Hi Laura,

I think you can probably get away with just using diamond mesh (stucco lath), depending on how big "big" is. If you're talking really big then you're going to need some rebar, but for garden size, at least to me, it sounds reasonable to do without it. I'd make your mesh armature, jam the inside full of scrap paper, and then apply your tufa layers.

I've made some fake rock fountains and all I can say is that they are heavy. A plain rock should be a lot lighter, since the basic shape of the armature is very close to the end product.

Justin

Laura,
I know how the memory fails after being in the garden for, well, just within minutes usually for me.
The two fake rocks that I made are placed in spots that should not require me to stand on them. And they are only made with chicken wire, it was what I had close at hand. The rocks are about 24"long x 14" high and 14-16" wide. They are a fairly thin shell hmm say about 1- 1 1/2" thick. They are not going to walk away easily, but on a good gardening day I can lift each seperately. Weight is about 20lbs. It is not the weight that is the biggest problem but how cumbersome they are. My arms only stretch to 5-4", and then I could not see to put one foot in front of the other. Placing into a wheelbarrow would be my option. Now about whether I can stand on them, yes in fact I moved one of them after the tree feller jumped the fence and landed on one. I was worried the rock would break! it did not break. One quick note the large gunnera cast that I moved to soft gound for fear a branch would come down, did break with the movement of the tree hitting the ground. Now I have two relic pieces as back drops.
I do however totally agree with Justin that diamond mesh is the way to go, you could go pretty big without the rebar too.
Happy casting,
Dena

Thanks for the responses. 20 lb rocks sound good. I think the biggest one I made weighs 50 pounds. I know what you mean, Dena, about the fact they are cumbersome to move - makes them seem like they weigh a lot more than they do. I just had to go measure how far I could reach. outstretched fingertip to fingertip I can reach 73 inches. You would think I could pick up a big rock....

So many people recommend that expanded metal lath that I will have to try it soon. I have seen it at the store and it looks lethal but surely I could learn how to use it.
Laura

So Laura are you 6'3" tall?

OOps,
And I like math!!!?
ARe you 6'1" tall?

No - I am 5 ' 8". This explains why no sleeve has ever been long enough on any garment all my life! They aren't even close.
I did the math thing wrong too. At first I thought you had a 54 inch reach instead of a 5' 4" reach. At least we still catch our math mistakes - or do we?

Laura