How to mix concrete for art.
Mixing concrete is literally like following a recipe. There are so many different kinds of mixes that yield multiple surface treatments. As an artist, I love to experiment with different surface treatments. I like to use a fine mix such as portland cement, course sand, and marble dust. With this particular mix, once poured, allows me to seed various types of aggregates onto the slurry layer. Seeding aggregates, depending on the size, can sometimes be tricky once placed onto the top layer of concrete. I use a trowel to push down the aggregates and then vibrate the mold to free any bubbles. Once there is a layer of slurry after aggitating the mold, I then trowel the surface repeately over and over until the concrete had cured to a certain hardness. I like to do a hard trowel, because it completely eliminates bug holes in preparation for polishing.
When mixing concrete, keep in mind that concrete is very forgiving, but “time” is of the essence. I use a barrel mixer to do my larger projects. When mixing concrete, I wear heavy duty gloves that will prevent my hands and arms from getting burned from the concrete. If concrete is left on your skin for a period of time, be prepared for some discomfort. I also wear a respirator and safety glasses. Due to variety of ways concrete can be manipulated to create different effects, mixing concrete in itself has become an art form.
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
Comments
No comments yet.
Leave a comment