Ductal offers tremendous benefits in structural applications, where it eliminates the cost and weight of traditional steel and concrete. Because it can be molded into complex shapes in very thin sections, it is being used in some residential and decorative applications as well. “As long as you can build a mold to the shape you want, you can cast Ductal into that mold,” Perry explains. “Because the matrix is made of fine materials, it replicates the texture of the mold very precisely.”
One group using Ductal this way is Solus Décor Inc., of Vancouver, British Columbia. They use Ductal to create very durable outdoor features like planters and benches. “A standard concrete pot is thick, chunky, rough-textured and weighs a ton,” explains Solus partner Brad Carpenter. “With Ductal the mold can be a lot more elegant and we can cast a much thinner profile. This material is very strong, very robust. It’s going to outlast you and me.”
Carpenter does caution that Ductal is very different from concrete to work with. He describes the viscosity as “almost an oatmeal” and says the quick set reduces working time. The material cost, seven to eight times the cost of regular concrete, means errors are expensive, a challenge compounded by the fact that there is less margin for error with thin molds. The same applies to adding color — pigments react differently with Ductal and the cost of experimenting is high. “We limit our offerings to colors we know will sell better,” Carpenter says.
Ductal does not so much compete with concrete as it allows applications that are not possible with concrete. “Our customers buy Ductal because it enables them to do things that are unique,” Perry says. “My advice is, use concrete to do what concrete does, and use Ductal to do things you can’t ordinarily do.”
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