Butler sinks and hypertufa

Hi all, I have been given 4 butler/Belfast sinks that I plan to use for alpines etc as my soil is a bit claggy. Many years ago, I covered one with hypertufa and it lasted for many years. Unfortunately I've forgotten the details of doing it, and the online sources are quite varied in methods. One of the sinks had been covered with a coating, but it's come off and separated quite easily. So I want to avoid that! I think a mix of equal parts cement, builders sand and peat or coir would work, but would you recommend scribing the surface for adhesion, or just epva?
Thanks

 

Chipping the glaze to improve adhesion or using PVA is recommended here @CarolineL:

AGS-Hypertufa_Leafleta-3412.pdf

A nice project .

 

Thanks @Plantminded ! I think I had that leaflet many years ago when I was a member, and contemplated the fish box method. I probably used their instructions, so I think I'll do the tufa with added PVA to be safe, and use something like a grinder to damage the glaze AND PVA coating (to be sure!)

 

That is what I did. Grandma and eggs comes to mind, but it is worth saying that goggles are a necessity, as the glaze from the sink is not nice in the eyes.

 

Oh definitely @Palustris ! I paid a fortune to have my cataracts dealt with last year, and I don't want any new problems!

 

I seem to remember Geoff Hamilton doing something similar many years ago, though even if his instructions are still online, there might be updated products to use. I’d look for his video if I were you, just for the blast from the past

 

You could just leave it as it is, looking like a sink. I've got one and it's outside at the moment, and I've been growing lettuces and spring onions etc in it, but I'm thinking of moving it inside the greenhouse and planting a cactus garden in it, but I am going to leave it looking like what it is.

 

I know some people do @Michael Hewett , but I have 4, and some have unglazed sides, some don't, so I want to get them all looking the same. When I did it many years ago, it actually looked plausible stone.

 

This reminds me of the old Geoff Hamilton trick for making rocks for your rockery.

Dont forget to paint it with yoghurt.

 

I remember trying the yoghurt thing. It was just a waste of yoghurt...

 

Maybe it was the wrong flavour.