Stepping Stones

STEPPING STONES can provide an unobtrusive but very prac­tical walkway. They are used to provide clean footing for occasional traffic and can often be used in place of a solid walk. There are good reasons why this is an excellent project for the amateur mason. Stepping stones can be considered modular units —you can make a few at a time and eliminate the worry involved in one large pour. Stepping stones can be prettier than a solid walk. A pattern of stones is less formidable than a solid walk and may appear more in proportion on a small lot.

Often the most practical way of providing a walkway, stepping stones are both attractive and easy to make

By using curved form—similar to one for solid walk but with heavy divider strips that are removed after the concrete sets— you get professional looking stepping stones.

Stepping stones can fall into the craft area of masonry work and are more fun to do than a conventional concrete walk. The individual stones can be almost any shape and texture—square, round, free-form or shaped like giant footprints. Surfaces can be floated or troweled, exposed aggregate, striated, swept, or you can use your imagination to create a surface of your own design.

Stepping stones can also be planned to simulate a uniform flag­stone pattern or be cast in place using a form similar to that for a solid walk. The only difference is that heavy divider strips are used to break up the pour and are removed after the concrete has set. It's a good idea, especially if the individual slabs are large, to pour full 4-in. slabs just as you would if the walk were solid.

For smaller, individual stones, a thickness of 21/2 in. is minimum. Usually a full 3 in. is better, and where the stones are large and will receive maximum traffic, stay with the 4-in. thickness.

Stepping stones may be cast directly in the ground, a good technique to use when you are creating a small path across a lawn. Merely excavate for the shape and size stones you want. Cut edges clean and sides straight and damp and tamp the soil if it's not firm. Pour and level off so the surface of the stones is a little below surrounding grade—this so the new stones won't in­terfere with your lawn mower. A good mix for this sort of project is l:2¼:2½. It will be easier to work with a maximum gravel size of ¾ in.

Masonite Photo
Stepping stones can be used to create an unobtrusive but practical path across lawn. Precast stones and set them in place or excavate for them right in the lawn and pour the concrete into the holes.

Basic method of making stepping stones. The sur­face of the stones should be kept slightly below grade so that a lawn mower can be run over them.

Forms for Stones

Stones can be cast in wooden forms, a good idea when you require a large num­ber of matching stones or where you plan a flagstone pattern. Forms can be made of 1x3, 1x4 or 2x4 lumber depending on the rigidity required relative to stone size and thickness. Forms can be of the "break­down" type—hinged so they can be opened for removal of stones—or they can be fully and permanently assembled. In the latter case the forms are removed before the pour is fully set by lifting straight up. Any marred edges on the stones are repaired immediately with a trowel. It pays to clean and oil wooden forms before each new pour. A heavy motor oil applied with a brush is fine for this job.

Since stones may be cast on any smooth surface, it's not necessary to provide a wooden base for the forms. They can be set on a sheet of paper placed in a drive­way or, without paper, on a smooth dirt surface. Just be sure the pouring area is level and that you protect it, if necessary, by placing paper down first. Actually, what you pour on can be used to determine the surface texture of the stones. A smooth surface will result from pouring on paper or a material like Masonite.

You'll get in­teresting results if you place tightly crinkled pieces of paper in the bottom of the forms. After the stones are set re­move the paper (by soaking if necessary). For an exposed aggregate effect follow the procedure outlined in the section on con­crete texturing.

Transition from walk to entry slab is made nicely with specially shaped stones. As you will note it's not necessary for the stones to be uniform.

Small stepping stones here provide clean walkway to some drain valves. It would be a waste to pour solid concrete walk for this purpose alone..

Aggregates, polished stones, etc.. can be placed in bottom of form to provide texture; remove con­crete from form when set and wash to expose them

Other materials can be imbedded in the surface of stepping stones for interesting effects. For the one shown here, a piece of flagstone was used.

Making Imprints

Of course, the bottom surface of the form does not necessarily represent the top sur­face of a stone cast in it. If you're aiming at a particular texture, however, you can get finer detail by using a mortar mix in­stead of concrete. With this method you can actually get the imprint or a tree leaf by flattening it, placing it in the bottom of the form and pouring over it. A second way is to pour first, trowel the top of the stone and then make the imprint by flatten­ing the leaf into the surface with a trowel. The leaf itself is removed.

Bottomless forms from boxes can be used over sand to cast stones. The sand can be worked in various ways to create different surface textures.

Forms, being flexible, can be shaped in different ways (bottom photo). Pile up sand around outside for very thick stones; the sand should be damp.

Reusable stepping stone form can be made as be­low. Set it on plywood or Masonite base and use piece of inner tube over nails to keep it closed

A few small stones can be a big help if strategi­cally placed around a shrub, for example. Culti­vating or mulching it is more convenient to do.

Make excellent form for precast stones by cutting 3-4 in. off sealed end of cardboard box. Don't try to reuse—merely peel it off stones, discard.

You can fully or sparsely cover the bot­tom of the form with pebbles or polished stones and pour over these. In this case, remove the stone from the form as soon as possible and wash and brush off the sur­face to fully expose the aggregates.. The reverse procedure is equally effective: Spread the material on the surface of the pour and, after a suitable time lapse, wash and brush just as you would for exposed aggregate. Flat pieces of stone or leftover pieces of flagstone can be used in similar fashion. You can even make stone with hand or footprints or use a pointed stick to write a house number or a date, for ex­ample.
 
Various ways of forming stones with unique surface textures are shown in the drawing below. At top are methods of making stones in the soil to be removed when set and placed where they're needed.

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