Question on Portland cement

[gsuter]

I'm ready to pour my insulating concrete and I have portland cement mixed with sand. Is this ok to mix with vermiculite or should I use the portland cement without the sand mixed in? If I use the sand mix, does this change the ratio of cement to vermiculite?

Thanks for the advice!

[azpizzanut]

Hi gsuter,

Just mix dry Portland with vermiculite. No sand, no lime, no nothing. Then add water and mix until it is wet enough the shovel into the form. Five parts vermiculite to one part Portland by volume.

Put the vermiculite into the mixing tub then the dry Portland on top and mix it up good while dry. After all the particles of vermiculite are coated with Portland then add water.

Cheers,

[gsuter]

Bob:

Thanks for the reply. I'll skip the portland with the sand and go straight portland with vermiculite. The link to the pictures really helped as well. This if my first oven, but it seems there should have been more than one bud light!

I'll start posting my pics this weekend.

Thanks, Gary