How to Make Cement Bird Baths
Making a cement bird bath is fairly easy--and the end product brings a remarkable amount of joy to you and your feathered friends. The basics pretty much involve sand and cement, and then you can get as artistic as you like by adding decorations--think stones, pottery shards and colored glass. The only caveat is not to work when it's hot out--or when the sand is hot--because your cement will tend to crack.
Things You'll Need
- Sand or sandy soil
- Concrete mix
- Bucket
- Water
- Latex gloves
- Trowel
- Decorations such as stones and pottery shards
- Base for bird bath
Instructions
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1
Dig a bowl-shape hole in a pile of sand or sandy soil. Use common sense as to the size--it will depend on the type of birds in your yard. Smooth the hole with a trowel.
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2
Pour the concrete mix into a bucket. Slowly pour in water until the mixture is like very wet clay. Put on latex gloves and mix by hand.
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3
Pour the wet cement to line the hole, and press smooth with a trowel. Don't dawdle because the cement will set more quickly than you think.
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4
Go wild adding fun decorations. Use tiny mirrors, stones from the beach or pieces of your favorite teapot that broke and never got repaired. Firmly press them into the cement before it sets.
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5
Let your bowl dry in the sand for a couple of days. If it's warm out, cover it with a plastic garbage bag so it doesn't dry too quickly and crack.
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6
Take the bowl out of the sand, wash it off and put it on a stand such as a tree stump. Fill with water and enjoy the birds.
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Tips & Warnings
If you don't want to mess with cement, find a large terra-cotta saucer that goes under a flower pot. Fill it with water for an instant bird bath.
