Rhubarb Leaf Stepping Stones
Sue requested the instructions to this - and I thought I would make a seperate post about it. It used to be on a website - but it is not longer there. I had saved it a while back - so I will post what I saved. I can't give credit to the original person who did it, as I don't know who they are. I have made many and they are neat!
I use Quick Crete - and I do not use a colorant - just because I can't easily get it here. The wire mesh I used in mine is called "hardware cloth".
MATERIALS:
- rubber gloves
- heavy plastic sheeting
- leaves
- pre-mix concrete - One standard-size bag will make three of the leaves shown here, which are about 45 centimetres square and eight centimetres thick;
- mortor or cement colourant, if you want a colour other than the light grey that pre-mix concrete produces (Lee Valley Tools has this stuff as well as Michael's Craft Store)
- Chicken wire or one-centimetre-square wire mesh
- wire cutters.
METHOD
1. To make the stepping stones, choose an area that will remain undisturbed for several days. Any level surface - a driveway, concrete patio, bare patch of soil or even the grass - will work.
2. Cut a peice of plastic sheeting at least 15 centimetres larger all around than the leaf (or another desired shape), and place it on the ground. Put the leaf in the centre of the plastic, vein-side up (Photo 1).
3. Mix the concrete to a stiff consistency, following package instructions. With gloved hands or a shovel, move concrete onto the leaf, spreading it almost to the edge of the leaf to a thickness of approximately 2.5 to 4 centimetres; press firmly to eliminate air bubbles (Photo 2). If you're using a small leaf or several leaves to create an imprint only, spread the concrete to form the shape you want.
4. To ensure strength and durability, place chicken wire on the concrete to within five centimetres of the edge, overlapping pieces if necessary. Shovel concrete on top of the chicken wire (Photo 3), again spreading to a thickness of about 2.5 to 4 centimetres and pressing firmly to eliminate air bubbles.
5. Gently lift the plastic up around the design (Photo 4), smooth edges with gloved hands or a trowel to ensure an even look, and place earth or gravel up around the form to support it while it cures.
6. Cover with a second piece of plastic to keep the concrete from drying out. Allow to cure for at least 48 hours, then lift the stepping stone from the plastic (the plastic peels away easily) and turn it over to see the walking surface.
7. Remove small pieces of vein or leaf with a hose turned to jet spray. If you've made the stepping stone in hot weather, much of the leaf will have already decomposed. You can place the stones in the garden immediately, but avoid stepping on them until the concrete has completely cured - curing time depends on the type of concrete mix used, but it usually takes five to seven days. Spray with water frequently during the curing period. Make sure the stones are set firmly in the ground and they won't move when walked on.
Comments (42)
17 years agolast modified: 10 years agoRelated Discussions
Patio blocks and stone retaining wall caps
Comments (4)Hi Rainsend, 2" thick would be pleanty for concrete blocks. We made some with a purchased mold for making path/patio blocks and it is only 1 7/8" thick. We used an integral color and they've held up fine. They've been through 3 or maybe 4 winters in zone 5. I had planned to put a concrete sealer on them but never got around to it. We did have some that crumbled but they are near the driveway and were exposed to salt( concrete's enemy). However they are the same blocks that were made with a questionable bag of cement and I suspect that is what caused the problem. I can't recall exactly how much we figured the savings to be - about 1/3 the cost of purchasing even the cheap ones - I think. And seeing as you already have the sand it should be a good bit cheaper. However the time factor is another matter. It's definately a labor intensive project. We did a 12' x 12' patio and a 50'path. It took about 2-3 weeks but DH and I did it together and we have a cement mixer. If you would be mixing by hand I suspect there's a good possibility getting sick of it about halfway through. I also have 1 rhubarb leaf stepping stone but it's only been out this past winter - so far so good....See MoreRhubarb Leaf Stepping Stone
Comments (5)I've made the stepping stones but I've done mine a little differently. Instead of using sand, I took the leaf and laid it on the ground and used a trowel to cut into the ground to mark the area around it. I then removed the leaf and put it in an upside down garbage can lid with water in it to keep the leaf from drying out. Then I dug inside the area I marked on the ground. I made mine dip slightly towards the center from all the sides (the edges I made about 4 inches deep and the center was about 5 inches) Then I laid the leaf in the bottom, added cement about halfway, put in some chicken wire for stability, then put more cement to the top. I then used the garbage can lid (minus the water) to cover the area to keep kids and critters out. I left it like this for 3 days, never misted it or anything. Then I dug it out, turned it upside down which was now right side up and removed the leaf (some leaf parts remained but they wore off from the weather and use). I guess you could do the same except, instead of making it deeper in the middle, you could dig around the edges but leave the middle part mounded - to what degree or how tall would be up to you. Then do the cementing. When done and flipped right side up then you would have the depression in the middle. I hope this wasn't too long and I wish you good luck whichever way you do it. Colleen...See MorePics of twig & vine bench
Comments (19)jitterbug...your Maxie did a great job on this! WOW! I am impressed!...an original pc. of outdoor decor! And I love the metal on the shop...hope you find more to finish it... susieroses took the words out of my mouth...I would also just decorate that tin wall with all my favs! It would be like having a cool board fence! If Maxie has some favs, old things or whatever that can be out in the weather, maybe that would be an idea for the shop wall. With those lovely red shingles, I'm thinking "red barnwood!" ... birdhouses, gardening signs, etc. etc. Oh boy, are you gonna have fun! Please share more pics as it progresses! Yeah, and I agree you may need to move it out a little from the hot tin...maybe you could pull it out and angle it abit and as TN said, add a little something under it??? Lots to ponder...a great piece! TFS! Jeanne S....See MoreHomemade Stepping Stones
Comments (9)I made stones for myself and my mother last year. We had leftover slate tiles from a bathroom project so I broke those up and used the tiles to decorate the stones. I used various things as "molds" because I wanted a variety of shapes and sizes. One of the things that worked the best for me was the plastic liners placed under planters to catch excess water. I would first break up and lay out my pieces of slate for finished top. I would then take some leftover wire mesh (chicken wire would probably work just as well) and cut to approximate size to use as rebar. I then mixed up portland cement and filled the bottom half of the stone, then place wire mesh in center and continue to fill to top of stone with cement. I then decorated the top with my slate pieces and let dry for a few days. I would take a picture, but still under 2 feet of snow. Anyways, I like them and think with same basic process you could make an infinte variety of stones to fit your style. Have fun....See More
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Not the greatest picture.....but I've made loads of leaves. Wish I had a place I could make them here...and the leaves to do them!
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