Garden Stepping Stone Craft

Concrete

• Create your own stepping stones with concrete. Use a standard grade of concrete and mix it with the recommended amount of water. Concrete is a weather-resistant material that will last for many years and is sturdy enough to support the weight of people walking on the stepping stones. There are also concrete stepping stone kits sold at craft stores that include all of the supplies and materials that you need to make your own stepping stones.

Molds

• Give your custom-made stepping stone craft a rounded or organic, free-form shape. There are rounded and free-form-shaped molds available at home-improvement, garden or craft stores for making your own stepping stones. Some of these molds have a rock-shaped outline.

  Use household items as a concrete stepping stone mold as well. A small box will give it a rectangular or square shape, and a bucket is good for a rounded shape.

Preparations

• Oil the entire inner surface of the mold prior to pouring in the concrete to make it easier to separate the mold from the concrete once it dries. Use olive oil or another cooking oil, a cooking oil spray or even WD-40.

  Once the concrete begins to set in the mold, decorate your stepping stone with colorful rocks, shells, glass gems and interesting figures that will not perish in the heat of the sun or in the cold of the winter. As the concrete sets even more, inscribe family names, favorite sayings or garden-theme words in the wet concrete. Allow children to imprint their hands or feet in the concrete after coating them with oil, and then inscribe their name and date on the same stone.

Setting

• The concrete will completely set in 24 to 48 hours. Set the molds in the sun to dry and do not move them. The heat of the sun will bake the concrete to its hard finish as it causes the water in the concrete mix to evaporate. Remove the concrete stepping stones from the molds and set them in the sun to bake for another 24 hours. Add painted designs to the stepping stones once they have dried.

Placing the Stones

• Look at the path designated for your stepping stone craft. Once the stones are ready, evenly space them along the path in a free-form line. Dig up the dirt beneath the stones to recess them into the ground. This will prevent people from tripping over them as they walk down your garden's stepping-stone path.