How To Make A Garden Stepping Stone
Basic Techniques For Creating A Unique Garden Decoration
Sep 10, 2009
Once you know the basics, creating personalized stepping stones for your home garden or yard is simple. Just add some of your own imagination and you will have a one-of-a-kind decoration that can be treasured for years to come.
Supplies Needed To Make A Garden Stepping Stone
- Plastic mold or an old cake pan
- Concrete mix
- Measuring cups
- Rubber gloves
- WD-40
- Large bucket
- Long-handled spoon or garden tool for mixing
- Thick towel
- A variety of embellishments
- Acrylic clear coat spray
Mixing The Concrete
Buy concrete mix at either a craft store or home improvement store. The type sold at crafts stores is generally less bumpy, although more expensive. Quikrete, found at places like Lowes or Home Depot, is not as smooth, but does cost less.
Follow the package directions and mix the concrete with water in a large bucket; a standard mix is usually 5 parts concrete to 1 part water. Wear rubber gloves to keep the concrete from burning your hands. If the mixture is runny, add more concrete mix; if it is too hard, add more water. Mix until it is mostly smooth although there will be a few bumps, almost like a brownie mix.
Choosing A Mold
Plastic, pre-formed molds can be bought at most craft stores and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. You can also pick up some old cooking pans at yard sales, just be sure the sides of the pan are not slanted. A slanted pan will create a stone that is uneven and may break. Aluminum cake pans work very well and come in many shapes.
Creating the Stepping Stone
Take your mold and spray it generously with WD-40. This will make it easier to remove the stone from the mold once it is dry. Pour the concrete into the mold a little at a time. Shake the mold to get rid of air bubbles and to distribute the concrete evenly; then add a little more concrete and repeat the process.
After the mold is full, wait about 5-10 minutes before pressing embellishments into the concrete and then make sure items are securely in place. When making hand or foot imprints, wait about 30 minutes before trying this. If you want to write in the concrete, 30 minutes is also a good wait time. When writing in the concrete, if your letters fill with water, smooth out the area to erase the writing, wait a bit longer and then try it again.
The only limit to decorating your stone is your own imagination. A few ideas include making a Photo Stone, using paint, rocks, keys and other items. Read “Garden Stepping Stone Design Ideas” for instructions on these techniques and more.
After you are done decorating, place the filled mold in an area where it will not be disturbed. The stone will not be completely dry for at least 48 hours. Once dry, turn the mold over on a thick towel and tap the bottom of the mold to release the stone. You may choose to seal your design with clear acrylic spray. Once it is dry, find a special place in your yard for the customized stepping stone and the stepping stone project is finished!
 |
