Garden Decor -- Materials for the making

If you are like most of us, we would really like to know if product materials are just fancy names to sell a garden decor product or do they have actual content variation. To help you out, I have created a list of the popular products that may be unknown to you. Concrete and wood, of course, are frequently put to use, but then I hope you already have familiarity with those terms.

Alabastrite Alabastrite is our product line name for polyresin items. Alabastrite is a stone-based material which can be intricately molded producing great detail, and will allow paint to adhere. Items made from alabastrite which are specifically for outdoor use (such as garden fountains, etc) have a water resistant finish. This material holds up very well in all types of weather.

Bone China is made from white clay with bone ash added. Bone ash content must be at least 25% by U. S. guidelines. Fired at 1800 degrees. The translucent material is finished with a glaze or underglaze (matte). Lighter, stronger, more expensive than porcelain.

Hong Tze, to closely emulate a special stone found in China which is known for its deep red color, these items are created using an alabastrite polyresin. Hong Tze pieces are highly polished, further bringing out the intense, deep red color. Sometimes found in birdhouse designs.

Jade Porcelain is a type of porcelain made with a finer clay. Usually no glaze or only a colorless glaze will be applied at the final firing to show off the very smooth surface and to preserve the translucency. Example: 27112. Jade Porcelain is used for night lights because of its high degree of translucency when lit.

Porcelain Fine ground white clay, molded and fired in an oven for eight hours at 1200 degrees. Finished with a glazed, underglazed, or "bisque" finish. Glazing produces a high gloss; underglaze produces a matte finish. Bisque is a matte finish without glaze. After finishing, the item is "cooked" for six hours at 800 degrees.

Stoneware White is a clay with fine ground stone. Working with stoneware demands great expertise, and is in fact becoming a lost art. Stoneware is safe to use in microwave and conventional ovens.

You may have come across other garden decor materials not listed. Please add a comment about another curiosity so we can help each other help each other. :)