How to Craft Concrete Molds for Garden Benches

Empty 20 pounds of playground sand onto a tarp. Mound the sand with your hands to create an 8-by-18-by-40-inch pile. If the sand is too loose and does not stick together, add 1 cup of water to it and mix it together with your hands.

Draw the shape of the bench seat on top of the sand pile, using your finger. Once you are happy with the shape of the bench, dig a 3 inches deep by 12 inches wide and 36 inch long rectangle in the sand. Smooth the sand flat against the walls of the rectangle using your hands or a trowel.

Prepare a 5 pound batch of quickset concrete in a 5-gallon bucket following the manufacturer’s directions. Add enough water to create a pudding-like consistency. Stir until the concrete is smooth.

Pour the prepared concrete into the sand mold. Smooth the top of the concrete with a trowel.

Let the concrete sit for 72 hours. Remove the concrete bench top from the sand. Spray the surface of the bench top with a garden hose to remove any sand stuck in it.

Let the concrete dry another 72 hours. Set the completed bench on a store-bought bench stand.