Thermalite is a brand name for aircrete - autoclaved air entrained concrete. I have never seen it used in the US unfortunately, although web searches show some discussions of specs and industry standards. It is kind of like an artificial pumice, and I have seen natural pumice sold at some stone suppliers and nurseries. Probably more expensive than Thermalite of course, but it is very easy to carve compared to any other stone. Maybe they sell aircrete in Canada? You could smuggle it back from Windsor. Perhaps one of the many GW'ers from across the border would know. Good Luck

Still lurking from Bonsai Forum.

Tony,

Find if hard to believe that Thermalite or Celcon type lightweight blocks aren't available in the USA. Can't all be timber frame internal construction - but maybe it is!

Check your local big box DIY store or builders merchant if you haven't already. A lightweight cinder block is what you're after I think.

I knocked this up in about half an hour as a table ornament.(see link)

Only an unfinished rough prototype in no particular style - certainly not Japanese - and a poor photo as well.

Check out George's site - the address is in the pic caption.

Here is a link that might be useful: Ornament

Googled around a bit (this sounds like cool stuff :) and found a manufacturer in Georgia. Good news is that they say they'll ship anywhere, bad news is that they like to sell by the pallet. But they seemed friendly and might negotiate on that (or maybe you wanted a pallet's worth:).There's an e-mail link on the site: it can't hurt to ask 'em.

- Evelyn

(but it maybe would be easier to smuggle it in from Windsor :)

Here is a link that might be useful: SafeCrete website

I am from Canada and nver heard fo the stuff, but then I have not tried to hunt it down. Any reason you think it is available here?

Sounds very interesting.

Take a look on the gardenweb site for " hypertufa"
It's a homemade lightweight "rock"

I was a garden center yesterday, that had those lightweight "feather" rocks. It was pumice or lava and quite easy to lift. Likely very easy to carve. They were selling big hunks of it for US$75.

Tony-
You might want to consider looking at a book called "Making Concrete Garden Ornaments" by Sherri Hunter [ISBN: 1579903185]. Lots of pictures and step-by-step instructions.