Some of these tips have been said already, but they are worth repeating. Read on and have fun making your stepping stones!
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If you are using cement dye, remember that the wet product will always be a shade or two darker that your finished product.
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For best results, your stepping stones should be at least 2 inches thick.
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Let your stepping stone set in the mold for about 3 days.
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Wetting the cement daily will help make the cement stronger.
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Allow the stones to cure for a week before placing them outside or stepping on them.
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When gathering items for embellishing your stepping stones, steer clear of wooden items because they don't stick into the concrete very well.
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Get creative with your embellishments! Try seashells, marbles, beach glass, mosaic tiles, buttons, small toys, and mementos of any sort.
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Make prints in the cement after it has set for between 30 minutes to an hour.
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Besides handprints and paw prints. Try making prints with other items such as dog biscuits, leaves, cookie cutters, etc.
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If you want to try making stepping stones with pans or other household items, buy them at garage sales or thrift shops.
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Your cement should be the consistency of cookie dough. You want to have to scoop it into your mold, not pour it.
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When you place the stones in your garden they should not be raised above ground more than about 1/2-inch for risk of people tripping and falling and also so the stone doesn't break.
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Once the cement is poured into the mold, do not move it! This can cause cracking (I found this out the hard way!).
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If you make a mistake, you can simply remove the items, flatten out the top with the side of a popsicle stick or spoon, tap the sides to smooth, and start over again!
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From a Reader: "I used a layer of sand on the bottom of the (cake) pan. When the mold was hard it pops right out, just brush the sand off the bottom and its ready."
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From Debra in Illinois: Use glow in the dark items as embellishments for your stones!
- From Mel in Walla Wall, WA: "When my parents' 50th anniversary was approaching, friends and relatives were asked to contribute a 12X12 quilt block for an anniversary quilt. We decided to do a hand and paw print block with my wife and I and our two akitas. We learned right away that having the dogs sit and dipping their paws in water and pressing them on a piece of paper became a game for them - hence no cooperation. Secondly, with no weight on the paw, you got a print that was smaller than the foot normally looked. So, here's how to get around that. Lead them around in some wet grass or through a puddle of water (even if you have to make one on the kitchen floor) and then immediately across a sheet of newspaper. Quickly out line the wet print on the paper with a marker and you have the makings of a pattern that can be used for stepping stones, applique, whatever."
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From Vicki: "One tip I'd like to share that I haven't seen mentioned is to put your mold on a movable flat surface. I have a large cutting board that I put my molds on. That way, when I'm not working with it, I can put it aside. I'm going to ask my husband to cut up some plywood for me so I can work on and move several stones in a day."
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From Dave: "I found the best way to get the air bubbles out of the concrete, once you've poured the concrete in the mold and added some hardware cloth through the middle of the concrete and then roughly smoothed out the surface, is to set your mold atop your washing machine and put the machine through two spin cycles, one right after the other, even with the machine empty. This pretty much shakes all the air up out of the concrete and has a self-leveling effect on the surface of the concrete, giving you a nice, smooth surface to work with.
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From Donna: "I am presently in the process of making some stones with pictures in them. What l have done is gone to my local UPS store and had the pictures laminated (making sure there is enough seal around each picture because once you start cutting you don't want to cut into the seal)."
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From a Guest: "To add a picture, I made a copy of a picture and put white glue on both side, then used clear resin where the picture was going (on the stone) then put clear resin on top of it to seal it. It's been great over a year now."
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From Pizzaman427: "I have made a stepping Stone with my daughters class for their teacher. We had their pictures under marbles inset into the cement with fun designs. First I laminated the pictures and then pushed them into the cement and added a flat glass marble on top of it with the flat side on top of the pictures. It was A very special gift."
Have fun making your stepping stones, and please feel free to share your tips for all to read. You can share your stepping stone photos too!
- Photos of Stepping Stones
- Making Stepping Stones Introduction
- Gathering Your Stepping Stone Supplies
- Step-By-Step Directions
Next page > Photos of Stones > Page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
