Coral Concrete Mixing

[El Pirata]

While I was on vacation in Panama, again, in August I was talking to one fo then honchos who is part of the restoration for the old Spanish towns and forts. One obstacle that he said they have been facing was using Coral in the concrete mixture for strength. Since Coral was so plentiful back then the Spaniards used coral in every fort I have seen from Havana, Panama, Cartagena, San Juan, etc... The Panamanian government is restoring the forts to what they once were and have been using coral rather than sand or gravel for simple cost effectiveness. Anyway, I'll quit rambling now.

[the Royaliste]

A similar note, mate..Me father in law, now deceased was a mason before the Navy in WWII..Had five ships shot out from under him.. crews used to survive on his knowledge 'o makin' cement wif' coral and birdshit... the firepits would turn to fine china in the heat...Ah, them tropics,eh?...

[Deacon Frye]

I thought a lot of those old forts were made of coquina.

["Broadside" Long]

A lot of the first buildings along the coast of Georgia (and throughout the rest of the Southeast, I think) were made of "tabby". It was made with crushed oyster shells. Made for some interesting textured buildings.

Broadside

[El Pirata]

That's pretty odd that I was thinking about this subject today. I can't remember why I was thinking about this subject but I just remember thinking about it. Wierd.

[TalesOfTheSevenSeas]

If you get out to some of the old historic California missions, be sure to ask to see some of the original roof tiles. They were Spanish style tiles, made by the local natives. The tiles were formed by spreading the clay over the maker's thigh- so you'll see tiles of all different shapes and sizes because the are actual casting of their maker's legs!

Additionally, the missions were constructed of adobe brick, which is clay mud, reinforced with straw. It provides excellent insulation and those adobe buildings are as cool as an air conditioned house in the summer and warm in the winter. Amazing stuff and it's cheap.

Just as a side note, Father Junipero Serra who founded the California Missions is posthumously at the center of a modern contraversy for his excessive tactics he used to convert the Native Americans to Christianity. So when you see those tiles, the people who made them had a much deeper story that went unwritten.