The-Artistic-Garden's Blog

Can I float a mortar sphere in water?
How long will it last?

I received an email from Michelle asking:

I have made a hollow large (exercise ball size) sphere using a thin-set polymer-fortified mortar. Once the sphere is sealed, can it be placed in a pond – how long would it last? I’d love to see it float

My reply:

Hi Michelle:
About a floating sphere: I have no personal experience in doing this. However, if I were doing this, I would do a number of coats of sealant to be super-sure that it was sealed well, which I will assume would help with the longevity of the sphere lasting longer.

Please read my information about curing hypertufa and concrete, as you do not want to put uncured hypertufa/mortar/concrete into a pond. It could harm your fish and/or plants.