How to Use Concrete Paver Forms to Mold Concrete Pavers

Pavers of different sizes add visual interest to a walkway.

Concrete pavers provide the strength of concrete, with the textures and design versatility of bricks and stones. While pre-cast pavers can be cost-prohibitive if you're paving a large area, molding your own concrete pavers is simple. Paver forms are molds that come in different sizes and shapes so you can completely customize pavers to suit your existing landscape.

Things You'll Need

• Bubble level
• Shims
• Paver forms
• Lubricant or mold release agent
• Cloth
• Concrete mix
• Coloring agent
• Hand shovel
• Water
• Scooper
• Wooden stirrer
• Flat trowel
• Breathable drop cloth

Instructions

1. Create a clear, level work space to pour and dry the pavers. Set a bubble level on the surface and add shims below table legs as necessary until it is completely level. If pavers dry on an uneven surface they'll turn out lopsided.

2. Place the paver forms on top of the level surface. Use multiple forms at a time so you can pour and dry the pavers in batches.

3. Coat the forms with a lubricant spray, petroleum jelly or a mold release agent. Use a clean cloth to cover the inside of the form. Wipe off any excess or it will make pits in the pavers.

4. Dump concrete mix in a bucket and tint the mix with a coloring agent to create colored pavers. Mix the agent into the dry concrete mix with a hand shovel, and then add the dose of water specified on the instructions and stir. The mixture should be thick and pourable like brownie batter.

5. Fill half the paver forms with the concrete using a scooper. Use a wood stirrer to shift the concrete into the corners and sides. Tamp the form down on the surface several times to force or air bubbles in the mixture. Fill the forms and tamp them again. Run the side of a flat trowel over the form to remove excess, fill any low spots and make the top as smooth as possible.

6. Drape a moist breathable canvas or burlap drop cloth over the filled forms, and keep the cloth moist for two days to slow-dry the pavers so they are strong.

7. Turn the forms upside down in your hand and tap the bottom to remove the dry pavers.

8. Re-apply lubricate or release agent to the empty forms when you're ready to pour the next set.

References

• The Mold Store: Do It Yourself Guide