How to Build Your Own Garden Statues

Making a Concrete Garden Statue from a Mold

• 1

  Prepare the mold. Rub the inside of the mold with vegetable oil. Assemble the mold, if necessary.

• 2

  Mix the concrete. Most premixed concrete formulations simply require the addition of water. Read the instructions carefully, and add the water a little at a time, mixing with the hoe or trowel as you go.

• 3

  Slowly pour the concrete into the mold, pausing occasionally to let the concrete settle in.

• 4

  Tap or gently shake the mold for several minutes so that any air bubbles trapped in the concrete will escape.

• 5

  Allow the concrete to cure by keeping it in a dry place for 24 hours.

• 6

  Carefully set the mold top-down on a flat surface. Have someone help you if your statue is too heavy for you to handle safely alone.

• 7

  Gently tap the mold, then carefully peel it away from the sculpture.

• 8

  Paint the statue, if desired.