• Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
permaculture forums growies critters building homesteading energy monies kitchen purity ungarbage community wilderness fiber arts art permaculture artisans regional education skip experiences global resources cider press projects digital market permies.com pie forums private forums all forums
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
master stewards:
  • Carla Burke
  • Nancy Reading
  • r ranson
  • John F Dean
  • Pearl Sutton
  • paul wheaton
stewards:
  • Jay Angler
  • Anne Miller
  • Nicole Alderman
master gardeners:
  • Christopher Weeks
gardeners:
  • Maieshe Ljin
  • Benjamin Dinkel
  • Jeremy VanGelder

Downcycling old terra cotta roof tiles

 
Posts: 5
  • Likes 1
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Can old terra cotta roof tiles be crushed down back to powder, spread on the ground, and reused as soil? Thanks.
 
steward & bricolagier
Posts: 15177
Location: SW Missouri
10841
2
goat cat fungi books chicken earthworks food preservation cooking building homestead ungarbage
  • Likes 2
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I'd say yes.
Personally, I'd put them on a path or driveway and let them crush down on their own.
Or have a "blow your stress, break these tiles!" party :D
 
pollinator
Posts: 3927
Location: 4b
1422
dog forest garden trees bee building
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
If I remember correctly, terra cotta was a component of terra preta.  If I had access to it, I would certainly add it to my soil.
 
steward & manure connoisseur
Posts: 4310
Location: South of Capricorn
2330
dog rabbit urban cooking writing homestead ungarbage
  • Likes 1
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I use them as my bed borders. They are hard to break up, but a car would help.
 
Trace Oswald
pollinator
Posts: 3927
Location: 4b
1422
dog forest garden trees bee building
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator

Tereza Okava wrote:I use them as my bed borders. They are hard to break up, but a car would help.



i wonder if throwing a bunch of them in a cement mixer would break them up?  If the terra cotta wouldn't break up by itself, maybe throw in 4 or 5 big rocks with it?
 
Pearl Sutton
steward & bricolagier
Posts: 15177
Location: SW Missouri
10841
2
goat cat fungi books chicken earthworks food preservation cooking building homestead ungarbage
  • Likes 3
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator

Trace Oswald wrote:

Tereza Okava wrote:I use them as my bed borders. They are hard to break up, but a car would help.



i wonder if throwing a bunch of them in a cement mixer would break them up?  If the terra cotta wouldn't break up by itself, maybe throw in 4 or 5 big rocks with it?



I think if I were going to try that I'd do it in a cement mixer I didn't mind killing. They aren't that tough, in my experience.  
 
pollinator
Posts: 259
Location: Eastern Ontario
100
cattle dog trees tiny house composting toilet food preservation wood heat greening the desert composting
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
What about using the broken up bits as aggregate in cement as a replacement for gravel?
 
please tap on glass. Tap harder. Keep tapping until this tiny ad jumps in your lap
build a better world instead of being angry at bad guys
https://greenlivingbook.com
reply
    Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic