I received an email from a sweet lady named P.J. asking me about how doable a “large” DIY hypertufa flagstone project might be and I think lots of you can benefit from her questions and my answers. So here goes:

Hi Claudia,

I love your website and blog and I have been reading all your info about hypertufa but I have a few questions. I want to make a patio in my yard and I would like to use the flagstone or slate mold. I am a widow and I will be doing this myself.

I guess my question is can I do it myself? I know the regular stones are too heavy for me to lift by myself and thought that the hypertufa stones would be lighter. I live down in Southern Florida where we do not usually get any freezing so I don’t think that I have to worry about the cracking of the stone. How long will they last with people walking over them?

Would your e-book on hypertufa address making the patio stones? I love the look of slate or flagstones and I will be doing the work myself. I am quite handy at repairing & fixing things so I know I could do it if it will not be too heavy.

Thank you,
P.J.

My reply:

Hi P.J.:
Thank you for contacting me and for the kind compliment about my site.

To answer your questions, yes I am sure you can tackle a project making hypertufa flagstones if you are at least a mildly active person.

There isn’t anything that is going to be horribly difficult in the process, but I guess the biggest thing to consider is the weight of the bags of Portland cement and sand you’ll be having to take out of your vehicle and transport to your working area.

The bags are normally between 40lbs – 80lbs. Can you wrestle 80lbs of dead weight?? (It’s not as easy for me as it used to be, I must admit.)

Next, though you won’t have the need to mix up huge batches at one time – as I am going to guess you’ll only have a few molds that can be used at a time – be aware that the mixing up and blending can put a strain on one’s back. Lots of crafters will mix up everything in a wheel barrow to keep from having to bend way down to mix up everything. Or many folks rent a small concrete mixer – it all depends upon how many flagstones you’re going to have to make, to determine if the cost of the mixer rental is worth it.

Yes, the ‘tufa stones will be lighter, and over time the peat moss will decompose leaving a more natural looking stone – that is unless you want super smooth stones (with minimal texture) like real slate. Then I’d use a pure concrete recipe. No peat moss (which means you can’t call the recipe a hypertufa recipe).

As I teach on my website (and in my eBook) … IF the recipe ratios are correct; IF the mixing and application method is correct; and IF you allow the object to cure properly, then you ought to have stones that will last almost indefinitely. But I always advise that you do some test runs – and I think especially so for this project. Make a small batch; record the exact ratios; the curing time, etc. If you have success (or failure) with your test run, then you know you are either good to go with your project … or if you’ve had a failure … then it’s back to the drawing board!

I caution you to NOT attempt this project without first getting a real hands-on feel of what working with concrete and such is like. It can be a temperamental animal … but not so bad because thousands of people are successful all the time once they get the hang of ingredient ratios and proper curing methods. After all, hypertufa making is NOT rocket science!

Yes … my Hypertufa How-To eBook does go into much more depth on the subject of hypertufa, however I can tell you that for the project you are wanting to do, you’ll find everything you need to know for free on my site. (How is that for being honest and not trying to sell you my eBook?)

Your main decision is what recipe to use. I would suggest one that includes a bonding agent which will help add more strength. I don’t suggest using reinforcing fibers in your recipe for a variety of reasons – mostly to make the project easier for you. However … even one of the basic hypertufa recipes most likely will do fine, too. But make a test batch first!

To review all the hypertufa pages on my site, you can easily see all the pages listed under the “Hypertufa” sub-heading on my website’s directory page. Check out the different recipes and projects – I do have one for flagstones – and I know you’ll find one that will fill the bill for you.

Oh … I had another crafter who wanted to tackle a “make homemade flagstones for the patio” project tell me she bought nice flagstone molds on eBay. I think the the cost was around $100, but a deal when you consider how much you’ll save in the long run if you DIY and of course because the molds are reusable.

Does this information help? I hope so. Keep me posted. Good luck with your hypertufa flagstone project!

Claudia

I received an email this week asking me:

A friend and I tried one of your basic hypertufa recipes without adding the fiber mesh. Our results are very crumbly. I think we goofed by not using it, right? Where does one find fiber mesh? NewLearner

—————
My reply:
Hi NewLearner:

I hate to say it, but I don’t believe the lack of fiber mesh in your basic recipe was the cause for a crumbly failure. Sounds like the amount of water you used and/or wrong proportions of ingredients was your problem.

You didn’t tell me the “basic” ingredients you used, nor the ratios. Too much or too little water is often the cause of failed hypertufa recipes. Sometimes too much of one of the dry ingredients can be the culprit. Since I wasn’t there to observe you mixing up the recipe, I can’t be more specific in figuring out the cause.

I suggest you (re)read this article: Hypertufa Recipe Mixing Guidelines.

About where to find the fiber mesh – you can check with commercial concrete companies if you cannot find it in retail stores that have a good assortment of concrete products. Fiber mesh can sometimes be hard to find in certain areas of the country. I also suggest you Google “fiber mesh for concrete” and many results will come up and you’ll find online sources.

Also read the blog post I wrote on just this subject: locating silica fume and poly fibers. I believe you’ll find it quite informative and helpful.

Remember … hypertufa “success” often takes a couple failed attempts. Really. Portland cement can be temperamental to work with. Most crafters really have to get the hang of the correct water ratio in relation to the portland cement, along with following proper curing methods. Keep trying your hand at small projects (less wasted materials) until you believe “you’ve GOT IT!”

I often get asked by many hypertufa and concrete garden art enthusiasts where to find “silica fume” and “poly fibers”, also referred to as “fiber mesh”. Depending where you live, it may or may not be very easy to lay your hands on this stuff.

PLEASE NOTE! Silica fume is sometimes confused with fumed silica (also known as colloidal silica and pyrogenic silica). These materials have different derivations, technical characteristics, and applications. Silica fume is very fine like beach sand and completely black.

Silica fume and poly fibers are used as strengtheners, normally referred to as fortifying agents. They help make your cured hypertufa or concrete object stronger. Often, you’ll want to use one or the other for items such as stepping stones or very thin spheres. I do have some recipes sitting on my website that I’ll refer you to, in case you aren’t familiar with recipes and/or projects that utilize silica fume or poly fibers. Here are three of them:

Hypertufa Recipe Using Fiber Mesh (Poly fibers)  (refer to last recipe on the page)
Hypertufa Sculpture Recipe
Concrete Recipe For Very Thin-walled Spheres

How to Locate Silica Fume and/or Poly Fibers

My first suggestion is to call commercial concrete supply companies in your area. Many times they will have either fortifier, and will be willing to sell you a couple of pounds. (You don’t need much of either one in a recipe – unless I guess you’re making something collosal in size! ).

I’ve even read of people walking away with some for free, after explaining to the sales people what they will be doing with the silica fume or poly fibers. Seems the sales people get a kick hearing that Portland cement is going to be mixed with peat moss and water to make an odd concoction called hypertufa!

My next suggestion is to do what else … that’s right, find suppliers who sell via their online store. In doing a Google search today, I found EpoxyUSA.com carries poly fibers for a very reasonable price on the Fillers-Thickeners webpage. Note – I have no affiliation nor experience ordering from them. Perhaps you should contact them first to check shipping charges, etc. before you order. But I’ll wager a guess they are legitimate and probably fine to deal with.

Finding silica fume online seems to be more of a daunting task. I did find this link to the SilicaFume.org webpage. If nothing else, call them and see where you can purchase a small quantity online.

So, there you have it. I hope I’ve helped you locate two ingredients that do help make a difference in strengthening concrete and hypertufa recipes.

I received an email from Debbie asking me:

In the instructions given for the Hypertufa Hollow Garden Sphere, one of the materials needed was a deflatable ball.

Can you advise me where I would get such a ball? What size does it come in and what type material is it made of? (Guess you can see I don’t have any young kids at home nor any grandchildren. )

Thanks for your help. Oh by the way, I love the project info you send. My neighbor and I have tried a lot of the projects you have sent to me in your great little Newsletter. Debbie

My reply:

Hi Debbie:
I’ll be happy to explain this for you. You can use a plastic blow-up (inflatable) beach ball like the kind you’d toss back and forth to each other while frolicking on the beach which you can buy at most drug stores, Wal-Mart, etc. Just depends upon the climate zone where you live as to whether you’ll be able to find them year-round. Stores don’t usually stock them during frigid winter months. Or of course I am sure you’ll find them on the internet. And they’re pretty cheap.

The main thing, though about using these balls for a hollow sphere mold (form) is that they can deflate S..L..O..W..L..Y and without it being noticeable in the beginning. Most normally this is due to a pin-sized hole that allows the air to escape. I know in my case, as a kid, sometimes I’d find that my new beach ball was pretty much totally deflated within about a day. This was probably caused by a tiny pinhole leak.

Now … add the weight of a heavy, wet ‘tufa or concrete recipe pressing down on the ball. The weight helps to accelerate the air escaping. Some crafters have reported that when they came back the next day to inspect their sphere to see how it was curing – yikes! They found a pretty sad looking deflated and slumped down sphere.

Now … perhaps this “disaster” might prove to be an interesting sculptural form that once cured can be painted and utilized in some other fashion, but let’s just say most folks end up having to trash the project. So … “cheap” beach balls are quite OK most of the time and hold air without causing a project failure … but just be aware of the potential deflation problem.

Or you can get one of the big heavy-rubber inflatable types that people use to exercise with. These can be found at Wal-Mart or Target in the exercise depts. (as examples) and just the other day I saw some at T.J. Maxx for sale. This size ball would of course be used if you want to make a really big garden sphere. But deflation problems from small leaks most likely won’t be an issue for you.

Now, there are other smaller, sturdier type balls you could use, but you asked about inflatable/deflatable, so I am mentioning the most often used balls. You want something with a stem you can blow into or can hook-up an air supply to for automatic inflation. And the stem allows you to deflate the ball easily after your sphere has cured enough.

Good luck with your hollow sphere project!

I received an email from Carole M. asking me:

Could hypertufa be used to create boulders to be used on a waterfall on a pool? We built one that needs help. Thanks!

My reply:

Hi Carole:
Thank you for contacting me and if you are referring to using a hypertufa recipe (or even a concrete recipe) to make boulders for your waterfall … yes you certainly can use the appropriate recipe for this project.

I suggest you read over ALL the pages of hypertufa and concrete information I have on both my website and my blog pertaining to hypertufa and/or concrete projects. There are things you need to be very aware of if your finished project will be in contact with plants or pond fish.

**Let me caution you that whether it’s a ‘tufa or concrete rock you are making, the thing you really must do as a final step before you allow plants or fish to come into contact with water that is in constant contact with your rocks or boulders, is to leach the lime residue out of the rocks/boulders (or even a trough or planter for that matter) completely.

This important step cannot be over-emphasized as necessary to do! Read more about that here: Build a Hypertufa Garden Pond Waterfall.

In addition, I will make a shameless plug on my own behalf, and recommend you purchase my Hypertufa eBook, as there is more in-depth information there that will be helpful to you. You can find information about my eBook here: HypertufaBooks.com. The eBook will more than pay for itself after you’ve made your first boulder, for sure!

A hypertufa or concrete boulder project will be quite an undertainking for you, so I will advise strongly that you do a small “test” project, or couple of projects, using the recipe you decide upon. Get the hang of working with the recipe; the curing time, etc.

Here is a blog post you will find informative since you’re new to working with recipe mixtures containing Portland cement: The Number #1 Cause For Most Hypertufa and Concrete Recipe Failures.

Best of luck in tackling your hypertufa boulder project!

I received an email from Lael asking me:

I have a terracotta strawberry jar that is flaking off on the surface. I want to cover it with hypertufa. I would use about 1/2″ to 1″ layer, and leave the jar in place. Do you think that would work? I love your site and have made several spheres and a planter.

My reply:

Hi Lael:
Yes – your idea of using hypertufa to resurface your jar would work, as long as you do a really thorough job of scraping off all loose flakes and clean off any dirt, etc.

Then I would suggest to wet down the jar, apply a good coat of bonding agent to the jar; add some bonding agent into your hypertufa mixture and then apply it. Click here to learn more about hypertufa bonding agents.

But … do you want the peat moss to decompose for little pits and crevices? Or would perhaps a “pure” concrete recipe be better for this project if you want a smooth surface (since I don’t know what final look you are trying to achieve)?

All going well hypertufa or concrete ought to stick onto the terra cotta forever.

Good luck!

A couple of days ago I posted about one awe inspiring use of hypertufa for a garden wall and house and alert blog reader Nancy did some nosing around on the internet (thanks, Nancy!) and found a link to the crafter’s website www.v-d-brink.eu and there happens to be a video posted there of the actual installation.

I thought posting that video would be of interest to lots of people, so here it is. If you’ve ever wondered just how much you can get addicted to working with ‘tufa … well I guess Marjin’s backyard installation kind of answers that!!

While doing some research the other day that had nothing to do with hypertufa, I came across a search result that caught my attention, clicked on it and started to scan everything that was posted there.

The photos and comments centered around a conference that took place in Holland. About a third of the way down the long thread – Wowee! What I saw made me immediately think that I just had to share it with the rest of you. I’ll bet none of you have ever seen anything like this before – a house built from hypertufa! The most incredible thing to me is that evidently the owner built everything you see in these two photos from hypertufa.

Come on! Talk about a massive project to tackle! This gentleman was obviously dedicated to transforming his property into one incredible natural looking Alpine setting.

Here’s a snippet from the actual thread: Wednesday, April 20, 2005 – 8:45 pm / Poster: Paul Cumbleton “… the remarkable garden of Marijn van den Brink. He built this – and his house – himself over 4 years. Almost all the “stone” you see is actually hand-made hypertufa – including the large slabs over 2m tall!!”

This forum thread also has some wonderful photos of massive arrays of Dutch tulips, daffodils and other flowers, and also many photos of Alpine gardening ideas that I am sure a lot of you could adapt to use in your gardens, if for nothing else than to make an attractive rock garden in a spot in your yard that might need a little something interesting added for visual appeal.

So … if you question the durability of building something simple like a trough or making a garden stepping stone from a hypertufa recipe, perhaps these photos will prove to you that at least one person in the world believes 100% that hypertufa can stand the test of time!

As long as you’ve gotten the recipe ratios correct and you’ve properly cured the hypertufa then ‘tufa can last almost indefinitely. I must emphasize this, as a bad batch of hypertufa can start out looking like it’ll be OK, and then it can start to fall apart.

To view the entire thread, please go to: Dutch International Conference of Alpine Plants 2005

I hope you find the information on the hypertufa house and other creative ways to do rock gardening as interesting as I did. Enjoy!

Without a doubt, the amount of water mixed in with the dry hypertufa recipe’s ingredients is the most critical and determining factor of success or failure! Let’s call it your “make it or break it” ingredient. Why do I say this, you ask? Well …

Nearly every crafter who is new to working with hypertufa adds in too much water. (This mistake also applies to newbies who are trying to mix up a concrete recipe.) Too much water makes a recipe mixture that slumps badly. In other words, slumping means that your wet hypertufa just sort of slips off the sides of whatever you are applying it to. And there it is, sitting in a very wet blob on your work surface.

Even just an itty-bitty too much water can cause problems. Though you may think you’re doing quite well because you are able to keep the ‘tufa clinging to the vertical sides of your mold, just a hair too much water most likely will guarantee that you’ll end up with “weak” hypertufa. Weak meaning though it may appear to be curing properly, it might crack or crumble when you go to unmold it. Or it might survive the unmolding, but may fall apart during the hardening (curing) phase. Or it might make it through all of the cure … and then fall apart on you soon thereafter.

Yes … working with anything containing Portland cement can be tricky. Even professionals who pour concrete driveways and sidewalks (as examples) can have sloppy disasters on their hands if the ratio of water gets goofed up. So … how do you get the hang of how much water is or isn’t just right for a successful batch of hypertufa? I’ll tell you …

But first – as I ALWAYS encourage everyone who is new to working with hypertufa or concrete recipes – PLEASE do yourself a favor a try your hand at a small project. In this way if you do have a disaster, you’ll not have wasted a lot of ingredients. As a matter of fact, I have a beginner’s recipe on my website, which can help save you a little money if you want to give hypertufa a try and see if it’s something you really enjoy working with: Hypertufa Recipe For The Beginner.

Back to learning about the water ratio … understand that the consistency of wet mix you want SHOULD NOT look like the concrete you see being poured for sidewalks, driveways, patios and the like. No … what you want is more of a peanut butter consistency. A wet mix that you can hold in your hands and form a nice ball with, and when you give it a squeeze just a DROP (or two) of water will drip from it.

The magic trick to estimating the right amount of water for success is to add in the water in VERY small increments, and then stir, stir, stir! Wait a moment and if it appears dry and crumbly, add in a LITTLE bit more. Then stir, stir, stir again. Err on the side of your mix looking just a bit dry versus it appearing to look “just right”.

Walk away from your wet mixture at this point for about 10 minutes. Really! You know why? Within 10 minutes the recipe is going to go through a slight chemical change and the water is being absorbed even more by the dry ingredients.

After 10 minutes come back. How’s the batch of ‘tufa look? Can you make a ball of hypertufa in your hand as I explained before? If your mix is just a bit dry … then add only a tiny bit more water. Maybe a tablespoon or so and stir, stir, stir. Your mix should be ready to be applied at this point.

This is about all I can teach you about the right amount of water for a hypertufa recipe. (Sorry I can’t be standing right there next to you to demonstrate!  ) As the saying goes “Practice WILL make perfect”!

But what I and almost every other person who has worked with hypertufa have found, is that it is amazing that you can be mixing and carefully and slowly adding the water, and you’ve almost got it just right and then you think, “Hey! I’ll add just another little splash of water”, and … it’s a splash too much! Perhaps only one tablespoon was all that was really needed.

The result from that extra splash? Hypertufa that begins slipping, sliding and slumping down the sides of your mold.

I’m not trying to scare you away from trying your hand at making something with hypertufa. Not at all! What I’m trying to do is alert you to what is the #1 biggest mistake most every crafter makes in the beginning. Disaster can strike even after we’ve had many successful projects, normally because we get a little lax in paying attention to the careful addition of water.

So again, let me stress, though many crafters are successful in their very first attempt of working with ‘tufa and end up with a nice large trough or planter, I can only encourage you to start small. Get the hang of working with hypertufa recipes and then graduate to larger projects.

Good luck!

I received an email from an enthusiastic hobbyist who wrote:

Hello, first of all let me say thank you very much for such a great and informative site! I’m writing because I need to get some of your hypertufa how-to advice.

I am making a waterfall with either hypertufa or concrete and I wanted to make a rock-face resembling a cliff. I have been looking at some nice concrete trees and cliffs but I’m seeing a lot of welding and rebar – I realize that’s important for large structures.

My structure is just over 1 meter tall, and under half a meter wide, and I want to make it as light as possible. There will be a waterfall. The biggest issue is that I really want the entire structure to be hollow.

I think I might use some wood/bamboo/styrofoam/chickenwire combination as an armature. I know I have to cover it with the wire mesh cloth strips. What I don’t know is if I can remove the armature after the first stages of curing?

Am I supposed to cover the entire armature with plastic and a release agent before I put on the wire mesh? But if I am wire-tying the mesh onto the armature, would I have to untie it before removing it or is it supposed to be permanent? It would sure make a lot more weight and mass, and would make the structure very ugly if seen from the bottom.

The good part about this particular waterfall is the back will be against a wall, so could I just leave it a half shape form in a trough style, and then lift it up on its side? and then could I later cement that waterfall to a base? The base will extend about 1.5 meters beyond the front, so I would prefer to make it all upright from the beginning.

So that’s my question – can it be done upright and can the armature be removed afterwards? And any ideas as to the best armature material? I would prefer not to weld.

I saw some beautiful indoor waterfalls with welding of wires thinner than rebar, used in conjuction with something like chickenwire, and I could see it was mostly hollow. I didn’t see any other filling other than wire mesh beneath it … but I don’t undertstand how they removed the filling afterwards, or how they made this big hollow rock face.

I kind of guess that it’s hollow because they’ve removed the form, but it could be that the wires are really secured well, but I still don’t see how they could form it through the chickenwire, keeping the chickenwire hollow.

One more quick question, can it be used as a waterfall before the 1 month curing process? Say after a week?

I would greatly appreciate any knowledge or how-to tips on this subject, or a point in the right direction. I am very interested in making large hollow hypertufa and concrete rock structures for waterfalls in the future as well.

Thank you! “Chinarabbit”

My reply:

Hi Chinarabbit:
I hope I can answer all your questions. And thanks for the kind comments about my website – I appreciate that.

Whew … I give you credit for taking on a large project like what this one will probably be. You have pretty much answered your own questions, in that there has GOT to be some sort of inner structure onto which you will apply the hypertufa or ‘crete. Whether it is a welded rebar frame (yes … I understand most of us just don’t have this option, due to not having the welding equipment and/or the money to afford to have one made for us), or a chicken wire contraption such as you described … based on what you want to do, and to have it LAST A LONG TIME you will apply the mixture to the frame.

I will highly suggest that the frame NOT be removed, as it will be an integral part of the final object.

Now … on a side note, though I really don’t have a 100% complete idea of what you want to do … the “inner structure” could be nothing more than chicken wire. If you wad up plastic (bags) and fill the entire inner cavity of the form with it, the “wads” would act as a temporary barrier to keep the wet mixture from falling through the chicken wire. When partially cured, the plastic wads would be removed, thusly what you have is a reinforced ‘tufa or concrete structure. Follow me here? And you are making the entire structure lighter in weight, which is also one of your concerns.

I am guessing chicken wire is going to be an integral part of the inner structure, in order to get a curved surface.

In addition, you’d better use a reinforcing agent of some sort to make a more durable recipe. Again … longer lasting for you.

And lastly, DO NOT RUSH the curing process! (30-days is about what it needs to be.) That is one of the biggest reasons for failures! Plus, if plants and more importantly fish are going to be in your pond … you have GOT to leach out the lime from the cured structure.

I hope this helps some. Post more if I’ve not clarified anything enough for you. Let us know how your project progresses! Good luck!

~~~

Chinarabbit replied:

Thanks for your time and response, it’s been very useful. I am ready to get started!

I have already bought several large styrofoam sheets of different thicknesses and a lot of bamboo skewers. I thought I’d follow this procedure:

1. just carve the basic shape I need with the styrofoam, securing the pieces together with the bamboo skewers, making a solid structure, because I’ve decided to leave the back open, and just have a sort of half-shape with a rock face and an open back and bottom on the finished product. Actually there will be 2 rock walls, at opposite ends of the structure, with their back to a plywood wall, and a concrete riverbed/planter/pond along the bottom connecting the two.

2. wrap the structure in large plastic bags for release (maybe even some vegetable/mineral oil mix on top of the plastic, or is it unnecessary if I have plastic?)

3. wrap that it in a chicken wire frame…

4. put fine wire mesh strips over the chicken frame (do you think this is important? or can i do without it? I thought the fine wire mesh might make the concrete more stable, but it would also make the chicken wire unattached to the concrete, perhaps the chicken wire would fall away because it didn’t penetrate the fine mesh?)

5. mix the concrete and apply a layer 3 inches thick and carve out the shape of rocks. can you recommend a replacement for the fiber strands? I’m an American living in China and not sure i will be able to find those, can they be made from something else?

6. after it begins curing I would remove the styrofoam, leaving only the wire mesh/chicken wire attached beneath.

7. keep misting it. This project will be behind glass, and include an automatic sprinkling system, maybe I will just install the glass and let the sprinklers mist it for a month.

So, I have those minor issues. Thank you Claudia for your in-depth responses. I would greatly appreciate your final input on these last little details.

Once again they are:

A. what do you think of the styrofoam form leaving a half-shape waterfall?

B. is oil useful on plastic?

C. wire mesh on top of chicken wire? or just one or the other?

D. replacement reinforcer other than the strands you mention in your site.

E. also, should I apply a layer of concrete/Elmer’s glue mixture to get finer detail? Or is one layer sufficient for waterfall detail? And would the outer layer weaken the structure?

I have seen several other forms, such as overhead tree branches, which have had an outer layer applied and also seems to fall off exactly at the seam between the two layers, who knows if they used any glue. Probably not, it’s in China and I don’t think they’ve read your site. lol

So anyway, thanks again for all help and ideas. Your The-Artistic-Garden.com is by far the best website on hypertufa how-tos that I have found.

You are a very generous person to offer such wonderful advice in the spirit of helping and giving and sharing. So many other sites on this subject regard it as quite an expensive little secret of sorts. I’ve recommended your site to all my family and friends interested in gardening.

Keep it up – I hope it’s a permanent site that will last for years to come.

~~~

I replied again:
Hi Chinarabbit:

Wow, you live in China! I just love the internet – such an incredible way to meet people from all over the world.

OK, you are keeping me busy here.   Let me try to answer everything:

A. Styrofoam can be a great sub-surface or inner form that can be completely covered in ‘tufa … so this sounds OK;

B. Nope — don’t need the oil. The plastic should just pull away from the ‘tufa;

C. I “think” (I am using my best judgement here–but it is ultimately up to you!!) the chicken wire, mooshed inbetween the ‘tufa will be just fine — no need for the mesh strips;

D. You can use a bonding agent (read more here: hypertufa & concrete bonding agents explained) to strengthen as opposed to the fibers;

E. 1st Q answered by “D”; I cannot accurately guide you if one layer will be enough — you did say 3-inches — that should be fine, but again, I am not there along side you perhaps the layer on the branches were not properly prepped before whatever was applied to them (you’ve not mentioned?), thusly the material is falling off. It isn’t adhereing to the sub-surface properly.

I hope I answered everything. Umm … one thought that I must mention that jumped out at me. You mentioned a plywood wall behind this new structure? I am going to assume you know constant moisture and/or direct contact with water is NOT a good thing for plywood. I am hesitant of you using plywood with a waterfall construction.

And, thank you so very much for your kind compliments. It means a lot to me that people do appreciate the attention I try to put into everything I write and share online.

Good luck with this project and I do hope all my “hypertufa how-to” tips have helped steer you in the right direction.