The amount of water added to concrete is called the water/cement ratio. Quikrete sells liquid colorant in several different colors - terra cotta, red, buff, charcoal gray (I think). Purchase pieces of lumber from your local home improvement or lumber store … There are also water reducers that you can use to help improve your mix and to make your mix more fluid and also improve the strength of your concrete. I've been thinking that the treads would needed to be poured in place and then using a wire brush to form the rings in the semi dry concrete and pressing a piece of bark around the edge to achieve the indented edge. TIA Barb. Try again, molded to carry in for a small vanity. As the production of cement paver molds and cement, Sand, Paint, Brightener and other raw materials to prepare, General the concrete bricks will be red, Green and yellow colors, Then you need to have iron oxide red, Phthalocyanine green and yellow iron oxide powder and so on, Of course, Also you need to prepare some supporting mechanical facilities, Such as vibration platform, Cement concrete … Now shake and tap bottom & sides of the mold to eliminate all bubbles. We used a colorant but you don't have to. Use a smaller plastic container to form the inside of the planter. is fairly easy to do using a good quality latex paint. $24.00 $ 24. I am looking for a mold or suggestions on how to make our own large concrete or hyper-tufa stair treads in the shape and texture of large tree slices. Create customized surface finishes by pressing small stones or pea gravel into the wet concrete … First the statue must be clean and free of any oil from casting, then using a brush or a sprayer you can apply your acid stain to the concrete statue. Pouring your concrete statue molds can be tricky. I'm considering buying a set of molds on ebay and pouring them to create a patio. It cracked. Do I need to coat the mold so that the concrete won't stick to it? Can you pour concrete into plastic? 1" is a weak pour. We buy our acid stains from Direct Colors.com and if you're not sure what color you want they also sell small sample size bottles. Though adding more water to the concrete will make it easier to mix, pour, and work with, it actually lowers the … If you're using the quik-crete that is already ready to just add water, you can make a fairly muddy mixture (maybe the consistency of thick cake batter) and pour it into the mold. I even have one that is a flagstone design! Grandma, we did not use any kind of release agent with the Quikrete mold. If you feel artistic, someone mentioned to me that you could probably take dry-cleaning bags and lay them on the surface of the Quikrete "stones" (after removing the form) and sort of get the look of flagstone. Good Luck! I don't use any release agent. We did wind up using the upper end of the recommended water amount. Allow the concrete to harden for at least 24 hours for plastic bottle molds and … Check out Direct Colors for Concrete Sealer or Acid Stain. That is going to present problems. Decide how long and wide you want your finished cement slab, then determine how thick the finished concrete ought to be. I have molds from eBay and they have held up well. I'm not that much of a glutton for punishment. While this mold is specific to this project, the method is the same for a lot of different types of concrete projects. If you notice debris, you can first strain the slip prior to pouring into the mold. You can find a short video of this in the info section under plasticizer. This is just a basic mix to get you started, as you start to make more statues you will find the mix that works for you. I had a question concerning the construction of a patio area and I thought this site would be able to offer me some advice. Pour cement into Mold: Pour half of the mold first. Looking for a mold or ideas to form tree slice exterior stair treads. Pour the concrete into the mold and screed the top of the mold with a flat board or trowel. Make sure there is no wire or rebar sticking out of the concrete and cover your mold until cured. I just patted the tops of mine with my rubber coated garden gloves and got a texture that suited us. haha! We were at an advantage in that we have a small electric concrete mixer but mixing the 'crete in a wheelbarrow wouldn't be that difficult. We also used the high strength concrete so hubby can drive over the patio with the riding mower. 15 Questions to Ask First, Garden Walls: Pour On the Style With Concrete, 7 Questions to Ask Before Laying Stepping Stones, Houzz Tour: See a Concrete House With a $0 Energy Bill, Kitchen Counters: Concrete, the Nearly Indestructible Option, Elephants of the Kitchen? Unlike sheet rock, framing or carpeting, you … Be sure to take into account the water used for the colorant as part of the total water added. and then lay them out and interplant with something like wooly thyme. Better looking. Because of where this patio is, it needs to be very stable. Is it a good idea to paint basement concrete walls? You both make it sound VERY doable. This worked well for us. Picked it up at Lowe's but HomeDepot and other places sell them too. TBVECHI Garden Fence Concrete Mold, Brick Cement Mould, Vegetable Garden Pond Lawn Concrete Brick Edging Mold, DIY Fence Cement Mold. Step 2 Pour concrete into fancy, round or square plastic … The molds on eBay look nice but I think you would have to have a release agent and you would have to let the concrete set up before you removed the mold. I'm enlarging my back patio by going around the existing 10 X 16 pad with this. Both make polyurethane … Keep in mind materials like plaster of paris have water of hydration which can be released although they look dry. I have just bought a rubber mold for concrete and i want to make a mold do i have to spray it before i pour it and what do I use. To allow the footing to cure completely, … I can only do a little at a time as I have a bad back and have to limit myself on this kind of work. Or just not leave the mold on for too long?Thanks! Turn on Closed Captions (CC) for detailed step by step info. You will get the consistency for the concrete down pat after about 2 pourings. http://community.webshots.com/photo/552378632/2533421250088116591BpDmES, You will have to cut and paste. Pour the concrete into the mold. Once you have applied the acid stain let it sit for at least six hours. I like to do a shovel full at a time and work from one corner clockwise. Hello Patricia. Once the statue has air dried you can now apply sealer. Once the acid stain has dried you will need to wash the residue off with a soap and water and rinse thoroughly. Grandma -- If you're talking about those flat molds that are shaped like rocks or bricks put together in a square, I might be able to help. Pour rubber into rubber; avoid pouring rubber directly onto the model. Do not scrape the edges of the bucket as you pour as unmixed materials tends to cling the edges of the blending container. Have you looked at drylock paint? Only once have I been able to post a picture in a post.Carol, Carol, that looks REALLY nice. a patio made with the quikrete form that looks like stones. You can sometimes get a truck to pour concrete straight into your form; otherwise, load it into wheelbarrows and tilt them into the form until the high point is reached. Casting statues is like anything else,the more you do it the better you will get at doing it. If you're using the quik-crete that is already ready to just add water, you can make a fairly muddy mixture (maybe the consistency of thick cake batter) and pour it into the mold. Learn what’s in your concrete and about sustainability to make a healthy choice for your home and the earth, Learn all about stone sizes, cracks, color issues and more so problems don't chip away at your design happiness later, Learn about the hidden costs and treasures of older homes to avoid budget surprises and accidentally tossing valuable features, Before you rebuild or restore your water-damaged home, take these steps to keep mold at bay, There's no end to what you — make that your contractor — can create using this strong and low-maintenance material, These broken-up pathways invite you to put a spring in your step — while adding functionality to the garden, Passive House principles and universal design elements result in a home that’ll work efficiently for the long haul, We look at the reasons concrete has a tendency to crack — and what you can do to help control it, Infinitely customizable and with an amazingly long life span, concrete countertops are an excellent option for any kitchen, Concrete countertops are beautiful, heavy and cool — and have their own peculiarities. … Make sure when applying the acid stain not to use to much at one time as acid will streak the statue if any runs go down the side and no matter how many coats you add afterwards you cannot get rid of the streaking so by starting at the bottom and working your way to the top you will have a much better looking statue. Then take your concrete mix and slowly pour in enough just to cover the bottom, move the mold around some making sure that all of the letters or the bottom has been covered, after this continue filling your mold until it is half full, if you are pouring a bench mold this is when you will add your wire or rebar. Ive only poured ceramic slip into my molds, but need the concrete … Shari, only 5 minutes?Here's what I'm considering:http://cgi.ebay.com/4-concrete-flagstone-molds-16-x-1-5-thick-each-mold_W0QQitemZ160012499622QQihZ006QQcategoryZ83898QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem. This is really an easy proces.CarolPS - We are also Grandma and Grandpa so don't think only spring chickens can do this! Allow the footing to dry for around three to four days. The concrete will soak up this first thin coat and it will act as a primer coat or bonding coat after this you can apply paints as you normally would without thinning your next coats of paint. Here is the link to my picture of the patio in the early stage. When you remove the mold you can kind of smooth off any rough edges with your hands or a wooden stick. Mix and pour the concrete into the bottle mold and add the cap with the pen/test tube. It gives good directions with it. I am using 1 part castor oil to 8 parts denatured alcohol in a spray bottle as my release agent for concrete in molds. You must use a sealer over the acid stain, as the sealer is what brings out the true colors of the acid stain. This way you can use your gloved hands to … But the concrete has to set up in the mold before I can use the flagstone. If you are pouring smaller statues you will use less and or smaller pea gravel. The best way I found to do it is by slowly pouring … You will want your mix to have just enough water to make it pourable but not runny, as too much water will make concrete weak, but too dry of a mix and your statues will have lots of air holes in them. If you don't get a answer here, they sell them at Lowe's and you may be able to get your answer from them. I want to add to my concrete over gravel previous question. Make Concrete Statues Fast Just mix up the crete per directions that usually come with it (comes out pretty thick) put in into the mold, smooth it out, wait a minute or two and lift off and do your next one. Hope you and I are talking about the same type of mold and this was somewhat helpful. Carefully pour concrete into the mold to make a garden stepping stone. My husband mixed and I filled the mold. Info on Pouring, Painting and acid staining concrete. The idea is that instead of buying expensive flagstone, I could pour my own (using Quickcrete - can you color Quickcrete?) I mix a certain amount in my water before I mix it in the dry mix to get a more uniform color through out the pour, just remember how much you add each time.PawsI also have used the form for a Cobblestone design, poured it , put small pea gravel in it and then lifted it off.Tried to put a picture link in but for some reason it wants to reject it. It really is as easy as it says on the package. It can be tinted, and is designed for waterproofing subterranean concrete. 3 Green-Minded Questions to Ask, 9 Hard Questions to Ask When Shopping for Stone, Considering a Fixer-Upper? This way you can use your gloved hands to get the bubbles out. This will make it easier to remove as you can place the mold on a table and give it a slight drop and the small gap will let the stone release. After discussing the project last night, we are going to use sand topping mixed with dry colorant to put between the stones. Still stained horribly, even sealed. I know how to make plaster molds, but not rubber. Gave up. Smooth and level the mold with the trowel, remove any excess concrete and clean up the edges so there's less over-pour … So the finished product would take a while. I order mine direct from Smooth On since I use alot of it. The first coat of paint though needs to be thinned down until it's almost a pastel color. Are there any other ideas out there or does anyone know of commercial molds that I could buy that would achieve the same effect? We felt very proud of ourselves and it looks good. Using a thin stick or skewer to poke the … Thankfully, because of the extreme durability of concrete, removing mold growth is a relatively simple process. In warmer temperatures normally you can remove the casting the next day, if it is cold weather you may want to wait 2 to 3 days before removing the casting from the mold. If you color your mixture I have used the liquid colors available at Lowes, Home Depot, Menards. However, I love your idea of the thyme! 5.0 out of 5 stars 1. I tried pour in situ it for an outdoor potting bench. Pour the concrete mix into the mold. Cure. Good to hear back from someone though. A pint of slip can yield 10 to 12 castings for SMALL molds, like the CASTABLES – make sure you salvage unused slip after every pour. The instructions say to use 1/2 bottle of colorant per bag of concrete. First pancake, right? Cut a hole in the top of the base and fill with concrete. FREE Shipping. As any concrete Pro could have predicted. I will need 22 birds for my project. When the concrete … Lift it out of the sand so you can vibrate it a bit to release any bubbles, and to compact the solids to the face of the stone. I've lurked here a while, but this is my first post. Rhonda. Gravel should be Pea sized or smaller. If your pouring a very thick mold like a leg or a large plaque holder, fill it to about a 1/4" from the top. You are going to need major fiber reinforcement for only a 1" thick pour in addition to the wire reinforcement. You also do not get nearly as nice a look, and your kitchen will end up looking like a bomb site. What to Know About Concrete Counters, Alkalinity leaching and treatment in hypertufa pots. In truth, as stated on the package, you can fill the cavities in the mold, pat it down, smooth it out and lift the mold. Your new concrete planter will be shaped and decorated just like the hard plastic original. We still have to put either sand or concrete between the "stones" but we can't make up our minds what we want to use. Don’t get frustrated if you make it to runny, just mix a separate 3 part sand to 1 part cement and dump it into your runny mix and that should fix that problem. If you leave it too long, the mold begins to stick to the concrete. I don't have a answer for you Grandma. I'd hate to have concrete set up in the wheelbarrow while waiting for it to set up in the mold.Any pointers would be appreciated. Acid stain is quick and easy to use. For those kinds of molds you will need a Mold Release and let them cure for about 24 hours then carefully unmold them. Betonex 2 pcs Round Edge Stone Concrete MOLDS … 00. But its really very easy and the ending results are very nice. Concrete can be sealed with any quality concrete sealer and resealing every couple of years will keep your statue in good shape. The first problem is water/ steam. As I said before, this is just a starting point, should you need more help or have questions please feel free to email me or call me. I'll try to send you a picture of ours in process. A mold … Pour concrete into … As described in the Mixing and Pouring Lesson, mix the concrete until a good water to cement ratio is achieved, then scoop a small amount of the aggregate-free concrete mix into the molds. I also find that a 60 pound bag of quik-crete makes about 1 & 1/3 molds. How do I remove mold from concrete? It bonds to raw concrete so should be straightforward. How to pouring fast Setting Concrete into Rubber molds . As described in the Mixing and Pouring Lesson, mix the concrete until a good water to cement ratio is achieved, then scoop a small amount of the aggregate-free concrete mix into the molds.. We figured out how much water it took for a bag of concrete, subtracted just a little to compensate for the humidity (YIKES) and then we were a concrete pouring team. Which means just what it says, one part Portland cement, two parts sand and up to three parts small gravel. Pouring Tips: Holding the mold at a slight angle slowly and steadily pour slip into mold opening (called a pour … Workers pouring concrete into large steel molds on a construction site Pour in place is a lot harder than pour in sections and carry inside and epoxy together. I like to do a shovel full at a time and work from one corner clockwise. It's pretty hideous too, after all of the staining. I will mix the concrete with tiny styrofoam bits, like popcorn cieling size, to make it lighter. When applying the acid stain and sealer you should wear rubber gloves and eye protection and make sure to wear old clothing as the acid stain will also stain your clothes. It's working very well. Pouring Concrete Molds is very easy to do, first you take your concrete mold and apply a thin coat of vegetable oil, make sure to wipe down the mold when you are done applying the oil as you do not want any puddles of oil left in the mold you only want a light coat of oil to release the concrete. Hope you have better luck! I've been using a walkmaker mold. We do all of our own landscape work, but I've never attempted something like this. Apply a sander without sandpaper to the side of the mold to help remove air pockets and bubbles from the concrete. Liquid rubber is a great way to make durable perfectly smooth molds. Sand should be a man made,Sharp or a River Sand the River Sand will have some small gravel in it. Pouring Concrete Statue Molds. They will be mosaiced over the cocrete. And a lot in common with certain gray pachyderms, Comprehensive Residential Remodeling Services in Pottawattamie County, http://cgi.ebay.com/4-concrete-flagstone-molds-16-x-1-5-thick-each-mold_W0QQitemZ160012499622QQihZ006QQcategoryZ83898QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem, Considering Concrete Floors? is very easy to do, first you take your concrete mold and apply a thin coat of vegetable oil, make sure to wipe down the mold when you are done applying the oil as you do not want any puddles of oil left in the mold you only want a light coat of oil to release the concrete. Using a thin stick or skewer to poke the concrete into all areas of the mold. Reinsert the mold into the sand cavity, and level. We have a cottage in Northern Ontario (very cold winters) with stairs leading down to the beach. And it is better to dilute the colorant before adding it to the concrete. Cut a piece of plastic from another bottle, as the base, and hot glue the object to the plastic bottom. Tap the bottles to release air bubbles. Also, the package says you use one 80 pound bag of concrete per mold pouring but we were able to get about 1-1/2 mold pourings from one bag. Cover all of the poured molds with plastic sheeting once filled, to … For a quick dry brush paint job , you can use a black base color once it is dry come back and dry brush over this with your highlite color to bring out the details. Line a square, round or heart-shaped plastic pan with a tight layer of rocks. Wire or rebar should be coated or painted in some manner, as rusty rebar or wire will shorten the life of your concrete bench. Grandma, we just finished (last night!) Whether you’re making a side table like mine, a planter box, or a poured table top, you’ll need a good, strong mold to hold it in and something that the concrete … I didn't try that. The most common mix for making your own concrete is probably the one two three mix. I plan to stain all with brush on concrete stain when I'm finished. Steel and Stone Creations, 1322 Green Pond Road, Soddy-Daisy, TN, 37379, United States. Almost any sand will work, but you do not want to use a play sand as it has been polished. There are two main suppliers of urethane rubber for concrete molds: Smooth-On and Polytek. On this page you will find out how to use concrete molds,the use of concrete acid stain for concrete statues and some painting tips. Can someone tell me how long they have to set before I can remove the mold and pour more? If you pour 600 F solder or zinc into a plaster or clay mold it will make steam which will spoil the casting. There is also information on how to pour concrete molds and how to mix concrete .We hope to add some videos in the near future. Once your wire is in place continue filling the mold until it is full and drag off the top flat. Once full and satisfied with the top finish (ie rounded or flat), then you only leave the mold on for about 5 minutes. This is the first time I do this and maybe my last one? I have used 10 parts denatured alcohol and 1 part non-detergent oil for a mold release mixed in a plastic spray bottle but I prefer the Universal Mold Release from Smooth on brand products, aerosol spray.