added the oxide simply to make it as white as possible 👌🏼
Did you just follow the mix on the bag 3 shovels sand to 2 shovels of cement?
Yep, it was basically a regular mix but Dane tried to make it as dry as possible. Just add the water to the mixer slowly. He basically just did it by eye.
Nice one
Cheers!
Should of sprayed oil on the egdeing so it wouldn't stick....
Not so sure that would work very well, you can however get release agents 👌🏼 but we were going to grind ours anyway so it worked out okay. Probably would be worth the extra $ if you didn’t want to grind them as much.
@somewhereoutthere. i work with concrete for a living... doing drive ways and other projects we if you spary no joke engine oil on the inner timbers or metal edge borders and pour you concrete they release pretty much instantly with no bubbling or missing chunks or cracks... 27 yrs experience
This is very interesting! It’s like baking 😂 I’d say we’d give it a go next time but we’ve since discovered that a melamine edge (rather than metal) releases perfectly 👌🏼 we should have just done it from the start, it would have been more cost effective too. Thanks for the advice!
Your metal forms worked great! Just spray WD-40 on them, and give it a quick wipe with a cloth before pouring. Nothing happens to the concrete, when you pull the forms off, you’ll actually still feel the WD-40 on them.
Ooooh good tip! 😍 We’ve done some more since and found that melamine was a more cost effective material and also comes away from the concrete better 👏🏼
She goes “I can’t believe ‘we’ are doing this”, what a joker.
Right?!? The audacity 😂