It's pretty incredible to see what some folks can dream up with the right materials and a little ingenuity. Fortunately for us, with KuantanPages' detailed tutorial below, we only need the right materials! He's designed these unique outdoor accessories that'd be a fantastic addition to any garden. With a mixture of black, brown, and white paint, he creates super realistic wooden stepping stones that won't degrade over time like the real thing.
He starts by making a rectangular mold to contain his concrete — a method that could be adapted to make any type of concrete stepping stone — but his creation gets really innovative after that.
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KuantanPages' "recipe" calls for a mixture of sand & cement, with the ratio (20 scoops to 15) slightly in favor of the sand. You'll have to add water, but he cautions against adding too much at a time.
After evenly spreading out some concrete and letting it dry with one large, crumpled paper-filled hole, he adds another layer with a few more balls of paper. These paper balls will end up looking like natural wood knots, drastically adding to the final effect.
It's also at this point in the process that he creates the textured lines on the top layer. He uses a butter knife, but any similarly shaped metal object would do. Don't worry too much about consistency, each of your stepping stones will be unique, just as if they were real wooden slabs.
It's this next step where the whole project really starts coming together. He uses a black emulsion paint for his base, making sure to get every nook and cranny. Next, he goes over it with a brown emulsion paint, but without the same coverage. It's important here to let some of the darker black tones continue to come through.
The last emulsion paint he uses is a white-colored one, and along with the clear coating paint that comes next, it's the project's final touch.
It's really incredible seeing how great these look out in the garden. They're not flashy — rather, they seem to blend right in, adding a subtle, natural touch to the area. It's also pretty clear that these will last for years to come. It's sure to be a great conversation piece whenever company is over!
Be sure to check out KuantanPages' video below for the complete tutorial. If you're planning on giving this project a go, the clip has all the specifics on what cuts of wood you'll need to make your mold, along with the rest of the finer details.
Were you inspired by this project? What might you change to make it your own? Let us know in the comments, and when you're done, be sure to share it with your friends on Facebook. They might dig it even more than you did!
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