How to Build Hollow Concrete Sculptures
Concrete sculptures are ideal outdoor decorations because they stand up to nearly every weather condition, are easily cleaned and last a long time. Creating these sculptures is not unlike creating a sculpture out of clay and the type of concrete you need can be customized depending on your sculptural needs. When using concrete as a sculpting material, it is recommended that you mix your own concrete, adding water, cement, aggregates and additives as needed depending on the type of sculpture you desire.
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Things You'll Need
- Steel mesh
- Newspaper
- Mixed concrete
- Concrete file
- Concrete carving tools
- Wet/dry sandpaper
Instructions
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Create the general shape of the sculpture using steel mesh filled with discarded newspaper. Ball up, crinkle and layer the newspaper inside the mesh frame until the general form has been achieved.
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2
Apply a 1/2 inch coat of your concrete mix over the entire mesh form. The thickness needed may vary and is determined by the sculpture you desire.
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3
Define your sculpture's general features. Allow to dry for four to 12 hours depending on the concrete mix used.
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4
Use concrete files and carving tools for all the detail work. Allow to dry for one to two more days.
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5
Dampen the concrete sculpture with water and sand the entire form with sandpaper specifically for wet and dry surfaces. This is the final polishing of the concrete.
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Tips & Warnings
Work with the sculpture in its varying stages of drying to achieve finer details. Large concrete sculptures will need a more extensive inner structure using reinforcing bar (rebar) or reinforcing iron rod.
Avoid using layers of concrete that are too thin, as this could cause the final sculpture to be brittle and unstable. Working with concrete after two days is akin to carving stone.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Hemera Technologies/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images
