Exposed aggregate

[lutonlagerlout]

I want to do a small area at home >5M2
i seem to recall pablo and or cookie had the technique off to pat,can anyone jug my creaking memory
also any where to buy specialist aggregate would be handy
cheers LLL

[cookiewales]

The new guy on the block ' rock concrete is the bee's knee's on exposed concrete :p check out his website

[GB_Groundworks]

There's a wealth of info on the main site inc a path done in it in Wales

Our villa in Majorca had exposed pebble floor was great although I bet cleaning it was a pita

[Tony McC]

Rugasol is what you need. It's sugar and water with a bit of food colouring to make it look all science-y.

Mix the concrete with your preferred deco agg, or make it a face mix, spray rugasol @ around 250ml per m², leave it 4-6 hrs (bit longer at this time of year, and then hose off.

That makes it sound a lot simpler than it acctually is, but the principle is there. A 1m² test panel is *always* a good idea!

[TheRockConcreting]

Rugasol is what you need.

Sika no longer stock Rugasol.

We use Pieri VBA Bio 2 its 10 quid a liter but you would be better off with 1kg sugar/5l water for your 5m2.

If you do use the sugar water don't apply to soon. Were as the bio 2 can be used as soon as the concretes flat

[lutonlagerlout]

Cheers fellas
the sugar water sounds a goer
any idea of a good aggregate to use for effect?
i plan on doing a test panel first
LLL

[TheRockConcreting]

any idea of a good aggregate to use for effect?

Using a gap graded aggregate has the best effect IMO.

[lutonlagerlout]

sorry jay,what is a gap graded aggregate?
LLL

[TheRockConcreting]

Graded aggregate would be say 0mm-10mm (there is to many fines for EA)

Gap graded would be 6mm-10mm

Your best bet would be to buy your aggregate from a garden center, their decorative 25kg bags are nearly always gap graded.

Same goes for the sand you need to use 0/2 (not sharp)

[Pablo]

Hi Tony when I do exposed aggregate I buy washed stone in bulk bags and take it to a local batching plan. They add it to a clean hopper and do the mix for me and deliver when arranged. I don't like the scattering method because the base aggregate always shows up and lessens the decorative stuffs effect. I use a liquid surface retardant from Larsen which means I can do all the pouring one day spray it on then clean it the next morning regardless of the temp. Buying 25kg bags is going to be very expensive if you need a few tons of the stuff. Quite often I add a basalt grit to the mix which gives the grey base colour and nice black fleck.

[GB_Groundworks]

looking forward to thte result, re the deco gravel i had a big job on needed 12 tons deco bulk bags were like 80-100 a bag, managed to source the place in the local quarry theat bagged all the stuff for most the builders merchant in the northwest, town and country aggregates based out of the big cemex quarry at dove holes, i could buy it for 12 a ton collected, i know luton might be hard work for quarries etc but 20 minutes serching rd asking lorry drivers etc can save you a lot

take some pics as youre doing it

[TheRockConcreting]

5M2

You did mean 5m2 not 50m2 didn't you?

[lutonlagerlout]

yes,around about 5m2
just fancied something different
if it was 50 i would be ringing you
looked at some fantastic videos on you tube of yanks doing pool surrounds
LLL

[r896neo]

This has got me all intrigued. How long does the m agic sugar water retarder take go work its magic? i.e is the scrubbing and cleaning the next day or 5/6 hours after application?

Would be keen to see the test panel luton!

[cookiewales]

This has got me all intrigued. How long does the m agic sugar water retarder take go work its magic? i.e is the scrubbing and cleaning the next day or 5/6 hours after application?

Would be keen to see the test panel luton!

ah the sugar water has just rung a bell.when we were laying setts in fan pattern in the entrance to st stephens green grafton st war memorial .there was always lots of give aways .high energy drinks was this day we had just slurrey pointed 4/1 sharp sand cement one of the many local dossers took one sip and launched it on the cobbles glass every where .in the morning on clean up where the energy drink was. the pointing just washed out i rang the firm on the bottle to ask what was in there they declined to tell me .it must have been the sugar ps i dont drink energy drinks :p