How to Make Ornamental Concrete Items with Molds

Small concrete statues are cast out of molds.

Ornamental concrete items are popular in many people's yards and gardens. These items can be anything from a small plaque or animal to a life-sized statue. A concrete item such as this is cast out of a mold, which allows multiple copies of the item to be created. Casting concrete into a mold is a fairly simple process. The molds are available online, and in some specialty garden stores. Bags of ready-mix concrete can be purchased at any building supplier.

Things You'll Need

• Mold
• Soapy water
• Scrub brush
• Bolts, clamps or straps
• Spray release agent
• Ready-mix concrete
• Water
• Bucket, tub or cement mixer
• Shovel (optional)
• Rubber mallet

Instructions

1. Clean the interior of the mold with soapy water and a scrub brush. This will remove any debris and residue from previous castings. Allow the mold to dry.

2. Bolt, clamp or strap the pieces of the mold together if you are working with a multi-piece mold. If the mold is a single piece for a flat object such as a stepping stone, place it on a table with the open end facing up.

3. Spray the interior of the mold with a commercial release agent. This will help the mold to separate from the concrete.

4. Combine a batch of ready-mix concrete with water, following the mixing ratio on the bag. Depending on the amount you need you can do this by hand in a bucket, in a large tub with a shovel or with a small cement mixer.

5. Pour the concrete into the mold until it is full.

6. Tap the sides of the mold with a rubber mallet to dislodge and trapped air bubbles, causing them to float to the surface.

7. Allow the concrete to cure for 24 hours. Larger pieces such as statues should be left in the mold for 48 hours.

8. Remove the concrete item from the mold and allow it to dry for three to seven days depending on the size of the object.

Tips & Warnings

• Larger molds (such as those for statues) may have to be strapped to a tree or pole to keep them upright.

References

• Masterline Molds: Making Concrete Products
• "The Prop Builder's Molding & Casting Handbook"; Thurston James; 1989