create fifty-two

Thermalite is an aerated concrete that is used as a light, insulating building material. It’s also quite good for hacking away at to form things. All you need is a wood gouge or two (buying an old used one is a good idea - it’ll get blunt anyway), and surform tools can be useful (think grater).

View the photos at flickr.

The material I worked with here has a boring grey colour (lighter coloured variants are available) but I quite like the rough texture of it, and the air bubble holes. You can always paint your creation when you’re finished, but it doesn’t always improve it - I think the swirly biscuit thing was better unpainted…

By the by: cement dust is really, really bad for your lungs and you need to wear breathing protection if you ever do this. (Also, if you wet the surface you’re working on it prevents quite a lot of dust getting in the air.)