The problem I get the most mail about is QUIKRETE failures.
Newbies run out and buy the first bag with the word Quikrete on it, which usually turns out to be concrete readimix with gravel.
Or they ask for Qiuikrete at HD or Lowe's and again are sold concrete readimix.
I have got 2 emails recently asking " Why did my leaf casting fail" all three were because they tried concrete readimix instead of a SAND ONLY Quikrete readimix.

Many fail to realize that Quikrete is a brand name not a product.

True. My advice to anyone would be forget the redimixes. Buy a bag of;
1. PORTLAND cement, white or grey it doesnÂt matter. Prices vary from 10 to 20 bucks
2. And a bag of sand- most places have play sand, this is not the preferred stuff but it will work, and get you started for less than $5.00
3. And then a bag of peat moss or perlite or vermiculite- this is usually in the garden center with the potting soil. They come in small bags for less than $5.00
Yes it is a lot of stuff (usually 90 pound bags) but it is relatively inexpensive and will defiantly work.
Once you get the knack of it then you can play around with other mixes.

As some users have discovered though, Redimixes have all sorts of cool additives like super plastisizers, acrylics, silica fume, extra lime, etc to make them sticky, or smooth as butter and VERY strong, and they flow very nicely for things like casting leaves or covering an armature.

So Redimixes have their place but it is confusing.

My favorite redi mix so far is the Vinyl Concrete Patcher. It was used in the first leaf casting instructions I read in Better Homes and Gardens. It is very smooth and creamy. I still use it when I want to make something very thin.
From Quikrete website;

Vinyl Concrete Patcher

Multi-purpose concrete repair material with strong adhesive properties. Trowels to a feather edge of 1/16". Made of a special blend of exterior grade vinyl resin, fine sand, and portland cement. Just add water. Available in gray and white.

Here is a link that might be useful: Quikrete website

Hi dixiesmom
I'm have great fun trying to roll my own fancy redimixes.
The biggest problem is getting the ingredients
I can't find a single company that will sell me super plastisizer in powder form. They use it but won't sell it.
I can't even guess what admixes go into a bag of Vinyl Concrete Patcher but I'm going to try to find out.:)
These vinyl products are very popular.

I have not been able to find those great admixes locally. And the shipping prices can be high. That is the reason I did a lot of checking on the ingredients of the premixes that are available. I went to HD to see what they had, then looked it up on the computer.
Here is the birdbath I made with the vinyl patch. As you can see you can get pretty good detail with it.
{{gwi:69783}}

It shows great detail.
How expensive is Vinyl Patch to use?
Can you add pigments?
When I go down to my concrete supply they have at least a hundred redimixes and some are really costly.
I would love to use them but for me they are just too much money. There is a bag of ultra topping mix that is $50 for a fifty pound bag.:)
Now that I have my admixes, silica fume, sealers, perlite and vermiculite my cost per item is cheap. I like cheap!:)

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