Sidewalks @ OKW Sea shells

[BuzzandWoody]

I have loved the sidewalks at OKW our past several visits!

We are in the process of adding onto our patio. We were at OKW last week and would love to finish our patio like the sidewalks there. The ones all around with the shells on the surface.

Does anyone know how they did it or has anyone asked before. I tried doing a search but couldn't find anything.

Thanks!

 

[dsmith]

It seems to me that you could press almost any rigid item into the wet cement to make the pattern you desire.

Here's what I'd do: Glue a shell (or whatever) onto the end of a broom handle, wet it with water (not dripping) and press into the cement. You probably won't want the impression to be too deep though. For my tastes a few well placed impressions would be better than lots of them all over the place. Depending on the set of the cement you may need to work quickly.

Maybe a trip to the hardware store for a bag of quick drying cement is in order so you can test things out. Mix some up and pour it into a disposable bowl or shallow hole in the ground so you can test methods and materials.

No you've got me thinking... Maybe I need to pour a new walkway and try this myself!

Please let us know how it goes!

 

[mikesmom]

OK, I'm not sure if this is entirely correct, but it might be a starting point for research. I think I've read in the deep south along the coast that they used to make walkways of crushed shells that I think they called "dobby" or "dobbie", something like that?

 

[mikesmom]

Now I did some research. It's a sidewalk common in historic areas on the whole coast. It's not "dobbie", it's called "tabby" or Coquina", depending on how the shells are mixed in.

If you Google on walkways and crushed shells, you find lots of descriptions in garden website and even some instructions.

 

[BuzzandWoody]

Found a site for the shells!
http://seashellcity.com/seashells/shell_mixes.html
I know the cement can be purchased with the color already mixed, I like the terra cotta color.

Now I need info on technique. Sprinkle and push in somehow?

Any concrete pros here?


Mike
Just read your post after I posted this. I will check into the info you have provided. THANKS!!

 

[Beth]

I'm thinkin' you should throw a "Hidden Mickey" in there, somewhere, too!

 

[BuzzandWoody]

Beth,

I like that idea!!

 

[dianeschlicht]

Originally posted by Beth
I'm thinkin' you should throw a "Hidden Mickey" in there, somewhere, too!

And if you look closely at all the shells in those OKW sidewalks, you will see several hidden Mickey's in shells!

 

[Tigger1]

I have Mickey head step stone mold that someone special made for me christmas one year. We put rocks in one and some stayed on the top, others sunk in. I think with a sidewalk you would want to wait until the cement sets a little and begins to harden. Dont wait to long though, cement drys fast.

I am going to try to make sea shell mickey stepstones. When poured into the mold the bottem is usually the final top. So I have to find a way to keep the shells on bottem so they will be on top. Maybe I will glue them.