What

Marble ground to flour. The stone in polished lime.

Seen

A closed, cool-white surface that takes a trowel polish.

Source

Lancaster Lime Works Ultra Fine Marble Dust, 325 mesh (2 lb, 50 lb, 1 gal; $15.00-$80.00 across sizes). LimeWorks.us Marble Dust (1 qt, 1 gal, 50 lb; $7.00-$55.00). Texas: Alcas Marble Imports, San Antonio (directory listing only; price not stated).

Use

Tadelakt is high-calcium lime and fine marble dust (Lancaster). Marmorino: two coats, the first up to about 0.5 mm (Vasari). A putty-to-marble ratio: not stated by any maker read.

Never

Acid cleaners.

Care

Fine dust. Mask. Check the bag's sheet for quartz.

Pairs with Lime putty · Tadelakt · Black soap · White portland cement

What

Graded marble sand, coarser than flour.

Seen

Body and grain in a white plaster; the look of a honed basin.

Source

Lancaster Lime Works Coarse Marble Dust ($8.00-$39.00), Pool Mix ($8.00-$44.00), ImerBack Super Fine ($8.00-$27.00); sample sizes to 100 lb bags. LimeWorks.us Marble Medium ($7.00-$55.00).

Use

Coarse grade in body coats, fine in the finish. Pool plaster is white cement, marble dust and water. Ratio: not stated.

Never

Acid cleaners.

Care

Dust.

Pairs with White portland cement · Lime putty · Marble flour

What

Ground limestone or chalk. The same mineral as marble flour, softer and less bright.

Seen

A quieter white filler; bulks a limewash or a face mix.

Source

Armadillo Clay & Supplies, Austin: Calcium Carbonate (Whiting), $2.30-$4.60, pack sizes not shown.

Use

Rate: not stated. Treat as marble flour and test.

Never

Acid cleaners.

Care

Dust.

Pairs with Lime putty · Limewash

What

Quartz ground to flour. Fills between the cement grains.

Seen

Sharp arrises and a dense, glassy cast face.

Source

Armadillo Clay & Supplies, Austin: Silica 200 mesh ($5.80-$11.60), Silica 325 mesh ($7.00-$14.00), pack sizes not shown.

Use

Rate: not stated in the sources read.

Never

Use marble flour instead wherever it will do the job.

Care

Respirable crystalline silica. Never handle dry in open shop air. Fitted respirator, wet clean-up.

Pairs with White portland cement · Silica fume · Superplasticizer

What

Washed, graded quartz sand.

Seen

The even fine grain of a GFRC face or a sand-finished cast.

Source

Fishstone Premium Silica Sand, 40-50 mesh (50 lb, $16.50).

Use

GFRC: sand to cement 1:1 to 1.5:1 by weight (Fishstone). NHL mortar: 1 lime to 2 1/2 mason's sand by volume (Lancaster).

Care

Silica dust when dry.

Pairs with AR glass fibre · Acrylic polymer · Natural hydraulic lime

What

White china clay. A filler, and the raw stuff metakaolin is burned from.

Seen

A soft, matte, chalky body in clay-lime finishes and paints.

Source

Armadillo Clay & Supplies, Austin: #6 Tile Kaolin ($4.80-$9.60), Helmer Kaolin 325 ($5.80-$11.60), Grolleg (sold out, $12.10-$24.20).

Use

Rate in lime or cement: not stated.

Never

Do not mistake it for metakaolin.

Care

Dust; clays can carry quartz.

Pairs with Lime putty · Limewash

What

Volcanic glass ground fine. Abrasive and slow pozzolan in one.

Seen

A gentle rubbing abrasive for honing; a fine that reacts slowly with lime.

Source

Armadillo Clay & Supplies, Austin: Pumice ($7.20-$14.40). The Pumice Store (Hess Pumice, Idaho): filler grades, price not stated.

Use

In portland mixes as a pozzolan: 15-20% replacement of the cement (The Pumice Store). In lime work: not stated.

Care

Dust.

Pairs with Hydrated lime · Natural hydraulic lime · Lime putty

What

Portland cement from low-iron raw materials.

Seen

A true white ground: clean colour, bright terrazzo, pale cast stone.

Source

Royal White Cement, Houston (92.6 lb bag, super sack, bulk; price not stated). Lehigh White Cement, plants at Waco, TX and York, PA (Type I, III, II/V; price not stated). Quikrete 94 lb at Home Depot (search copy; price not read).

Use

The cement in any mix. Pigment is dosed against its weight, never over 10% (ASTM C979; Earth Pigments).

Never

Grey fly ash and grey silica fume, which grey it (trade knowledge).

Care

Caustic when wet; cement dust.

Pairs with Metakaolin · Marble flour · Iron oxide pigments · Marble and limestone chips

What

Lime burned from limestone with clay in it. Sets with water, then hardens on in air. The number is the strength class.

Seen

Soft, breathing mortar and stucco with the depth of old work.

Source

LimeWorks.us Saint-Astier NHL 2, 3.5, 5 (1 qt, 1 gal, 55 lb; $8.00-$72.00). Lancaster Lime Works Secil NHL (16 oz, 55 lb, 1 gal; $15.00-$48.00; $4 off a bag for 10-39, $8 off for 40). No Texas dealer found.

Use

NHL 2 soft pointing and plaster; 3.5 brick, stone and stucco; 5 copings and lime concrete (LimeWorks.us). 1 NHL to 2 1/2 mason's sand by volume (Lancaster); LimeWorks.us uses 1:2 or 1:2.5. The two sellers disagree on NHL 3.5 for stucco.

Never

Portland cement added on site unless the maker says so (trade knowledge).

Care

Caustic. Goggles and gloves.

Pairs with Silica sand · Hair for lime · Natural earth pigments · Limewash

What

Slaked lime kept wet. Sets only by taking carbon dioxide from the air.

Seen

The creamiest lime: fine joints, polished plaster, limewash.

Source

Lancaster Lime Works Lime Putty ($15.00-$105.00, sizes not shown). No Texas dealer found.

Use

Putty is about one third water by volume; work pigment against the rest. Limewash: 1 quart water per 1 kg putty (Earth Pigments). Putty to sand or marble dust: not stated.

Never

Frost, and fast drying in the first two to three days (Earth Pigments).

Care

Caustic. Eye protection always.

Pairs with Marble flour · Marble sand · Natural earth pigments · Black soap

What

Dry slaked lime in a bag. Type S is ready to use; Type N needs soaking.

Seen

Fatter, stickier mortar that bonds to stone and sheds water at the joint.

Source

Austin White Lime Company, Austin (bulk only; price not stated). Oldcastle Amerimix Hydrated Lime Type S (50 lb; price behind a login). LimeWorks.us Carmeuse High Calcium Lime ($35.00).

Use

Mortar by volume, cement:lime:sand: Type N 1:1:6, Type S 1:1/2:4 1/2, Type O 1:2:9 (ASTM C270, read as search copy). Type N dolomitic needs a 24-hour soak. Limewash: 6 quarts water per 1 kg lime (Earth Pigments).

Care

Caustic dust.

Pairs with White portland cement · Silica sand · Limewash

What

Cement of calcium aluminates, not calcium silicates.

Seen

Fast strength; a surface that stands mild acid and constant water.

Source

Royal White Cement, Houston (94 lb bag, super sack, bulk; price not stated).

Use

Listed for rapid repair, refractory work, mild-acid and continuous-water exposure (Royal White). Proportions: not stated.

Never

Portland cement and lime in an untested blend; it can flash-set (trade knowledge).

Care

Caustic; cement dust.

What

Kaolin calcined into a white, highly reactive pozzolan.

Seen

A whiter, denser, tighter face; less white bloom; crisper detail.

Source

Fishstone Metakaolin, white (PowerPozz): 5 lb, 50 lb; $76.50 on the product page, $32.00-$2,750.00 on the list.

Use

5-15% of total cementitious (Fishstone).

Care

Fine dust.

Pairs with White portland cement · Superplasticizer · AR glass fibre

What

Amorphous silica about one hundredth the size of a cement grain.

Seen

Very dense, hard, water-tight concrete.

Source

Fishstone Silica Fume, White (10 lb, 50 lb; $34.00-$78.50).

Use

5-10% cement replacement by weight (Fishstone).

Never

Grey fume in white work.

Care

Very fine dust. Respirator.

Pairs with Superplasticizer · Crystalline waterproofer

What

Fine ash from coal power plants.

Seen

A smoother pour with less heat and bleed; slower early strength; greys or buffs the colour.

Source

Eco Material Technologies (South Jordan, UT; bulk from terminals; price not stated). In practice, through the ready-mix plant.

Use

Replacement rate: not stated on the supplier's page.

Never

White work.

Care

Dust.

Pairs with Superplasticizer

What

Ground granulated blast-furnace slag.

Seen

Lower permeability and sulfate resistance.

Source

Royal White Cement, Houston: RWC GGBFS (92.6 lb bag, super sack, bulk; price not stated).

Use

Partial replacement of portland. Percentage: not stated.

Care

Dust.

Pairs with White portland cement · Crystalline waterproofer

What

Natural volcanic glass ground fine.

Seen

Tighter, longer-lived concrete; the maker claims it holds down alkali-silica reaction.

Source

The Pumice Store (Hess Pumice, Idaho): Densifer325, 1 lb to 45 lb; 'Regular price $6.90', size not tied; marked sold out.

Use

15-20% replacement of portland (The Pumice Store).

Care

Dust.

Pairs with Recycled glass · White portland cement · Hydrated lime

What

Finely ground recycled glass sold as a pozzolan.

Seen

A pale pozzolan for white and coloured work.

Source

Fishstone Bottle-Pozz (40 lb bag, $42.25).

Use

Rate: not stated.

Care

Dust.

Pairs with White portland cement

What

ASTM C494 Type F admixture. Lets a stiff, strong mix flow.

Seen

Fewer voids, sharper face, fine detail filled.

Source

Fritz-Pak, Mesquite, TX: Supercizer 5 (1.75 lb water-soluble bag; $294.00, unit not stated), Supercizer PCE ($510.00, unit not stated). Fishstone Optimum 380 (1, 5, 55 gal; $68.00-$2,960.00).

Use

Optimum 380: 20 fl oz per 100 lb cementitious, settled by trial batch (Fishstone). Supercizer 5: up to 25% less water; rate not on its page.

Never

Add each admixture separately, never pre-blended (Fritz-Pak).

Care

Read the sheet.

Pairs with Metakaolin · Silica fume · AR glass fibre

What

Liquid that lowers the surface tension of the pore water, so the paste shrinks less as it dries.

Seen

Fewer hairline cracks and less curl in thin, rich casts.

Source

Fishstone SRA-101 (1, 5, 55 gal; $78.00-$3,800.00).

Use

10-30 oz per 100 lb of cement; up to 50% less ultimate shrinkage, depending on the cement (Fishstone).

Care

Read the sheet.

Pairs with AR glass fibre · Acrylic polymer · Wet curing

What

Surfactant that leaves microscopic bubbles in the paste.

Seen

Concrete that survives freezing; creamier to place; costs some strength.

Source

Fritz-Pak, Mesquite, TX: Air Plus ($240.00, unit not stated).

Use

Raises air by 0.5% at the job (Fritz-Pak). Dosage: not stated.

Never

Hard-trowelled and polished faces, GFRC face coats (trade knowledge).

Care

Read the sheet.

What

Powder admixture that grows crystals in the pores when water arrives.

Seen

A basin or wall that holds water from within the concrete.

Source

Xypex Admix C-500 (pails, bags, soluble bags; through dealers; price not stated). Kryton KIM (price not stated).

Use

Xypex C-500: 2-3% by weight of cement; no-fines grade 1-1.5%; not under 10 nor over 20 lb per cubic yard (Xypex data, search copy).

Care

Caustic powder.

Pairs with Silica fume · Slag cement · Fish-safe coating

What

Admixture that breaks entrapped air bubbles.

Seen

A cast face without pinholes.

Source

Fishstone C-64 Concrete Defoamer & Densifying Admixture ($72.50-$275.50).

Use

Rate: not stated on the page read.

Care

Read the sheet.

Pairs with Superplasticizer · Vibration · Acrylic polymer

What

All-acrylic co-polymer dispersion for GFRC.

Seen

A thin shell that cures hard without a week under wet blankets; a tougher, less absorbent face.

Source

Smooth-On Forton VF-774 (5 gal pail 40 lb; price not shown), through Reynolds Advanced Materials, Dallas. Fishstone KongKrete Liquid (40 lb and up; $65.00-$5,980.00).

Use

10-20% polymer to cement, basis not stated (Fishstone). Smooth-On: see its technical bulletin.

Care

Read the sheet.

Pairs with AR glass fibre · Silica sand · Superplasticizer · Urethane mould rubber

What

Alkali-resistant glass, at least 17% zirconia, chopped; also as a net.

Seen

Thin, light, strong panels and bowls: a fountain basin two people can lift.

Source

Fishstone AR Glass Fibers (1.5 lb, 44 lb; $183.50 on the product page, $17.50-$7,912.52 on the list). AR Glass Net ($2.60-$320.00).

Use

Premix 2-4%, spray-up 3-5%, by weight of cement (Fishstone fibre page). Its GFRC page says 3-5% by weight of total mix. The two disagree; settle it on a panel.

Never

Ordinary E-glass, which cement destroys (trade knowledge).

Care

Itchy fibre. Mask and sleeves.

Pairs with Acrylic polymer · Silica sand · Superplasticizer

What

Polyvinyl alcohol micro-fibre.

Seen

A face that holds together against early cracking without the fibre showing.

Source

Fishstone PVA Fibers ($17.00-$82.00).

Use

Rate: not stated.

Care

Dust mask.

Pairs with Shrinkage reducer · Superplasticizer

What

Animal hair for lime base coats. The old way.

Seen

A lime scratch coat that does not crack as it dries.

Source

LimeWorks.us Goat Hair (bundle, $20.00); Horse Hair ($20.00).

Use

Rate: not stated.

Pairs with Natural hydraulic lime · Lime putty

What

Synthetic iron oxides: reds, yellows, blacks, browns. The standard colour for cement and lime.

Seen

Colour in the body, so a chip or a worn edge is the same colour underneath.

Source

Armadillo Clay & Supplies, Austin (black $20.00-$40.00; red $9.60-$19.20; yellow $17.32-$34.64). Direct Colors (1 lb $14.95, 5 lb $29.95, 10 lb $59.00, 25 lb $145.00). Davis Colors and Solomon/Brickform through dealers.

Use

1, 3, 5 or 7 lb per 94 lb sack of cement, 1.1-7.4% (Direct Colors). Never over 10% of the cement's weight (ASTM C979). In lime plaster 3-15% of the dry lime (Earth Pigments).

Never

Added water after mixing; it changes the colour (Earth Pigments).

Care

Dust; it stains everything.

Pairs with White portland cement · Titanium white · Silane/siloxane repellent

What

The same oxides dispersed in a paste.

Seen

The same colour, with cleaner dosing and no streaks of dry powder.

Source

Direct Colors ColorBlast Pro paste: 2 lb $69.95; 44 lb $250.00 (red), $265.00 (black), $650.00 (blue).

Use

1, 3, 5 or 7 lb per sack for most colours; 1/2 to 2 lb per sack for carbon black and blue (Direct Colors).

Care

Stains.

Pairs with White portland cement · Superplasticizer

What

Iron-bearing clays, raw or burnt.

Seen

Softer, broken colour with the look of old plaster.

Source

The Earth Pigments Company (for example Burgundy Hematite USA, $6.80-$126.50). Lancaster Lime Works lime-proof pigments ($15.00-$95.00; boxed set of 11 at 8 oz, $135.00).

Use

Lime plaster: 3-20% of the dry lime. Limewash from putty: up to 25% in a wash, 50% in a patina coat. Cement: never over 10% (Earth Pigments).

Care

Dust.

Pairs with Lime putty · Limewash · Natural hydraulic lime · Wax

What

The opaque white pigment.

Seen

Lifts white cement to paper white; makes pastels.

Source

The Earth Pigments Company Titanium White ($8.30-$209.00). Direct Colors White 205 (1 lb $19.95, 5 lb $45.00, 10 lb $79.50, 25 lb $159.50). Lancaster Lime Works ($15.00-$110.00).

Use

Inside the same 10% ceiling by weight of cement.

Care

Dust.

Pairs with White portland cement · Marble flour

What

Synthetic sodium aluminium sulfosilicate. A clear warm blue that no oxide gives.

Seen

Blue in lime and plaster.

Source

The Earth Pigments Company Ultramarine Blue (75 g, 500 g, 1 kg, 5 kg; $8.80-$352.00).

Use

Called lime stable in high-alkaline coatings and listed for plasters and cements (Earth Pigments). Maximum: not stated. Its limits in outdoor concrete are trade knowledge I could not put a page to.

Never

Acid stain, acid wash, muriatic cleaning.

Care

Dust.

Pairs with Lime putty · Limewash

What

Chromium oxide green and cobalt blue: the permanent green and blue for cement.

Seen

Greens and blues that hold outdoors.

Source

Armadillo Clay & Supplies, Austin: Chrome Oxide ($19.20-$72.00). Direct Colors Green 204 (1 lb $19.95, 5 lb $79.50, 10 lb $120.00, 25 lb $249.50). Davis Colors lists a cobalt blue.

Use

Same 10% ceiling by weight of cement.

Care

Dust.

Pairs with White portland cement

What

Metal salts in dilute acid that react with the lime in cured concrete.

Seen

Mottled, translucent, stone-like colour that cannot peel.

Source

Direct Colors EverStain (1 gal, $79.95; 5 gal contractor system, $579.95). Kemiko Stone Tone, 10 colours (1 gal; price not stated).

Use

About 200 sq ft per gallon (Direct Colors). Kemiko: usually cut 1:1 water to stain; more water, lighter. Stain first, densifier after.

Never

Curing compounds and sealers on the slab; marble and limestone aggregate; ultramarine; brass inlay.

Care

Acid. Goggles, gloves, air.

Pairs with Wax · Food-safe sealer

What

Potassium silicate with mineral pigment. It turns to stone in the surface instead of filming.

Seen

Flat mineral colour on concrete, stone and lime that breathes and does not peel.

Source

LimeWorks.us Ecologic Colorwash Stain ($45.00-$700.00). KEIM Concretal-Lasur (US price not found).

Use

Colorwash can be thinned up to 99% with Waterglass (LimeWorks). KEIM Lasur: 3 parts Dilution to 1 part Lasur (a UK seller, search copy).

Never

Painted, sealed or gypsum surfaces.

Care

Alkaline. Eye protection; cover glass and metal.

Pairs with Potassium silicate · Silicate paint

What

Crushed, washed stone graded by number.

Seen

The stone in terrazzo and in a ground or washed cast face.

Source

Terrazzo & Marble Supply, Wheeling, IL (by quote; no Texas branch). Texas: Cactus Canyon Quarries, named in one trade article; a West Texas listing 'starting from $438.75 /ton' (search copy).

Use

#1 and #2 standard, #3 to #7 Venetian; at least 70% chip at the surface (T&M). A federal patch procedure: 2 parts chips to 1 part portland cement (search copy). The NTMA guide governs new work; not read.

Never

Acid stain and acid wash.

Care

Grinding dust.

Pairs with White portland cement · Divider strips · Diamond tooling · Iron oxide pigments

What

Rounded river rock and pebble.

Seen

A washed face like a creek bed; smooth under a bare foot.

Source

I-10 Building Materials, San Antonio (river rock, bulk aggregates; price not stated).

Use

Seeded by hand into the fresh surface, floated in, then exposed. Rates in print differ: about 1 lb per sq ft (a seeding patent) and at least 3 lb per sq ft for glass (Concrete Decor); both search copy.

Care

Quartz pebble makes silica dust when cut.

Pairs with Surface retarder · Acid wash and sandblast · Silane/siloxane repellent

What

Crushed, tumbled recycled glass.

Seen

Colour and light in the floor; it glints wet in a basin.

Source

American Specialty Glass, North Salt Lake, UT (Dark Blue Size 0 $5.29-$133.00; Black Size 0 $5.97-$150.00). Fishstone Glass ($3.50-$6.50 per lb).

Use

Seed at least 3 lb per sq ft for full cover (Concrete Decor, search copy), or use as terrazzo chip. A pozzolan in the mix guards against alkali reaction (trade knowledge).

Never

Bare feet until it is ground flush; a buyer found 'tumbled' glass still sharp.

Care

Sharp.

Pairs with Pumice pozzolan · Metakaolin · Diamond tooling

What

Crushed shell for the face mix.

Seen

Small flashes of iridescence when the face is ground.

Source

Fishstone Mother of Pearl Aggregate ($6.50 per lb; $6.00 each for 5 or more).

Use

Rate: not stated.

Never

Acid.

Care

Dust when ground.

Pairs with Diamond tooling · White portland cement

What

Water-based film on fresh concrete, or on the form, that keeps the surface paste soft.

Seen

Even, chosen exposure of the stone, from a sand finish to deep pebble.

Source

Brickform Select-Etch (1, 5, 55, 270 gal; price not stated; Texas dealers through its locator). Altus In-Form Retarders for the form face.

Use

250-300 sq ft per gallon; wash off with water and a stiff broom 5-12 hours later (Brickform). Another maker: about 200 sq ft per gallon, 4-24 hours (search copy). The two differ; follow the pail.

Care

Read the sheet.

Pairs with River pebble · Marble and limestone chips · Acid wash and sandblast

What

Dilute acid, or a buffered etch, to take cement haze off exposed stone. Blasting does it dry.

Seen

Clean stone with the grey film gone; a fine sand texture on a cast face.

Source

Brickform E-Etch and Neutra Clean (price not stated).

Use

10% muriatic acid in water, rinsed after 5-10 minutes (a retarder maker's sheet, search copy).

Never

Marble, limestone, shell, ultramarine, metal inlay.

Care

Acid into water, never the reverse. Blasting concrete, or blasting with sand, makes respirable silica.

Pairs with Surface retarder · Silane/siloxane repellent

What

Lithium silicate in water. Reacts with free lime in the concrete to make more binder in the surface.

Seen

A harder, tighter, dust-free surface that takes a polish and keeps it.

Source

The Concrete Protector Polishing Lithify 2000 (1 gal, $62.04; chemistry not stated on the page). Prosoco Consolideck LS through dealers (price not read).

Use

Consolideck LS: 500-1,000 sq ft per gallon by one seller, 400-800 for LS/CS by another (search copy). Applied around the 200 to 400 grit steps; after 80 grit on soft concrete.

Never

Acid stain goes on first. Take up the excess before it dries white.

Care

Alkaline; slippery when wet.

Pairs with Diamond tooling · Guard and burnish

What

Sodium silicate, the first densifier.

Seen

The same hardening for less money and more labour.

Source

Curecrete Ashford Formula (through reps; price not stated). Armadillo Clay & Supplies, Austin: raw Sodium Silicate ($5.90-$23.52), not a formulated floor densifier.

Use

Flooded on and scrubbed until it gels, then flushed; used early, between 80 and 150 grit (Concrete Decor, search copy). Coverage: not stated.

Never

Residue: it sets white and has to be ground off.

Care

Alkaline.

Pairs with Diamond tooling

What

Potassium silicate binder.

Seen

Friable stone, brick and lime plaster bound solid; the primer under silicate paint.

Source

LimeWorks.us Ecologic Waterglass (1 qt, 1 gal, 5 gal; $65.00-$385.00).

Use

240 sq ft per gallon. The maker says not for floors, wood, metal or gypsum (LimeWorks).

Never

Floors under wear.

Care

Alkaline. Cover glass.

Pairs with Silicate paint · Silicate stain

What

Reactive colloidal silica: fine silica particles, not a dissolved silicate.

Seen

The same hardening with no alkaline salt left on the surface.

Source

Brickform DAY2 Densifier (price not stated; Texas dealers through its locator).

Use

Coverage: not stated on Brickform's page.

Care

Read the sheet.

Pairs with Diamond tooling

What

Diamond abrasives in a metal bond to cut, then a resin bond to polish.

Seen

Anything from flat and matte to a wet-look shine, by choice of the last grit.

Source

The Concrete Protector, Lima, OH: Diamond Logo 16# $92.29; 120# $96.79; 399# $89.61.

Use

Metal 50 or 70, then 100 or 120; change to resin one grit back; skip nothing. Satin stops at 400. True polish 800 and up. High polish 1,500-3,000 (trade sources, search copy).

Care

Dry grinding throws respirable silica. Grind wet or shrouded.

Pairs with Lithium silicate densifier · Marble and limestone chips · Brass inlay

What

A thin lithium-silicate guard worked in with a high-speed burnisher.

Seen

Deeper gloss and stain resistance with no film to peel.

Source

Prosoco Consolideck LSGuard through dealers (1 gal; price not read).

Use

2,000-3,000 sq ft per gallon (Prosoco data sheet, search copy).

Care

Read the sheet.

Pairs with Lithium silicate densifier · Diamond tooling

What

A water repellent that lines the pores instead of filming the face.

Seen

Water beads and runs off; the stone or concrete looks unchanged.

Source

Prosoco Sure Klean Weather Seal Siloxane PD (1, 5, 55 gal; distributors only; price not shown). LimeWorks.us Ecologic Siloxane Water Repellent ($105.00-$615.00).

Use

50-200 sq ft per gallon; bridges cracks to 0.02 inch; up to ten years claimed (Prosoco).

Never

Anything meant to bond later, such as limewash or silicate paint (trade knowledge).

Care

Read the sheet.

Pairs with Lueders limestone · Cordova Cream · River pebble · Iron oxide pigments

What

Moroccan polished lime: high-calcium lime and fine marble dust, pressed with a stone and closed with black soap.

Seen

A seamless, soft-shining, water-shedding skin for basins, niches and wet walls.

Source

Lancaster Lime Works Tadelakt (1 gal, 5 gal; $55.00-$190.00). No Texas dealer found.

Use

Over a lime scratch coat. Soap goes on while the plaster is still damp; polish with the stone. Thickness and coverage: not stated. 'Always do a mock-up' (Lancaster).

Never

Acid cleaners and detergents.

Care

Caustic until cured.

Pairs with Black soap · Marble flour · Lime putty · Natural earth pigments · Wax

What

Lime, powdered marble and crushed limestone.

Seen

A stone-like wall, matte or burnished to a marble shine.

Source

Vasari Marmorino (2 gal from $160.00; 5 gal wet mix from $320.00). Vasari Carrera (1 qt from $45.00; 5 gal from $300.00).

Use

Two coats at least, the first up to about 0.5 mm, 24 hours between; burnish with the trowel edge at clay dryness. 5 gal covers 100-120 sq ft in two coats (Vasari).

Care

Caustic until cured.

Pairs with Wax · Natural earth pigments · Marble flour

What

Soft soap of olive oil and olive paste. It joins the lime and makes a second skin.

Seen

Polished lime that sheds water.

Source

Lancaster Lime Works Black Soap (8 oz, 16 oz; $14.00-$24.00).

Use

2 tablespoons in 4 1/2 cups of water. Optional: 1 heaping tablespoon of carnauba flakes, brought to a boil (Lancaster).

Never

Detergent 'soaps'; it must be true olive soap.

Pairs with Tadelakt · Wax

What

Lime putty thinned with water, with or without pigment.

Seen

A chalky, moving, mineral white or colour that soaks into masonry and wears with grace.

Source

Made, from lime putty or bag lime. Or Romabio Classico Limewash (1, 2.5, 15 L; price not shown), Lancaster Plastrum Limewash ($14.00-$245.00), LimeWorks.us Ecologic LimeWash ($18.00-$500.00).

Use

1 quart water per 1 kg putty, or 6 quarts per 1 kg bag lime; five thin coats outside, three or fewer inside; mist in heat (Earth Pigments). Romabio: thin 50-100% with water.

Never

Sealed or repellent-treated surfaces, concrete floors, drywall, paint (Romabio).

Care

Caustic. Goggles; it splashes.

Pairs with Lime putty · Natural earth pigments · Natural hydraulic lime · Cordova Cream

What

Hard plant wax and soft beeswax polishes.

Seen

A low, hand-rubbed lustre on polished plaster and honed concrete; deeper colour.

Source

Vasari Wax ($48.00; size and make-up not stated). Carnauba flakes and beeswax on their own: no supplier confirmed.

Use

With black soap: 1 heaping tablespoon of carnauba flakes (Lancaster). Pigmented wax: 3-5 parts paste wax to 1 part pigment (Earth Pigments).

Never

Standing water; wax is a finish, not a liner (trade knowledge).

Care

Solvent waxes: air.

Pairs with Tadelakt · Marmorino · Patinas · Copper spouts

What

Mineral paint that bonds chemically to masonry instead of filming.

Seen

Dead-flat mineral colour that becomes part of the wall.

Source

LimeWorks.us Ecologic Potassium Silicate Paint (1 qt, 1 gal, 5 gal; $45.00-$700.00).

Use

300-320 sq ft per gallon; one or two coats; mineral surfaces only; old latex must come off; work between 41 and 113 F (LimeWorks).

Never

Wood, metal, gypsum, painted surfaces.

Care

Alkaline. Cover glass.

Pairs with Potassium silicate · Silicate stain

What

Two-part water-based sealer for concrete tables and rims.

Seen

A surface that shrugs off wine, oil and lemon.

Source

Fishstone U-SEAL (1 qt kit, 1 gal kit; $105.00-$360.00).

Use

400-600 sq ft per gallon; 'food safe after full cure', five to seven days (Fishstone).

Care

Read the sheet.

Pairs with Metakaolin · AR glass fibre

What

Non-toxic two-part epoxy for ponds and fountains.

Seen

A lined basin, in a colour, safe for fish and plants.

Source

Pond Armor Pond Shield: 1.5 qt kit $89.95; 1.5 gal kit $359.80; 3 gal kit $719.60.

Use

At 10 mils: 60 sq ft from the 1.5 qt kit, 240 from the 1.5 gal, 480 from the 3 gal (Pond Armor).

Never

Fish in new, unflushed concrete or lime, which leach alkali (trade knowledge).

Care

Epoxy: gloves, air.

Pairs with Crystalline waterproofer

What

A release that reacts chemically with the paste at the form face.

Seen

A clean, unstained cast face with few bug holes.

Source

Cresset Crete-Lease 880-VOC-Xtra and water-based 20-VOC-Xtra (price not stated). Smooth-On AquaCon or In & Out II for urethane rubber.

Use

A thin film. The aerosol for rubber and latex moulds covers about 1,000 sq ft a can (Cresset). Liquid coverage: not stated.

Never

Crete-Lease 880 on expanded-polystyrene liners (Cresset).

Care

Read the sheet.

Pairs with Melamine forms · Urethane mould rubber · Form liners

What

Plastic or urethane sheets cast with a pattern.

Seen

Board grain, flutes, ribs or a custom relief in the face of a wall.

Source

Spec Formliners, Santa Ana, CA (300+ patterns; search copy). Brickform step and form liners. No Texas maker found.

Use

Fixed in the form, coated with release, stripped. No rate.

Pairs with Form release · Vibration

What

Particle board faced with melamine: the usual table and form face for precast.

Seen

A glass-smooth, satin cast face straight from the form.

Source

Any lumber yard. Not priced today.

Use

Seams sealed with silicone, a light coat of release (trade knowledge). No rate.

Care

Saw dust.

Pairs with Form release · Urethane mould rubber

What

Two-part pourable urethane rubber.

Seen

Undercuts, carved detail and exact repeats from one master.

Source

Smooth-On VytaFlex 40 (trial 2 lb; 1 gal kit 16 lb; 5 gal kit 80 lb; price not shown), through Reynolds Advanced Materials, Dallas.

Use

1 part A to 1 part B by volume; 30-minute pot life; 16-hour cure at 73 F; release with AquaCon or In & Out II (Smooth-On).

Care

Isocyanate. Gloves and air; the maker says industrial use only.

Pairs with Form release · Acrylic polymer · Iron oxide pigments

What

Vibrators that shake entrapped air out of the cast.

Seen

A dense face with few bug holes and sharp arrises.

Source

Vibco (site did not answer today; not confirmed).

Use

No rate. Too much separates a fluid mix (trade knowledge).

Care

Noise; hand-arm vibration.

Pairs with Defoamer · Superplasticizer

What

A sprayed membrane that holds the mix water in.

Seen

A stronger, less dusty surface.

Source

Cresset Crete-Trete 309-VOC Cure & Seal, Super-Trete 110-VOC, Crete-Trete 400 (price not stated).

Use

309-VOC: 400 sq ft per gallon to cure. 110-VOC: 200. Crete-Trete 400: 200-300 (Cresset).

Never

Under acid stain, densifier, silicate paint or limewash; the film blocks them (trade knowledge).

Care

Read the sheet.

What

Keeping the piece wet under burlap, blankets or plastic.

Seen

The best surface there is: hard, dense, even.

Source

Made. Water, burlap, plastic sheet.

Use

Seven days is the GFRC wet cure the acrylic polymer is sold to replace (Smooth-On). Lime: mist each coat in heat; the first two to three days decide the carbonation; never let it freeze (Earth Pigments).

Never

Plastic lying on a coloured face, which mottles it (trade knowledge).

Pairs with Shrinkage reducer · White portland cement · Lime putty · Natural hydraulic lime

What

Thin metal strips set on edge in a terrazzo or cast floor.

Seen

Fine silver lines that draw the pattern and give the floor a place to move.

Source

Terrazzo & Marble Supply (zinc alloy, aluminium, plastic; by quote). National Metal Shapes (by quote).

Use

Set to the pattern before the pour, ground flush with the floor. Gauges and depths: not stated on the pages read.

Never

Aluminium in wet cement (trade knowledge).

Care

Sharp edges.

Pairs with Marble and limestone chips · Diamond tooling · White portland cement

What

Brass flat bar, strip or sheet cut to shape.

Seen

A gold line or figure in the floor or the face of a basin.

Source

Metal Supermarkets San Antonio (East): brass flat bar and sheet, cut to size (price not shown).

Use

Set like a divider strip or bedded in a chase, then ground and polished with the surface. No rate.

Never

Acid stain and muriatic wash (trade knowledge).

Care

Metal dust when ground.

Pairs with Diamond tooling · Wax · Patinas

What

Copper alloy, cast or as bar.

Seen

Plaques, letters and edges that go brown, then green, and outlast the stone.

Source

Metal Supermarkets San Antonio (East): bronze flat bar (price not shown). Coldspring runs a bronze foundry for memorials.

Use

Cast by a foundry or cut from bar. No rate.

Pairs with Patinas · Wax · Texas granite

What

Hand-made copper, brass and bronze spouts and scuppers.

Seen

The line of the falling water, and its sound.

Source

Black Oak Foundry, Atoka, OK: Courtyard Spout Small $195.00-$266.00; Large $362.00-$457.00; Droop Spout Small $195.00-$266.00.

Use

A courtyard spout stands about 10 inches off the wall on a 1/2 inch brass thread, or 16 inches on 3/4 inch (Black Oak Foundry). Flow: not stated.

Never

Pale limestone under the drip, which copper stains green (trade knowledge).

Pairs with Patinas · Wax · Lueders limestone

What

Solutions that colour copper, brass and bronze.

Seen

The age of the metal chosen on the first day, not the tenth year.

Source

Sculpt Nouveau, Escondido, CA: Traditional Black, Green, Blue patinas (8 oz, $16.00); Traditional Brown (8 oz, $11.00).

Use

Hot or cold application is in the maker's instructions, not on the listing read. Then wax or clear coat.

Care

Acids and metal salts. Gloves, goggles, air.

Pairs with Wax · Copper spouts · Bronze · Brass inlay

What

Dense, fine-grained limestone from the quarries at Lueders, near Abilene.

Seen

Flat, quiet, hard paving and coping that reads as one plane.

Source

Continental Cut Stone, Florence, TX (by quote). Mezger Enterprises, Lampasas, TX: Frisco Buff Lueders, Avoca Charcoal Lueders (by quote).

Use

Paving, treads, coping, wall caps, cladding, bench blocks. About 6,000-7,000 psi, low absorption. The charcoal is not recommended outdoors; it lightens (Continental Cut Stone).

Never

Acid cleaners.

Care

Cut wet.

Pairs with Silane/siloxane repellent · Natural hydraulic lime · Copper spouts

What

Cream, fine-grained limestone from the top of the Edwards formation, quarried at Liberty Hill.

Seen

The warm cream of Texas civic buildings. Carves and tools well.

Source

Continental Cut Stone, Florence, TX (by quote). Texas Quarries (Acme Brick): blocks to fabricators. Mezger Enterprises, Lampasas, TX.

Use

Blocks, slabs, cut stone, veneer. About 6-8 feet of cream lies over about 4 feet of shell in the quarry (Stone World, search copy). Strength: not stated.

Never

Acid cleaners.

Care

Cut wet.

Pairs with Natural hydraulic lime · Hydrated lime · Limewash · Silane/siloxane repellent

What

The fossil-shell bed under the cream: open, pitted, full of shell casts.

Seen

Texture the hand goes to; shadow in a raking light.

Source

Continental Cut Stone, Florence, TX (by quote). Mezger Enterprises, Lampasas, TX: Texas Shellstone (by quote).

Use

Same quarry as the cream. Properties: not stated on the pages read.

Never

Acid cleaners.

Care

Cut wet.

Pairs with Natural hydraulic lime · Hydrated lime · Limewash

What

Coldspring lists Texas Pearl among its granites. A directory lists it among TexaStone's limestones, but TexaStone's own site does not show it.

Seen

Not described on the pages read.

Source

Coldspring (granite; by quote). TexaStone Quarries, Garden City, TX (limestone; directory listing only).

Use

Ask each company for a sample and the quarry before the name goes into a proposal.

Care

Granite: silica. Cut wet.

Pairs with Bronze · Lueders limestone

What

The yard name for cream to buff Hill Country limestone sold chopped or sawn. Not one quarry.

Seen

The local wall: cream blocks with soft edges.

Source

I-10 Building Materials, San Antonio (stone types, flagstone, masonry supplies; price not shown).

Use

Laid in mortar; a lime-rich mortar suits it. A published price per ton: not found.

Never

Acid cleaners.

Care

Cut wet.

Pairs with Hydrated lime · Natural hydraulic lime · Limewash

What

TexaStone's Permian limestones: Cedar Hill Cream, Hadrian, Permian Sea Coral, TexaStone Pink.

Seen

Off-white to pink stone with shell and coral in it; Hadrian takes a polish.

Source

TexaStone Quarries, Garden City, TX (by quote).

Use

Hadrian tested at 133.73 lb per cubic foot, absorption 7.79, 2,927 psi (TexaStone).

Never

Acid cleaners.

Care

Cut wet.

Pairs with Silane/siloxane repellent · Natural hydraulic lime

What

The coarse pink-red granite of the Llano uplift: the stone of the State Capitol.

Seen

The hardest, most lasting thing in the palette: memorial bases, steps, curbs.

Source

Coldspring: Sunset Red (by quote).

Use

Quarried at Granite Mountain by Marble Falls since 1882 (Stone World and Wikipedia, search copy). No rate.

Care

High in crystalline silica. Cut wet.

Pairs with Bronze · Lueders limestone

What

Texas produces some dimension sandstone, but no working quarry was found by name.

Seen

Flagstone in warm browns and reds.

Source

I-10 Building Materials, San Antonio: flagstone (origin and price not stated).

Use

A San Antonio yard listing describes its flagstone as coming from Oklahoma, Texas and Mexico (search copy).

Care

Sandstone is silica. Cut wet.

Pairs with Silica sand · Natural hydraulic lime