Learn How to Use Concrete Molds, Apply Concrete Acid Stain, and Paint Concrete Statues
On this page, you’ll discover step-by-step instructions for using concrete molds to create stunning garden décor and statues. We’ll cover how to pour concrete into molds, how to mix concrete for best results, and painting tips for concrete statues. You’ll also learn how to apply concrete acid stain to achieve rich, long-lasting color on your finished pieces.
How to mix concrete.
Always measure everything, as you can not improve your mix if you can not remember how much you used in the last mix. The most common mix for making your own concrete is probably the one two three mix. Which means just what it says, one part Portland cement, two parts sand and up to three parts small gravel. If you are pouring smaller statues you will use less and or smaller pea gravel. Sand should be a man made,Sharp or a River Sand the River Sand will have some small gravel in it. Almost any sand will work, but you do not want to use a play sand as it has been polished. Gravel should be Pea sized or smaller. This is just a basic mix to get you started. You can also use the 1-3-3 mix which is about a 3000 psi mix you would get from a concrete plant, as you start to make more statues you will find the mix that works for you. You will want your mix to have just enough water to make it pourable but not runny, as too much water will make concrete weak, but too dry of a mix and your statues will have lots of air holes in them. Casting statues is like anything else,the more you do it the better you will get at doing it. There are also water reducers that you can use to help improve your mix and to make your mix more fluid and also improve the strength of your concrete. You can find a short video of this in the info section under plasticizer. As I said before, this is just a starting point, should you need more help or have questions please feel free to email me or call me. If you are using pre-mixed concrete, then you will just be adding water. So for this mix you just need something to mix it in and add water, following the same rules as above try not to get too much water. You want the mix to be about like oatmeal consistency. I hope to add a few videos this spring about mixing and pouring molds, so keep checking back for more info. Information was from a concrete batch plant. 1-3-3 = 3000 psi concrete 1-2-2 = 4500 psi concrete
Painting Concrete Statues
Painting concrete statues is a simple way to add beauty, highlight details, and protect your piece for years to come. The best results come from using a high-quality latex paint. For the first coat, thin the paint until it’s almost a pastel shade—this allows the concrete to absorb it and creates a natural primer coat that bonds well to the surface. After that, you can apply your next coats of concrete statue paint at full strength for rich, even coverage.Make sure to wash the stone to remove any mold release left behind.
To keep your statue in top condition, finish by applying a concrete sealer. Resealing every couple of years helps protect against weathering and fading. (Brands like Direct Colors offer reliable sealers and acid stains for added durability and color options.)
For a quick and attractive finish, try the dry brushing technique: start with a solid black base coat, let it dry completely, then lightly brush a highlight color across the raised areas. This method enhances fine details and gives your statue a professional, aged look with minimal effort.
Whether you’re painting garden statues, projects made from stepping stone molds, or decorative pieces created with concrete molds, these same painting and sealing methods will keep your work looking vibrant and long-lasting.
Pouring Concrete Molds
This is very easy to do, first you take your concrete mold and apply a thin coat of vegetable oil, make sure to wipe down the mold when you are done applying the oil as you do not want any puddles of oil left in the mold you only want a light coat of oil to release the concrete. Then take your concrete mix and slowly pour in enough just to cover the bottom, move the mold around some making sure that all of the letters or the bottom has been covered, after this continue filling your mold until it is half full, if you are pouring a bench mold this is when you will add your wire or rebar. Wire or rebar should be coated or painted in some manner, as rusty rebar or wire will shorten the life of your concrete bench. Once your wire is in place continue filling the mold until it is full and drag off the top flat. If your pouring a very thick mold like a leg or a large plaque holder, fill it to about a 1/4" from the top. This will make it easier to remove as you can place the mold on a table and give it a slight drop and the small gap will let the stone release. Make sure there is no wire or rebar sticking out of the concrete and cover your concrete mold until cured. In warmer temperatures normally you can remove the casting the next day, if it is cold weather you may want to wait 2 to 3 days before removing the casting from the mold. You can also take a coin or your thumb nail and press down on the concrete firmly, if you can leave a mark then your concrete needs to dry a little more.
How to use Acid Stain for Concrete Statues.
Acid stain is quick and easy to use. First the statue must be clean and free of any oil from casting, then using a brush or a sprayer you can apply your acid stain to the concrete statue. Make sure when applying the acid stain not to use to much at one time as acid will streak the statue if any runs go down the side and no matter how many coats you add afterwards you cannot get rid of the streaking so by starting at the bottom and working your way to the top you will have a much better looking statue. Once you have applied the acid stain let it sit for at least six hours. Once the acid stain has dried you will need to wash the residue off with a soap and water and rinse thoroughly. Once the statue has air dried you can now apply sealer. You must use a sealer over the acid stain, as the sealer is what brings out the true colors of the acid stain. When applying the acid stain and sealer you should wear rubber gloves and eye protection and make sure to wear old clothing as the acid stain will also stain your clothes. We buy our acid stains from Direct Colors.com and if you're not sure what color you want they also sell small sample size bottles.
My favorite acid stain colors, which I use and are shown throughout this website.
