cement rocks

[spikedog]

i would like to make cement letters that are smooth and waterproof so i can have water flowing over the words, also can i dye the cement? and how?

 

[Big Lou]

Welcome Spike.

Suggest you google "using cement to make decorative items" plus using cement dye. I will tell you to make letters you must have or build forms for each letter. Cement colored dye is commonly used. You may want to consider ready made letters made of plastic or Fiberglas. Good luck.

 

[sissy]

you tube

 

[Aaron S]

At a lot of hobby stores such as Hobby Lobby, you can pick up a stepping stone kit. It is just cement and a bunch of decorative stones. It also comes with letter stamps so you can put words in them. The letters are pretty small but they work, and since they are plastic you can keep using them.
Here is the stepping stone at Amazon:
http://amzn.com/B001GN4IIK
And here is a letter Stamp Kit
http://amzn.com/B000WWIGRK

 

[sissy]

you can get kits also at lowes .Limited to certain shapes but I make my own ,a piece of plywood some 2x4 's and I use plastic wrap to cover it and pour cement mixture in .If you want round you can use landscape edging stapled to plywood or you can use saucers that sit under flower pots .I use a box for hollow rocks .I have to get the time to make some again .

 

[Aaron S]

My wife has a great round cake pan that is perfect for round stepping stones (don't tell her )

 

[sissy]

easy as a plant saucer and window screening and cement .Kept them in the dark cool basement for 3 months to cure slowly

 

[Aaron S]

Those look really nice.

 

[sissy]

1.19 for the saucers each and the tape makes them sturdier .They go with my country setting .Curing them in a damp cool place makes them stronger .I misted them with water every day

 

[j.w]

Those are super cool sissy!

 

[sissy]

cheap to make the saucer, window screening and cement and time

 

[Mmathis]

i would like to make cement letters that are smooth and waterproof so i can have water flowing over the words, also can i dye the cement? and how?

How big are you talking? Do you want the letters to be raised or indented? Do you have a picture of your idea?

As mentioned, hobby stores carry letter kits that you press into wet concrete, but they're kinda small. As to dying concrete, Lowes carries a liquid that you add to the water when you mix your concrete -- it comes in several colors. And you would want to seal the concrete, as it can effect the pH of your water.

If those letters wouldn't work, you can make your own molds using wooden letters that would give you more depth, larger letters, and you could make them raised -- I think raised would look cool! I would think that indented letters would eventually become filled in and obscured by algae. But that might look cool, too.......

 

[sissy]

To get hollow letters just to make letters look in the bakery department of grocery stores or hobby stores they sell them as jello molds .I have some but not sure where they are ,but I don't think a concrete letter on it's own would hold up for very long .I don't think it would be sturdy enough

 

[tengbells]

easy as a plant saucer and window screening and cement .Kept them in the dark cool basement for 3 months to cure slowly

very nice! I may have to try that. I live in the south and do not have a basement...so any suggestions for an alternative cool dark basement?

 

[sissy]

A concrete mixing tub or something larger to go over top ,even a kiddy pool would work .Just try to lightly mist them everyday with the hose .I even run over mine all the time with the lawn mower tires and they are just sitting on the dirt a little lower than the grass .As long as you have dampness where they are curing it helps make them stronger and no sun to dry them out to fast .Dishes or glasses of water under the shaded area would help also .