Laura
I don't know Quikwall but it seems to be a low slump strong mortar.
I would think that to get good casting detail you would have to add excess water weakening the product.

Have you tried the same type of product but a "Topping Readimix"
It seems that everything being equal the high strength, quick setup, and HIGH slump of a topping cement would make a stronger leaf with finer detail than Quikwall.
But I don't know that.
You would have to test a sample of Quikwall against a topping cement sample.

I don't know because I'm not casting yet but plan to start in the fall.

Laura seems to be getting the detail she's after without adding too much water. The thinnest it can be spread per the data sheet is 1/8" or 3.2mm, so by spreading her first coat thin to assure good detail pickup and eliminate air bubbles. She can then put on thicker layers for additional strength. The compressive strength of Quickwall is 3500psi after 28 days. That is not too high but she's not going to be stepping on them. It's a stucco like product hence the addition of fibers which helps a great deal for flexural strength. It's also used to waterproof walls so she will not have a problem with the freeze/thaw issue. I think its an excellent choice if she doesnt want to have to mix all the seperate ingredients.

But if you remove the additional lime that is in Quikwall, Quikrete has many virtually identical products in the 5000 - 6000 psi range. There are even 12,000 psi products out there.
Products that are higher slump and much stronger.
If I was going by specs alone Quikwall would be well down the the list for casting products.

If thin and strong is Laura's ulitimate goal I suggest there are many redimixes out there better than Quikwall.
But hey, you use what works for you.
Quikwall might have other properties making it ideal.
None of these companies tell you everything they add to their products.:)

I have used quickwall topping mix for cast leaves. I picked it up from HD because this was all that was available with white portland, which I wanted to try to see if it improved colors I was trying to achieve. I used it straight out of the bag, just added water. It does have a creamier feel that traditional mixes of cement & sand. The sand in it is very very fine and the fibers are quit stiff and there seems to be a lot of them! Definately had to burn them off the edges of the leaf, they where quit obvious. The detail this product picks up is extremely good. I found I had to be very careful in adding water as well. To much and it's very slumpy! My experience was that it makes a very strong (and very heavy) leaf casting. I was able to to achieve thin leaf edges as well. My original quest of color brightness also was a success. In fact, the only thing I didn't like about it was that I felt I wasn't really doing anything, kinda like using a cake mix!
(Although, I'm not much of a baker, and most cake mixes have tasted better than my scratch cakes!) I've added a link to my July 2003 webshots, there's a couple of burdock leaves I did with this and a lantern section. My photography skills suck, so the detail really isn't there but it picked up the individual "pucker lines" in the burdock leaf if you are familiar with it.

Here is a link that might be useful: quickwall leaves

Leigh wi, Thanks for the link to your photos - your work is wonderful! I have to try adding some peat to my concrete.... I had no idea you could get such great detail with tufa.
I have a question about your reference to Quickwall topping mix. I can find Quickcrete topping mix but no Quickwall topping mix. The Quickwall I found is a product made by Quickcrete. Where did you find the Quickwall Topping Mix or is that just a typo??
thanks, Laura

Leigh, Great pics of your pieces. Good to hear your happy with the end results. From what I've been hearing Quickwall is a fine product to use for such castings. Especially if you can't, for whatever reason, mix your own recipes with the fiber and additional additives. I like the fact that it's used to waterproof things, which means no additional sealants are required.

From what I've seen, most castings of this type are purely decorative and do not need to be able to be dropped from the Eiffel Tower and bounce to London, unbroken. Although it'd be nice to achieve that without having to be an alchemist. If you're making birdbaths or fountains from your leaf castings I imaginge there are numerous ways to strengthen them for those purposes. I'm going to have to give this a try ASAP. Thanks again to all for sharing.

Laura,
Now that you brought it up, I'm not really sure. Quickwall was definately on the bag, and it was made by Quickcrete. I remember the bag described the contents as white portland cement, silica sand and reinforcement fibers.
Leigh

So,make it yourself!The products are available to you from,in turn,concrete supply houses,either pottery or masonry supply places,and again from specialty places.And,then you can add superplasticizer,admixes,etc for ultrathin pieces.For me,I need enough thickness to attach hangers by screws,unless you have a suggestion for that.Gorilla Glue,anyone??
Cheers from here

Hi, wondering if it would be a bad idea to cast a coffee table top with quick wall. Is it too weak?