A hypertufa is a synthetic rock produced from numerous materials that is bonded together using Portland cement. A hypertufa is based on tufa, a very porous rock that is made up of calcium carbonate brought about by springs rich in lime. A hypertufa looks just like a natural tufa, although it is commonly molded in such a way so that it can be used as a gardening adornment like troughs and pots. And because a hypertufa is porous, it is suitable for plant development.

It’s not very difficult to construct your own hypertufa, you just need to follow the instructions attentively to get it right. The basic recipe is that it is one part cement for every 3 parts aggregate. The other components besides Portland cement is peat moss, and perlite. You can use a vermiculite instead of a perlite to provide a little extra weight and sparkle to your hypertufa project. Furthermore, you may also include sand and nylon fiber mesh to the mix if you need to strengthen what you are building.

You will also need a mold for your project which can vary from boxes, pots, buckets, styrofoams, generally most solid hard objects will do. The options for your mold are limitless, all you have to do is use your imagination. Furthermore, there is a likelihood that you may destroy that mold if you make a mistake in building your hypertufa so be sure that you are willing to endanger that object. Prepare your wooden and metal mold by covering them with plastic or garbage bag; for plastic ones, you have to apply oil lubricants to the mold. This is important because it will allow you to release your hypertufa from the mold.

After you have organized the materials for your hypertufa, you may commence combining the dry ingredients with water, but with only little at a time as you do not want it to be flooded, rendering it impossible to mold. Additionally. keep in mind to wear a mask and heavy duty rubber gloves for your safety. Once you have achieved a consistency that can be cast, you may start filling your mold with the stuff that you mixed. You may put the mix inside or outside of the mold, depending on how you would like your hypertufa to look like.

To cure your mixture, protect it with plastic and let it sit for 24-36 hours. When it is already hard enough, you may get rid of the mold very carefully from the hypertufa. After that put back the plastic, and mist it occasionally with water. In around three weeks or so, your hypertufa project is now ready to use.