StoneMakers Skeptic Turned Believer - Concrete walls without forms!?!
Well I am on my way home on Delta flight 2508 enjoying the free web access and reflecting on my week of StoneMakers training. First of all, A sincere Thank You to David Montoya. David Founded StoneMakers and was our host & trainer along with his son and crew. Also joining us was a StoneMakers dealer from LI (the island - as we call it) Peter Castillo of Castilloscapes in LI. If you are reading this and live in LI call up Pete, he's THE guy.
Well what can I say, EVERYTHING StoneMakers claims is true! I can't believe it myself. Truth is, what we learned should not work according to everything I've ever been told about concrete. And, the results speak for themselves, just check out the videos below.
The idea is simple. Make a wall that is monolithic, and have it look like stone. As simple as it sounds, it is just not possible unless you can get the concrete to stand up vertically without forms. Sure you can make a wall with forms or out of block and then add a veneer later, but that's not monolithic and it's expensive. You could also make a wall and add a layer of concrete on top and stamp it but that layer will be thin and not have much depth to it. Both of these techniques are subject to de-lamination. Now with the StoneMakers process we can create a wall or patio without forms and add texture before it has cured. Not only that, any shape you can dream up (within reason) can be achieved. Want a bench that looks like a tree? No problem. How about a giant waterfall that looks like cliff rock? - I'll take mine in gray with tan hi-lights please. Want your new wall to match the brown tones of your home? We can do that too. The possibilities are endless.
A side effect of building a wall using the StoneMakers process is added strength. Typical concrete will be between 3-4000 psi. Because the StoneMakers product is also a water reducer and water makes concrete weak. The StoneMakers concrete recipe will be much stronger sometimes as much as 6-7000 psi.
If you have any questions please feel free to comment or call me at 845-283-8787.
About the Author
Our company started with a simple idea: Treat people the way we’d like to be treated. Provide choices, be up-front with pricing, and give them quality features in their landscape. More than 15 years and hundreds of satisfied customers later, we continue to make good on this commitment. Pool technology has changed tremendously, opening up the possibilities for what type of pool you can have and the stonework surrounds—and all the elements that can go along with it. This has made installing great poolscapes even more enjoyable for our crew.
