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Has anyone tried Bond Cement instead or Regular Portland

18 years ago

My other half went to Home Depot and I asked him to

get me a bag of portland while he was there. He

brought back a bag of Portland but also brought

me a bag of Bonding Cement, it has fiberglass mixed

in as a bonding agent and is usually used to fix

or cover block walls. Would it be good in place

of the portland or would I be better off mixing

it with the Portland?

Anyone use it?

Gemfire

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Comments (5)

Pam Honeycutt
Original Author
18 years ago
Well, answered my own question by trying a small
dish. After sitting for about 4 hours I tried
to turn it over and the whole thing turned to
power. My guess is it doesn't mix with the
peat and perlite too well. I'll use a small amount
mixed in with my regular mix of portland, peat
and perlite.

gemfire
butterflybush
18 years ago
When you try to create a hypertufa mix with bonding cement, you make a very weak product because Bonding Cement already is a prepared mix of portland, sand, fibers, and an admix. It is already probably 1/3 or 1/4 portland, and if you mix it as 1/3 of the tufa mix, you only have about 1/6 portland or 1/8 portland, making it very weak. This product, used alone, could be used as a top layer to smooth out a surface. It will stick to other concrete very well. I once put it in a concrete cistern to fix all the pocked holes and cracks. I put only about an inch layer all over to smooth the surface of the existing concrete, and after it cured I filled it with water and the kids used it as a swimming pool for a couple of years. (the cistern was 9 feet deep into the ground and 9 feet by 9 feet square!) It held up very well!! You could even use it to texture a concrete or even a hypertufa pot, as it will adhere very well. Why not experiment with using it as an added texture to something you have already made? Like adding hair to a 'tufa head??? Have fun.
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HowieDoin
18 years ago
Do a search on Quikwall (which is a bonding cement by brand name) and I think you'll find a leaf done with it (straight out of the bag). And I believe that leaf was done by Butterfly Bush herself! (right, BB?). Maybe BB will be gracious enough to post that beautiful Quikwall leaf for us again...pleeeaaassse Butterfly Bush???
butterflybush
18 years ago
Your wish is my command. Quikwall projects, straight out of the bag:

Here is a link that might be useful: Quikwall projects
Pam Honeycutt
Original Author
18 years ago
Thanks HowieDoin and ButterflyBush for the quick
response. I figured as much when it crumbled.
Glad I was trying it out on something small.
I do have a pot that I made but haven't used
because it came out so rough looking on the outside,
maybe this stuff will help the looks of it. Going
to give it a try next weekend. By the time I get
off work its too hot to do anything.

ButterflyBush, you do beautiful work. I enjoyed
seeing it.

Thanks
Gemfire

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