My concrete pot

[Arizona bonsai]

Here’s my concrete pot with a forest of dwarf jade aka elephant food. I used sand for the core of the pot that was washed away after dry & styrofoam for the outside. It is very heavy but fun to make.

 

[HENDO]

Here’s my concrete pot with a forest of dwarf jade aka elephant food. I used sand for the core of the pot that was washed away after dry & styrofoam for the outside. It is very heavy but fun to make.

That's very cool. Is there a guide or something available on how to do that?

I would really like to try making a concrete slab sometime, but this looks neat too. Any limitations on how thin something like this can be?

You've been busy, building potting benches and concrete pots all in one day!

 

[AaronThomas]

Nice!

 

[cockroach]

Nice!

That avatar, with that comment, with that punctuation. Creepyyyyyyy. lol

But, I concur.

 

[Arizona bonsai]

Not all in one day, the pot was made before corona, the bench today.

I get my pot info from utube & adjust it to fit what I think is best. This is my second pot the first was not so good!

 

[AaronThomas]

That avatar

Renfield from Dracula 1931.... classic!

 

[sorce]

Why the middle foot?

They clown ceramists for middle feet.

@HENDO I found this interesting.

Sorce

 

[AZbonsai]

That avatar, with that comment, with that punctuation. Creepyyyyyyy. lol

But, I concur.

You should check out @AaronThomas artwork! He has a very interesting collage style technique. Click the link at the bottom of his post!

 

[Arizona bonsai]

The middle foot was for support. It is heavy, was concerned about cracking. I used regular Portland cement and sand. I did see the video posted above & may try rapid set next time.

 

[sorce]

concerned about cracking

That's not too great a span.

I threw some 3/16 threaded rod in a biggin for rebar. Just a flat slab though.

You have plenty of wall to keep it from sag crackin!

I don't mean to ride you. Better safe than sorry.....that next one though!

Sorce

 

[Igor. T. Ljubek]

It is very heavy but fun to make.

If you want to make it lighter, next time replace sand with perlite. Something like 1 part of cement, 1 part of sand and 2 parts of perlite (or vermiculite, if you can't get perlite).

 

[AaronThomas]

What part of AZ ya from?

 

[Arizona bonsai]

I’m in Mesa. Here is my first pot. I used portland cement & sand. It dried very slowly & the sides kept moving out , creating the very thick rim. I haven’t used it & probably never will but it was a good lesson learned. Will use rapid set next.

 

[cockroach]

You should check out @AaronThomas artwork! He has a very interesting collage style technique. Click the link at the bottom of his post!

Oh my soul. That is my type of art!
@AaronThomas admire your talent.

@Arizona bonsai still liking your pot. Have you looked into concrete dyes?

 

[Arizona bonsai]

No dyes until i can make nice looking pots but something to look at when I do.

 

[AaronThomas]

@cockroach
Thanks so much... really appreciate it!

@Arizona bonsai
Mesa... my 2 hour neighbor to the north!
Digging the pots... I like this last one... has a bit of an organic vibe! Post more!

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Actually, for future projects the Rapid Set Cement and the Rapid Set Mortar looked good in the video. I need to read the Spec sheets, if they include a Polymer in the make up that would explain why they were able to be used in a vertical demo as in the video above. I would bet the Rapid set product did include a polymer in its make up.

For future projects look for concrete patching compounds for vertical applications. They will usually also say they are for thin applications. Verti-Patch is one trade name. They are cement-polymer blends where the strength comes from the cementitious matrix and the flexibility from the polymer that is part of the matrix. I like the vinyl-cement products, but there are acrylic-cement and other polymer-cement hybrids out there. Thin for concrete use is anything less than 4 inches, or 10 cm. Thinner than that, and you need additives to your concrete mix to prevent cracking.

In addition, wire mesh, and or rebar to help support weight when the pot is moved around is helpful. Concrete has great compressive strength, its tensile & flexural strength needs to be "borrowed" from additives and an internal framework or armature.

Small pots less than 8 inches (20cm) in diameter are pretty much self supporting. Large slabs, large pots, significantly over 8 inches will need some sort of internal mesh or armature to be long term durable.

One way to make concrete stronger is to add fibers to the mix. One product is little plastic "bow ties", these server to help tie the concrete together. You mix in these fibers into the fresh wet mix while you are mixing it up in the bucket. When the concrete sets, sometimes there will be little plastic nubs sticking out of the otherwise smooth surface. Just hit the surface with sandpaper or an orbital sander and the nubs will disappear, leaving a smooth finish. The fiber products are really good in all larger projects, even projects too small or thin to allow use of armatures & or wire mesh.

Hope this helps.

 

[Arizona bonsai]

Thank you for all that info!

 

[heyjoerichmond]

That's very cool. Is there a guide or something available on how to do that?

I would really like to try making a concrete slab sometime, but this looks neat too. Any limitations on how thin something like this can be?

You've been busy, building potting benches and concrete pots all in one day!

i have recently made a concrete forest slab and was wondering how long to cure it before planting on it ? is there a safe time?

 

[Arizona bonsai]

concrete reaches full strength in 28 days