How to Use a Sidewalk Mold

Lay a garden hose on the ground in the location where you want the sidewalk to be and reposition it until you are satisfied with the layout. Use spray chalk to draw a line on the ground around the hose, designating the sidewalk perimeter, then move the hose out of the way.

Dig up the top 1 inch of turf using a shovel to provide a stable base for the sidewalk.

Fill a wheelbarrow with a bag of quick-set concrete powder and add the amount of water indicated on the package. Stir the material with a trowel or a shovel until it is the consistency of peanut butter. If you want a colored sidewalk, add in a concrete dye using the amount specified on the dye instructions.

Walk to one end of the prepared area and set the plastic mold in one corner. Spray the surface with a garden hose to dampen it.

Scoop up some concrete using a trowel and place it into the mold. Add additional concrete until each compartment in the mold is filled. Scrape the side of the trowel across the top of the mold to remove excess concrete and place it back into the wheel barrow.

Wait 10 minutes to allow the concrete to partially set up. Grasp the sides of the mold and lift it straight up. Place the mold directly beside the first molded area and arrange it so that it fits like a puzzle.

Repeat the process to create additional pavers in the sidewalk until the entire dug out area is filled.

Sprinkle a 1/4-inch layer of coarse sand on top of the entire sidewalk. Push the sand in between the crevices, using a push broom. If needed, apply more sand until it fills the crevices completely.

Spray the entire surface of the sidewalk with water from a garden hose, just until the surface is completely damp. Cover the sidewalk with black plastic and place bricks around the edge of the plastic to hold it down. Leave the plastic on for two to three days to allow the concrete to cure, then remove it.