How to Make Fake Boulders
Fake boulders are used in a lot of ways. You can hide outside speakers in boulders, line your driveway safely with them, and they are used around ponds and for waterfalls. No landscape is complete without a few rocks or boulders. There are several ways to make boulders. You can use papier-mache, fiberglass or cement. One of the most durable ways is using a cement mix called hypertufa. Hypertufa is also very light and can be easy to carve.
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Things You'll Need
- Chicken wire or 1/4-inch hardware cloth
- Plastic bags or Styrofoam
- Duct or packing tape
- Dust mask
- 1 part Portland cement
- 1 1/2 parts peat moss
- 1 1/2 parts perlite
- Dry cement colorant (optional)
- Acrylic fortifying additive
- Water
- gloves (latex or vinyl)
- plastic wrap
Instructions
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1
Determine the size of the boulder you want to make. Make a boulder form from hardware cloth or chicken wire. Fill it with plastic bags or Styrofoam.
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2
Cover the form with duct or packing tape. Make sure the whole form is covered so the cement mix will adhere to it properly.
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3
Wearing a dust mask, mix the Portland cement, peat moss, and perlite. If you're using dry colorant in the cement, add it to the dry ingredients before mixing in water. Add a little acrylic fortifying additive (for strength) to the water and mix well. Combine all of the ingredients, adding the water mixture a little at a time to create the hypertufa. Its consistency should be like oatmeal. It shouldn't be runny.
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4
Apply the mixture to the form. Build it up by patting the mixture on the form with your hands, until it's 1-inch thick and the hardware cloth or chicken wire is completely covered. Use latex or vinyl gloves when handling the cement mixture.
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5
Put plastic wrap on the boulder so it dries slowly. This may take up to several weeks to cure, but not less than five to seven days.
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Tips & Warnings
You can use acrylic paint and sealer to paint your boulder.
Use chisels, saws, and files to carve your boulder, for a more realistic look.
Mix the hypertufa in a large plastic mixing pan or a plastic kiddie pool if you're making a large boulder.
It's easier to add water than to add dry ingredients. Don't let the hypertufa get too wet.
