How to Create Fake Boulders
A fake boulder or two can make a major difference in the appearance of your lawn or garden by acting as points of contrast with flowers or a flat landscape. Avoiding the cost and trouble of transporting actual boulders to your lawn is an added benefit of creating your own. The process of making a fake boulder takes approximately a week, but is relatively simple to do. Once your homemade boulder is complete, paint it and place it in your lawn to create a pathway or add a decorative piece to a garden. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- 3/8 inch rebar
- 1/8 inch or 1/4 inch mesh
- Wire cutters
- Trash bag
- Packing peanuts
- Cardboard
- Plywood
- Saw
- Steel wool
- Cement mix
- Plastic sheet
- Spray bottle
- Water
Instructions
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1
Purchase rebar or steel supports in a square or oval shape to form a heavy, supportive base for your fake boulder.
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2
Cut the mesh screen using wire cutters. Cut a piece of mesh large enough to make the boulder you want.
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3
Fit the mesh to your base and secure it to your boulder by wrapping the edges under and around your base.
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4
Shape the screen over the base so that it looks like a boulder; the bottom of your boulder should still be open.
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5
Place a trash bag inside your boulder and fill it with foam packing peanuts. Pack it tightly so that it supports the mesh boulder shape.
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6
Put a sheet of cardboard over the bottom of the boulder before you turn it over so that the packing peanuts don't fall out as you continue working.
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7
Cut the plywood using the saw so that it fits under your boulder. Turn the boulder over and sit it on top of the plywood for support while you finish creating it.
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8
Unroll your steel wool into long strips. Purchase enough steel wool to completely cover your boulder.
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9
Mix your cement according to the directions on the package until the cement mix is about the consistency of sour cream. Add cement dye if you want to make the color of the boulder more realistic.
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10
Soak your steel wool strips in the cement mix until they are saturated. Work quickly so that the cement does not begin setting before you are done.
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11
Lay the steel wool strips in crossing patterns over your mesh frame. Each strip should be about 1/2 inch thick.
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12
Cover the boulder with a plastic sheet. Lift the sheet once a day for a week and spray the boulder with a mist of water until the cement has cured.
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13
Remove the plywood, cardboard and trash big of packing peanuts before you place the boulder in your yard or garden.
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Tips & Warnings
Painting the boulder once it is dry can lend a more realistic look to your fake rock. Using browns, grays and greens to color the rock will give it the most authentic appearance.
Work in a garage, shed or outside to make moving the boulder easier and controlling the mess it can make.
