Crushed Granite Pea Stone In Concrete

Tscarborough

Not too good up close, but the stand-back view is looks passable.

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jgray152

Looks Great! I like the very small black particles. Maybe more of the white marble but I like it a lot.

Now here is a question, if this gets wet can you get coal "dust" on your fingers? Say you make a step from this and you don't seal it at all, it rains and you walk on it bare foot, will you pick up black traces of the coal slag?

Also, what did you use to grind it? I Don't see swirl marks at all. I use cheap resin blades or diamond blades which produce swirl marks. I use the resin blades to reduce the swirl marks.

jgray152

Use this replacing the coal slag?

Tscarborough

It doesn't mark. It is coal slag, not coal. I sanded it with an orbital sander, 50 and 80 grit.

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jgray152

Oh ok I thought coal slag was a form of coal. Shows how much I know in this specific area

Orbital sander, I will have to get my hands on one of those.

jgray152

I just noticed there is a "concrete" section. I missed that when I was originally posting on this forum. Sorry guys.

Tscarborough

I found it in the daylight. Here is what expanded shale looks like ground:

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jgray152

ooooooo, I like that! Especially if the matrix has a slight blue tint to it.

I don't know if you like it but.....I love it. Unless its just the picture, does it look that good in person?

Tscarborough

It is Irish green and black (olive from a short distance), and I liked it a lot. Mamma did not care for it, so I did not pursue using Maximiser for my aggregate for this project (my outdoor bar counter).

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concretemasonry

TS -

What manufacturer of the expanded shale is that?

Judging by the amount of aggregate showing, aas it a light dosing of LWT or only due to a shallow grinding depth? Sometimes the round aggregates take more grinding or polishing that the angular stuff that gets turned flat-side up during finishing.

It seems to be crushed because of the angular shape and not a natural gradation like Gravelite or the old Arkalite. I did see a few particles with the "halo". Is that from the old TXI plant or from Kansas?

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Tscarborough

Up to 3/8" from the old TXI plant. The stuff they provide for the CMU is a very good aggregate. This stuff is junk they put in the concrete, basically.

Edit- For the concrete it works fine, but it is not meant to be ground.

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lukachuki

Hey doesn't bother me!!!! This is the only forum I pay attention to.

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jgray152

aas? lwt?

Tscarborough

It is a standard 3-2-1 concrete mix, 3/8 to fine using the LWT (lightweight aggregate~expanded shale). 80#= 1 Cuft as opposed to .66 CuFt.

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jgray152

That was a confusing post

The expanded shell was junk they put in the concrete and its not meant to be ground?

Tscarborough

The aggregate used in CMU (concrete masonry unit), is shaped and graded specifically to be used as aggregate for CMU. It is not cheap. The aggregate used in (this particular) bagged lightweight concrete is made from coarser stock (and still not cheap). It is not shaped or graded as well, nor does it need to be. It is designed as a high strength, lightweight structural concrete mix in a bag. It tests over 5500 psi, and it has a quick set (because of the absorption characteristics of the expanded shale as CM said).

They have countertop mix too, FYI that is suitable for grinding.

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CJKarl

Ever heard of these guys? Found them on another site.
http://www.tiptopwebsite.com/stonemakers1

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http://www.kaufmannmasonry.com/

jgray152

Yes. I know the owner personally. He lives about 40 minutes away from me. I met him a while back and I worked with him and he trained me on some of the stuff I do now. He has some videos on Youtube and I am in a few of them. I had long hair then. Videos are Retainer Walls, Water Features and StoneMakers Opportunity.

In fact, if you go to my website, http://www.innovationlandscaping.com and go to the hardscape menu, click on faux rock walls, there is a link you can click for one of the videos. Then if you go to the water features menu and go to FauxCrete Water Features, there is a link there you can click on for another video.

Today I am hoping to meet up with him since he owes me some money for a job I did for him.

Ohio Mason

I was reading through this thread and was wondering how your last try came out. I do terrazzo for a living and have some suggestions for you if your still trying

beleive

here are some ideas that Ive seen others do. Ive seen it poured then the granite thrown on and troweled in. Ive also seen where they throw salt on top of wet concrete then at right time take a hose and wash off the top then hit it with cleaner. Last one I saw was they had granite in concrete then took a wire brush to expose the granite. Maybe one of these technique will help. They were using bigger pieces. Good luck