Make Stepping Stones
Creating a stepping stone pathway in your yard or garden can be a necessary part of landscaping as well as a form of self expression. Although there are many ways to create yard and garden pathways, making your own stepping stones is a fun project that can be enjoyed by the entire family. Making stepping stones is a wonderful way to bring both personality and useful protection to an often-traveled path.
Steps
- Determine where you would like to place your stepping stones before beginning to make them.
- Select an area of grass that looks particularly worn--such as those leading to, and from gardens. Keep in mind that you can even lay a decorative stepping stone path that leads somewhere nonspecific.
- Purchase a bag of premixed concrete at your local gardening or hardware store. This is the material your stepping stones will be made of.
- Draw out a blueprint to refer to during the decorating process. Although this isn't necessary, it will help you if you have a particular design plan in mind.
- Create a form for your stepping stones.
- Make a form by cutting a 5-gallon (18.9 liter) bucket to the desired size or simply use a plastic dishpan.
- Rub the form with a lubricating oil or spray with a nonstick spray to ensure that the concrete can be easily removed once set.
- Mix the premixed concrete per instructions to an amount that will fill the container, usually a depth of 2 to 3 inches (50.8 to 76.2 mm).
- Fill the container with the wet concrete. This formed concrete is your stepping stone mold.
- Swirl mold as it sets to loosen trapped bubbles.
- Level off the concrete to make the top of the mold even by using a paint stick or other scrap wood.
- Wait 30 minutes for the concrete in your stepping stone mold to partially set, then personalize your stone.
- Press hand prints into the concrete and use the hard end of a paintbrush to write a name and date.
- Place marbles, garden stones, natural rocks, mosaic tiles, shells, sea glass and/or beads into the concrete. You can use a random pattern, or arrange the decorations to make words or images such as a child's name or the moon and stars.
- Let the mold set inside and away from direct sunlight for 2 to 3 days. This will ensure that it doesn't crack when removed.
- Remove the stepping stone by turning the stepping stone mold over above a thick towel and tap the base of the mold until it comes out.
- Finished.
Tips
- Prior to decorating, be sure to let the mold dry for 30 minutes before placing your tiles to ensure that the decorations do not sink and the hand-prints and writings do not fill with water.
- Hardware stores and nurseries will often give discounts on torn bags of landscaping stones, such as mosaic tiles or garden rocks, as well as providing discounts on chipped tiles.
Warnings
- Wear gloves if making hand prints in the mold.
- Immediately wash your skin with warm water if it comes into contact with cement.
- Wear protective goggles before beginning to make the stepping stones.
Things You'll Need
- 5-gallon (18.9 liter) bucket or plastic dishpan
- 1 bag of premixed cement
- Decorations such as marbles, garden stones, natural rocks, mosaic tiles, shells, sea glass and/or beads
- Painting sticks or spare lumber parts for smoothing
- Rubber gloves
- Protective eye goggles
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