How to Make a Stepping Stone
Stepping stones made at home by you and your family will truly personalize your walking path, garden or front walkway. The key to make a stepping stone unique is to find decorative items to press into the stone to form shapes, letters or other designs. If you want to make a series of stepping stones, however, it can look just as nice to avoid using decorations and enjoy the look of clean and simple stones.
Things You'll Need
- Concrete mix
- 5-gallon bucket or old wheelbarrow
- Water
- Shovel
- Disposable pie pans
- Cooking spray
- Old board
- Marbles, mosaic tiles or broken plates (optional)
Instructions
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1
Mix the concrete mix and water together in your wheelbarrow or bucket with an old shovel. Follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully, adding a little water at a time until you have a mixture that doesn't crumble or have excess water on the surface.
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2
Spray your pie pans with cooking spray to coat the inside of the pan; this will allow the dry concrete to release easily from the pan later. Set the pan on a flat surface, such as an old piece of plywood or on a tarp spread out to protect a patio or deck.
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3
Pour or scoop the mixed concrete into the pan to fill it to the rim but not overflowing. Tap the pan to release any air bubbles caught in the concrete.
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4
Drag the old board over the surface of the pan to flatten it out, and remove any excess concrete to create a flat stepping stone. Wait 30 to 40 minutes for the concrete to begin to set up.
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5
Gently press colorful tiles or marbles into the surface of the stone to decorate them any way you like. Let the stones dry for two to three days without moving them.
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6
Turn the stones over onto grass, mulch, or another soft surface and pull the pan away from the stepping stone. Let the released stones sit out for another week before you arrange or walk on them so they can cure fully.
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Tips & Warnings
If you want to add more stability to your stone, cut a section of chicken wire to the size of your pan. Pour half of the concrete needed into the pan, place the chicken wire in the pan and finish filling the pan the rest of the way. For an added natural touch, consider pressing leaves or pine needles into the concrete and pulling them up to leave only the impression of natural items.
Don't mix more concrete than you need or you will end up with excess and nowhere to use it. If you are making more than one stone, mix a little at a time to get a rough idea of how much mix you need for each stone, then you'll be sure to only make as much as you need.
