How do I make REEALLY strong stepping stones? Brickwork, drystone walling, render are a few subjects covered here. Click here to post questions and get answers

[Annie Agars]

Hi,

I am working on a stepping stone landscaping project for the front of my home. Currently, I am using a round flexible plastic 12 inch mold sprayed with Pam cooking spray and filled w/ approx. 3 inches of straight mortar mix (about the consistency of pancake batter). This allows me to "sink" decorative items into the mortar. I am using broken china, cut glass, sea stones, mosaic tiles ect. I want to make sure these are really strong/weather resistant and am not sure what the best cement/sand/stone mixture is and if it is necessary to reinforce these with something like hardware wire? One of my favorites broke so I'm looking for any advise out there!!!

Thank you!
Annie

[kbrownie]

Hi Annie Agars
No need to reinforce, go to your local builders merchants the best aggregates for stength are Limestone gravel comes in various grades and colours and grit or river sand. Put about an even amount of Gravel to sand in volume and mix that 4 to 1 with cement, you can get waterproofing additives but seeing it's a wet mix your looking for it is not really needed as the latex on the surface of the concrete should be good enough.
Regards
KB