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Why should I consider Aldax Moulds?
How do I order?
How long does to it take to receive my order?
Do you manufacture plain moulds without designs?
Can I colour the stepping stones?
Do I need a mould release?
What type of concrete should I use?

Why should I consider Aldax Moulds?
Aldax is a small family company that comes from a background of 25 years as an importer, manufacturer and wholesaler in the hobby ceramic industry. During this period we developed expertise in a wide range of mould making and mould making products.
With the downturn in ceramics due to the emergence of China as a major exporter, we decided to concentrate on developing a niche market in the broad field of moulds and mouldmaking. Based on our prior experience in helping people set up small ceramic businesses we commenced developing this informational site 2 years ago. It is designed to assist the do-it-yourselfer and small business people to take advantage of the rapid strides being achieved internationally in developing applications and markets for decorative concrete.

How do I order?
This web site gives you the information you need to do that small job around the house or to consider the prospect of adding to your income by entering the decorative industry, be it part time or full time. Select any mould or mould product on this site and you will be taken back to our main company site www.aldax.com.au to place an order. A single click will bring you back so you can continue moving seamlessly between the two sites.

How long does to it take to receive my order?
We manufacture all moulds and many of the back up products to order and do not keep stock. This way you receive a brand new plastic or rubber mould made to your order, enabling you to receive maximum life from the mould. We try to manufacture plastic moulds in 1 - 2 days, rubber moulds in 1 - 2 weeks, Concrete Plastic Moulds in 2 - 3 days and custom moulds in 3 - 4 weeks, depending on the complexity of the job.

Do you manufacture plain moulds without designs?
Yes we have a comprehensive range of plain moulds, square, round and hexagonal. They are available in 300mm 400mm and 600mm sizes. Many of these can be used for making mosaic stepping stones.

Can I colour the stepping stones?
Iron oxide can be added to the concrete mix before casting into the moulds to give a permanently coloured stone. Most colours available are in the red, brown or yellow range. Use sparingly as most additives to concrete have a tendency to weaken it. Too much colour will vary the drying times or cause the paver to be streaked or cause cracking or breakage. About half a teaspoonful to a paver should provide a good pastel coloured product.
The big advantage in using colour as an integral part of the concrete mix is that the paver is coloured right through. Subsequent wear or chipping does not reveal a base grey concrete colour as a painted finish would do. See Tech Tips for antiquing suggestions to provide additional colour variations to your stepping stones.

Do I need a mould release?
Concrete sticks to a mould after it dries and needs a mould release or lubricant to enable it to be removed from the mould cleanly. A light grade machine oil is the most effective release. However the plastic and rubber manufacturers warn us that continued use of a petroleum based product causes a breakdown over time of the plastics and rubbers used in the concrete industry. For this reason we recommend that a vegetable oil be used. Industrial castor oil is best but peanut, canola or other oils work quite well.
The thinner the viscosity of the oil the better as heavy oils seem to retain air and yield air bubbles on the surface of the concrete. Wipe the mould out with a T- shirt type of material to leave only a thin film of oil in the mould. Excess oil clinging to the surface of the concrete after curing makes painting or antiquing almost impossible.

What type of concrete should I use?
In our mould instructions we recommend a sand and cement mix for the smaller pavers but the use of bags of ready mix sand and cement gives good results. For larger pavers ready mix containing sand cement and aggregate is to be preferred for added strength. Pour the mix into the mould until 1/3 full and then bounce the mould against your bench to remove all the air bubbles. Continue this process until the mould is full.
Paver manufacturers use mechanical vibrators to achieve the same effect. The bouncing or wrapping action in addition to removing air bubbles, moves the larger pieces of gravel aggregate to the centre of the mould. The finer parts of the mix such as the sand, go down into the design of the mould. Properly vibrated moulds will show no sign of rough aggregate on the surface of the finished concrete paver, thus spoiling its appearance.