Ornamental Masonry Projects

HICK SLABS, heavy walls and foundations, walks and paths— projects of this type are associated with strong, durable con­crete, but have you ever thought of concrete as a handicraft mate­rial? Once you've experimented with concrete as a hobby, you'll quickly discover what a surprisingly flexible material it really is.

Even a conventional concrete mix can be used to cast a variety of interesting shapes that look light and graceful. A curved walk, for example, does not appear as formidable as a wide straight one. A stepping stone walk removes even more of the "weight"—visu­ally as well as literally. In other words, shape alone can do much to lighten concrete, but there is even more you can do along this line. You can actually make a concrete mix that is physically light­weight and use it to construct a project that can be hung on a wall without first having to brace up the structure!

We've already discovered that the aggregates for structural con­crete must be dense and hard; not so for lightweight concrete which can be much more porous. Assume that it takes 1 lb. of hard gravel to make so many cubic inches of conventional concrete. If you could take that same amount of gravel and expand it, honey­comb it with air pockets and so increase its original volume many, many times, you would end up with much more concrete weighing much less per cubic inch. As another example, suppose you were to cast two concrete blocks equal in volume but one with regular gravel and the other with Ping-pong balls. Of course the Ping-pong block would be featherlight compared to the gravel block. Basically, this is the principle behind lightweight concrete, a material being used more and more both commercially and as a handicraft medium for the home hobbyist.

A masonry top with an irregular pattern of exposed, polished stones makes this table a conversation piece. Weatherproof for permanent use outdoors, the table was so attractive that milady snatched it.

Inside edges of frame are studded with galvanized nails for good bond between mortar, wood. A few steel rods are wire tied to opposite nails; network of wire spans open areas. Note heavy nails driven through plywood into legs. Legs are attached to cleats, cleats to plywood with ¼ x l3/4-in. bolts which extend into pour. Coat all mating areas with a waterproof glue before securing the cleats in place.

The table, if the plywood base is permanently attached, is completely assem­bled before pouring the concrete. Another method is to cement the leg assembly directly to the underside of the mortar slab with epoxy after it has hardened.

Drawings below illustrate construction details for the wooden table frame, legs and cleats. The frame is made by cutting two long side pieces from a single length of 2x8. Make irregular cuts on the inside edges first, assemble pieces and then shape the outside edge curves. See the text for more project details.

Vermiculite, a material you are probably familiar with, can be used as a lightweight aggregate. The type used as an agricultural aid has small particles and is available in nurseries and garden supply stores. The type used as an insulating material is larger in particle size and is available from building supply dealers and many lumber­yards. A vermiculite mix produces a con­crete useful for projects where weight re­duction, texture and detail are important— not a structural concrete.

Haydite, pumice and perlite are other aggregates that will produce a lightweight concrete. Even crushed lava stone—a light, porous rock being used more and more for decorative touches in the garden —can be used as a lightweight aggregate.

Where minimum weight is required and strength is not an important factor the mix can be just aggregate and cement. Four parts of vermiculite to one part •of cement is a good proportion. For more strength (weight also increases) you can add sand. The proportions then would be two or three parts vermiculite to two parts sand to one part cement. Adding more cement will in­crease strength and will also aid in finer modeling. Fire clay may be added to the mix to help get fine detail in a casting, but it should never be more than one fifth (by volume) of the total mix.

Pumice concrete can be made in the pro­portions of three parts aggregate to two parts sand to one part cement. This is a good general purpose mix and is just as satisfactory when haydite is used in place of pumice. For strength you can double or triple the amount of cement and de­crease both aggregate and sand by one half.

Color pigments used in regular concrete can also be used in lightweight mixes. Many of the lightweight aggregates pro­duce interesting tints and textures without further treatment, however. Vermiculite, for example, when the covering film of ce­ment is brushed off, has the appearance of brown and tan flakes not unlike chips of wood.

All-masonry patio table has ceramic tiles inlaid in the mortar-slab top. Concrete legs are attached with epoxy. This is not, by any means, a lightweight project, but is handsome outdoor furniture.

Construction details for the all-masonry table. The top is cast in a shallow box placed on a smooth surface. The legs require the special forms shown above. Use steel rod to reinforce the table top.

Bottom 1 in. of form for top is filled with damp sand, screeded level. Tamp, add more sand and then screed again. Place form on a flat, level surface; use sheet plywood if nothing else is available.

Let your project determine the type of mix and the proportions involved. Where you want a bold, open texture, use a large aggregate and no sand. Where the mix should be dense and fine enough to pick up detail, go heavier on the cement and use some fire clay. A straight vermiculite-cement mix is soft enough so that, after set­ting, it may be worked with most hand woodworking tools.

Not all decorative concrete projects call for lightweight mixes. An outdoor table should have a strong, hard surface. A bench top that spans two supports should have structural strength and a regular concrete mix reinforced with steel rods should be used. When buying aggregates for projects of this type specify a maxi­mum 3/4 in. size.

Wooden Frame Table

This table can be completely assembled before the slab top is poured. The wooden frame for the top is the form for the pour. Make the top frame by cutting the two long side pieces from a single length of 2x8 material. It's a good idea to make the irregular cuts on the inside edges first and assemble the pieces before shaping the outside-edge curves. Fasten joints with galvanized 16-penny nails and a good, waterproof glue. Keep under clamps until the glue is dry. You can get additional joint-reinforcement (important so that the joint won't open up later) by adding metal angles to the inside edges. These will be hidden by the mortar.

Screw a 1/2-in. waterproof plywood sheet to the underside of the frame. You can attach the plywood permanently (as we did) or merely use it as a base for the pour. If the plywood is not attached permanently, the leg assembly is cemented directly to the mortar with epoxy. There is no chance here that the concrete will fall through the frame since the slab holds the wood frame and not vice versa.

In either case the leg assembly is made as shown in the drawings. Attach the leg to the cleat with glue and 16-penny nails driven through the top side of the cleat. Even if you decide to epoxy-attach the leg assembly directly to the slab it's a good idea to drill attachment holes through the cleat to assure a better bond. Otherwise use the holes to attach the cleat to the ply­wood with nuts and bolts long enough to project into the pour area. In addition to the bolts, use glue and drive 20-penny nails through the top side of the plywood, the cleat, and into the legs. Stud the inside edges of the top frame with galvanized 12-penny nails and add a few steel bars as shown in the photos. These should be about 1/4 in. in diameter.

Place tiles when sand bed is ready—tiles should be square, borders uniform. Tap lightly in place and sprinkle with water just before pouring. Ii you want polished stones in border, place now.

Proportions for the mortar mix are three parts sand, one part fire clay and one part cement. To judge dry volume requirements for any project, estimate the volume to be filled and add half again as much. It's best to mix too much rather than too little mor­tar. The excess can always be used for a stepping stone or other small project.

A few hints on mixing apply to all proj­ects. Mix the dry ingredients thoroughly. Continue until the entire batch is a uniform color and mix a little more. Add water slowly and stir as you go until the batch is smooth and plastic.

Use as little water as you need to do the job; use the maximum amount of water only when you want a free-pouring mortar to fill details.

As soon as you are through mixing, shovel the mortar into the table-top form. Work it with a small stick or trowel so that it fills all corners and flows under, around and over all wires, nails and rods. Next, screed across the top to bring the mortar level flush with the top of the wooden form. Check for air holes and de­pressions. If you want a few polished stones in the top, wait for the mortar to set a bit, place the stones and tap them down until they are just barely covered. After the mortar is fully set, work the top with a wood float and follow with a steel trowel for a smooth finish. Allow more setting time and then finish off the top by running a wire brush in straight lines, across it. This step will give an interesting texture and expose the stones without af­fecting levelness. Clean off the project and keep the mortar damp for a few days. When you are sure the mortar is dry, you can apply several coats of sealer to both mortar and wood.

All Masonry Table

The form for this all-masonry table with a tile-inlaid mortar top and concrete legs is a shallow, open box placed on a smooth, level surface. Shovel in enough wet sand so that you can screed smooth an even 1 in. thickness over the bottom. Tamp it down, add more wet sand and screed again until you have a firm, even sand bed.

Leg forms are ready for oiling and pouring in photo above. Nails used for assembly should be just long enough to hold the parts together—01 use duplex nails so they can be easily removed.

The cast parts for masonry table are shown be­low, set aside for thorough drying before being assembled with epoxy. Read the instructions on the epoxy container very carefully before using it.

"Suspended-slab" table looks like it is suspended inside frame, but the whole top is actually sup­ported by leg cleats. Pipe-leg flanges could be epoxy-bonded directly to the slab to heighten illusion.

Place the ceramic tiles carefully so they are square to each other and so the borders are uniform. Each tile can be tapped very lightly with a rubber mallet or a small piece of 2x4 to settle it on the sand. Be sure the tile surfaces are on the same plane. If you wish you can add a few polished stones around the border. Settle these about halfway in the sand. Make a 3:1:1 mortar mix and place it carefully with a trowel so you don't disturb the tiles.

Fill to the level of the form and screed across the top. Cut two lengths of 3/8-in. steel rod and place them lengthwise. Tap them in until they disappear in the mortar and screed again.

Make the forms for the legs and cast them with a regular concrete mix after you paint the inside surfaces of the form with a heavy oil. After filling, tap around the outside of the form with a hammer to in­sure a good smooth surface, then screed across the top. Let top and legs set in the forms for two days, remove carefully and allow them to dry for a week. When the parts are dry, cement the legs to the under­side of the slab with epoxy. Be sure to follow instructions on the epoxy container. Use a regular tile grout to fill the joints between tiles.

Tumbuckles do a good job of stretching the cable taut. If further tightening is needed, pull strands together with short pieces of copper wire. Do this where it will be concealed by the pour.

Drawings opposite show details of suspended-slab table. Frame is made first using waterproof glue and galvanized nails for assembly. Wire is strung as shown and drawn up tight by the tumbuckles.

Heavy, galvanized clothesline cable is used. You could substitute smooth metal rod for cable; it should be seated in blind holes drilled in frame members and placed before frame is assembled.

With rough, textured table top. inlay tiles tor decoration and to make place to set glasses. They can be set flush or slightly raised. Set in immediately after pouring and screeding the slab.

Suspended Slab Table

Although this table has a suspended-slab appearance, pipe-leg cleats actually support it. It is possible to heighten the illusion by eliminating the cleats and epoxy-bonding the pipe flanges directly to the slab. In either case, however, the slab supports the wood frame and not vice versa.

Make the wood frame first using water­proof glue and galvanized nails for assem­bly. String the clothesline wire cable as shown in the drawing and draw up as tight as possible, without distorting the frame, with the turnbuckles. Tack the frame on a temporary plywood base. The concrete mix for the project is made with a maxi­mum 1/4 in. size aggregate and with a min­imum amount of water for stiffness. Start placing the mix in the center area of the frame and work toward the edges using a screed to spread it. Stop a few inches short of the inside edges of the frame and shape the perimeter of the pour with a small trowel. Be sure to fill around all wires. After the mix is almost completely set, wash and brush off the top to expose some of the finer aggregate particles. Don't touch it for at least three or four days, but keep it protected and moist.

After curing, you can tilt the table to one edge, remove the plywood and add the cleats and legs.

Minus cleats and legs, a project like this (when placed erect) makes an interesting detail in a patio screen. In this case it would be wiser to use a lightweight con­crete.

Benches

Any of the techniques described for making tables could be employed to con­struct patio benches. When the pour is not supported solidly by the design of the proj­ect, include 3/8-in. steel rods across the long dimension to increase strength.

The bench illustrated consists of a heavy redwood or fir beam spanning two poured concrete posts. We used cardboard tubes for forms, but it would not be difficult to roll thin aluminum sheet and make forms that could be reused. Form joints can be closed with tape so that the sleeve can be spread open for removal of the posts. Benches can be secured to an existing slab by using epoxy, or the posts can be set in place before the slab pour. Use a regular concrete mix for the posts.

Lamp Bases

The flexibility of concrete and its rela­tively light weight when mixed with special aggregates makes it a good material for lamp bases. The bases can be almost any shape depending on the form you use. Texture can be varied by mix-control and by the amount of tamping you do when you fill the form.

The round lamp base was made with a large-size vermiculite aggregate (6:1:4 proportions) and was rubbed with a wire brush as soon as it could be removed from the mold. After drying it was tinted with a diluted white latex paint.

The texture lamp base was cast with small-size vermiculite and a very minimum amount of water for a stiff mix. The form was made with perforated Masonite to achieve the texturing you see in the photo­graph.
The third lamp base is an example of how you can achieve interesting detail in a concrete cast. The mix here was large-size vermiculite; be sure to oil the forms so the wood parts will pull free easily.

To facilitate lamp assembly after casting is complete, it's a good idea (as shown in the drawings) to make a wood block a permanent part of the casting. This will make it easier to drill a hole for the lamp cord and will also make it possible to center the cord tube in the mold. Incidentally, the tube will be more economical if you buy 1/8-in. pipe instead of regular, threaded 3/8-in. tube. Standard socket threads can be put on one end for you by the dealer. After any lightweight casting is removed from the mold, it should be set aside to dry. Keep it damp and in the shade. It may take longer to dry thoroughly than a cast­ing made with a regular mix since porous materials can hold moisture longer.

Method of making bench shown in photo below is illustrated above. Actually, any of techniques described for making tables could be used to make benches—tops could be reinforced concrete.

Attractive patio bench is a heavy beam set on low concrete posts. The posts can be epoxy bonded to an existing slab or set in place before pouring the concrete if you are installing a new patio.

The concrete cylinder lor lamp base was cast in large mailing tube.
To be able to use it over again, cut it in half lengthwise and use tape to hold the halves together. Plywood cylinder is placed after pouring to keep the lamp cord tube centered.

Drawing below shows construction details lor cylinder lamp. It was made with a large size vermiculite aggre­gate and rubbed with a wire brush as soon as it could be removed from the mold. After drying, it was tinted with some diluted white latex paint.

Lamp base is a cylinder of lightweight concrete—not as light as hollow ceramic would be, but still light enough to be completely practical (or the purpose.

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1/4" HOLE FOR CORD
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SCREW OR NAIL IN JUST ENOUGH TO HOID 8LOCK
ANCHOR NAILS FOR CONCRETE
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POST LAMP

Book Ends

Book ends are a snap, especially if you use a straight lightweight mix which you can work with tools after the castings are removed from the molds. The castings can even be cut on a band saw. We don't claim this is the best thing in the world for a band-saw blade, but it can be done.

The first set of book ends illustrated was cast as a block and split with a wide chisel. A striated texture was achieved by straight sanding with very coarse, open-grained sandpaper before the concrete had a chance to fully set.

Form for square lamp is made as shown above. Masonite (perforated) was used to achieve textured effect evident in the photo. It was cast with a small size vermiculite and minimum amount water.

Small scars, smudges, etc., were deliberately in­cluded in finish of the square lamp base at left to add interest and 'create an antique appearance.

The second set came from a block cast in a paper paint bucket—the kind you buy for mixing paint. After splitting (or band-sawing) use a hammer to chip away edges until the halves bear a resemblance to natural stone. Sand the bottom and one face on a belt sander. We colored the book ends with a base application of black paint followed by a light spraying with hammer-tone green. Cement felt on the bottom of the book ends as a finishing touch.

Plaques

Unlike many of the other projects de­scribed here, concrete plaques are de­signed only to please the eye, not to serve a practical purpose. The exceptions occur when a plaque, especially in a pierced de­sign, is inset to become part of a wall or screen.

Concrete, regular or lightweight, serves ideally as the material for outdoor decora­tions because it is durable enough to with­stand weathering. The concrete will not be affected whether you place it in full sun or shade, whether it remains wet or dry or is subjected to both conditions, whether or not it rests on soil. Of course, the fact that concrete is an ideal outdoor material doesn't mean you can't use it for indoor decorations as well.

The forms can be realistic or abstract. A concrete plaque that is visually pleasing has the same merit that prompts you to place a field stone or a piece of driftwood in your garden; not any old stone or any old piece of driftwood but a particular specimen that is outstanding because of form or texture or both.

Architectural detail can be achieved on lamp base, other projects, whether cast with regular or lightweight concrete. When form is detailed, be sure to paint it with oil before pouring in mix.

Form detail for lamp base in photo is shown at the left, demonstrates what can be achieved with more elaborate forms. Mix used included large size vermicul¡te as aggregate.

Drawing below illustrates the techniques used in mak­ing book ends. Ii you work with a straight lightweight mix, the castings can be easily worked with tools.

Concrete book ends can be simple and functional and still be quite unique in appearance. These above were cast in cardboard box as one block, then split apart to get two matching book ends.

The book ends below were also cast as a single block but in paper paint bucket so casting re­sembled cone. After splitting apart, they were chipped to achieve attractive natural stone look.

Plaque was cast in sand. Pro­jections were formed by cavi­ties made in it with blocks of wood. Bottomless box was then placed on the sand as a screen for the pour. Pour is screeded so the plaque can rest flush up against the patio wall
.
Lightweight concrete plaque decorates a patio screen. Form and texture and interesting shadows (that change con­stantly as the sun moves) have visual appeal. Plaque rests on bent-up screw eyes and is kept from falling forward by L-shaped screw hooks (left).

Other methods of casting plaques are shown at right. Forms can be built up as shown, or a design can be pro­jected into sand. The possibili­ties are endless—the only limits on this type of art are your imagination, ingenuity.

The pierced concrete plaque shown above sets off patio shrubbery in an interesting manner. Form box for another pierced decoration is shown in the photograph opposite and in the drawing below.

Blocks in shallow box bottomed with plywood are the openings that will appear in finished plaque. Bevel at least 5 degrees for ease of removal; attach to the base with brads just enough to hold.

A sturdy box is outside form for simple planter. Put a 2-in. layer of sand in bottom and place a cardboard box for inside form. Fill the cardboard box with sand as you pour the concrete, insert­ing the steel rod when you come to 3 in. of the top.

Concrete planters are ideal plant containers and look natural outdoors. They are easy to make when form is assembled and economical if you make them yourself. Commercial products of this type are quite expensive as you'll note at nursery.

Honeycomb effect (see right) is achieved by filling form with stiff mix and eliminat­ing tamping. Not good for a structural wall, this type of surface looks quite pleasing when used for a decorative-type project.

Plaques placed on a fence will immedi­ately change the feeling of the structure— it's no longer just a fence but actually an outdoor wall treated with the same taste you would exercise in decorating your living room. A patio screen can be dressed up with a few plaques to pleasantly change the visual impression. If the patio is your outdoor living room, the "walls" should be treated as such.

Plaques can be made to stand alone or you can plan to half-bury them in soil to be set off by, or to set off, a specimen shrub. If you want the entire project ex­posed but on soil, cast a small footing for it and mortar it in place.

Plaques can be made with regular concrete or a lightweight mix. You can cast them in wooden forms or work on a sand pile. Put your imagination to work here. Let form, texture and physical dimensions be your tools. The few plaques illustrated should serve only to stimulate your think­ing.

Round planters or bowls can be cast in a shaped cavity in sand or, to use reverse process, over a dome of sand. Large heavy bowls should be reinforced with wire mesh to give them extra strength.

PIVOT STICK TEMPLATE

Method of molding sand for pouring bowls is illustrated in the drawings at right. Make profile template of bowl shape and use in damp sand as shown. Rotate, removing ex­cess sand as you go. Trowel in stiff mix of mortar of small-size aggregate concrete mix. The reverse process can also be used. Simply form a dome in sand and use it as a form

TURN TEMPLATE TO FORM BASIN ¯FORM BASIN WITH STIFF MORTAR

Illustration above, right, shows simple forming for flower pot stands. Cast stands in sand using a mortar or lightweight fine aggregate concrete mix depending on weight of flower pot the stand will support. Note the nail reinforcement.

A flower pot stand is a good patio project since it can be both decorative and useful. The one shown at the right was cast with a lightweight concrete. Note the edges—this effect was achieved by trim­ming them on a belt sander.

Back of the hand was cast for the project at right, looks surprisingly realistic. Form in the sand was made by pressing hand in with the back side down. Wrist area was forced deeper so plaque would be larger

A hand plaque has a sculptured ap­pearance. A line of them, one for each member of the family, would make an interesting and unique dec­oration for a fence or for a screen. The hole for hanging the plaque was made with a drill, carbide-tipped bit.

Planters

Regular concrete is a good planter ma­terial because it holds moisture and keeps the soil from drying too fast. Concrete containers are especially suitable for shade plants which require a moist atmosphere. To make a single project, simply assemble the form with duplex nails so they can be easily removed when the concrete has set. If you wish to reuse the forms for duplicate projects, use hinges for assembly so that the parts can be opened like doors to re­move the castings.

The large planter illustrated here uses a simple box as a form. The internal cavity is formed with a ready-made cardboard box which is filled with sand as the pouring is done to keep the concrete from caving it in.

Smooth wood, some tamping and some tapping with a hammer on the outside of the form after the pouring is complete will produce a planter with smooth sides. If you want a pebble effect, use an aggregate of 1/4 in. maximum size and scrub the con­crete with a wire brush and water right after you remove the forms. Finally, hose off the dirt.

The type of wood you use for the forms will affect texture. If you make a form of wire-brushed plywood with the concrete to be poured against the sculptured sur­face for example, the project will have a wood-grain texture. Be sure to paint the wood with oil before you pour.
Round planters or bowls are not difficult to make and do not require a form other than one you can shape in a sand pile.

Hand imprint is made in wet sand. Press it down firmly and tamp around hand and between fingers. Remove hand carefully; touch up little imperfec­tions with a round-end tool handle or a teaspoon.

A hand print ready for pouring; on the left is a completed pour. A very fluid mix will fill up the print quickly so that you won't have to chance harming the mold by having to tamp the concrete.

Don't, however, expect the project to look like something turned on a lathe. You'll find smooth-surfaced bowls in stores, but they have been commercially produced in special steel forms. Remember, however, that a hand-hewed look often has much more charm than a slick finish.

Make a profile template of the bowl shape and use this in damp sand as shown in the sketch. Rotate it to form the de­pression, removing excess sand as you go. If the sand does not retain the shape it is not wet enough. The next step is to trowel in a stiff mixture of mortar or a small-size aggregate concrete mix and work it to the shape of the bowl and to a uniform thick­ness. If the bowl is large, cut and shape some wire mesh to imbed in the planter as you shape it.

An excellent paperweight, a fist print, is a little more difficult to make because it is harder to get good imprint in sand. Do the best you can with your fist, then touch up the mold with a small tool.

A hand print plaque after it has been removed from the sand and smoothed off with a brush. The perimeter of the plaque can be easily shaped on a belt sander or with a wood rasp if you use straight lightweight aggregate for mix.

After shaping, let the mix set and, as soon as it is hard enough to resist marring, cover the whole thing with sand. Keep the sand moist for a few days. When you remove the bowl, don't yank it out; work the sand away from it and lift from the bottom. For an exposed aggregate effect, if you've used a small-aggregate mix, work over the surface with a wire brush and water as soon as it is hard enough to do so. After removal from the sand put the project aside to dry for at least a week.

Flower Pet Stands

Cast stands in sand using a mortar or a lightweight fine-aggregate mix depending on the weight of the flower pot the stand will support. Level off the sand and use a wood block to force holes for the legs. The block can be square or round, but be sure the cavities are equal in depth. You can use a wooden frame to shape the platform or build up a dam of sand if you want a free-form shape. When you pour, be sure to tamp with a slim stick so the leg cavi­ties will be solidly filled. Place bent-up nails as shown in the sketch and complete the pour.

Hand Prints

You can make an interesting hand print by simply pressing your hand into a fresh pour, but a more sculptured and artistic effect can be achieved by making the print in sand and pouring, creating a raised rather than a depressed print.

To make the print, level off a small area of sand and wet it down. Tamp it firmly but don't impact it. Place your hand care­fully and press down into the sand using your other hand if necessary to press the fingers down so they make a good imprint. You may have to experiment a little to get the right amount of moisture in the sand. If the sand raises between your fingers as you press, tamp it down with a slim piece of wood. Remove your hand carefully. If there are any imperfections in the mold, smooth them out with a teaspoon or the handle end of an awl.

A fairly loose mix is required to flow into all the cavities without having to be worked. Use a lightweight mix with very fine aggregate and let the casting set in the sand for at least two days. Remove it carefully and wash it off. Some particles of sand will cling to it, but these can be removed with a soft brush. If you want a real smooth finish on the casting (espe­cially if you've used vermiculite) rub it down lightly with medium grain sandpaper before the mix hardens fully.

Masks

It probably could be done but we don't suggest that you use your own features as a form for casting a concrete mask. In­stead, carve or buy a ready made item that will suit the purpose. Tiki-type heads are not difficult to carve in wood and they make ideal forms for casting masks.

Sand is used as a mold; be sure that it fully contacts all parts of the features before you withdraw the form. If it doesn't work the first time it's no great problem to try again.

Molds for masks are made in damp sand as shown in the drawing above. Rather than use your own features (!) buy or carve a few Tiki type heads.

Hand-carved heads of the type shown in the photo above (used here for a planter decoration) are excellent for forming molds for mask plaques. Be sure that the sand contacts firmly all parts of the features before withdrawing wooden head.

The hand-carved head shown above is reproduced by the plaque at left. Designed for use in the living room, the project was mounted on plywood and attached with screws that go through the con­crete and thread into T-nuts in the plywood base.

Shrines look as good in concrete as they do in wood. Bottom of structure rests on heavy metal angle while a wood screw passes through a hole drilled in the shrine back to hold it against wall beyond.

Above is the wooden "die" used to form a cavity in the sand for molding project. Wet. tamped sand (not impacted) picks up a surprising amount of the detail for duplication by the concrete casting.

Drawings below show how project is formed. Actually, you build a duplicate of the structure with 2x4s minus the back. This is placed on sand and driven down flush by tapping with a mallet.

Rougher appearance can be achieved by disturb­ing the sand alter the wood form is removed. You can also get coarse texture by sprinkling dry sand in the bottom of the cavity before pouring the mix.

Mushrooms make interesting garden decorations—a good project for the youngsters in your home who might want to make some money in their spare time. They're quite easy to make; see the text and photos.

Get the sand good and wet and press the form into the sand as deep as it is supposed to go. Next, wet down the whole business. Work your fingers through the sand and under the mold so you push the sand in tightly. This is not difficult to do if you keep it wet enough. Tamp the sand down around the outside of the form, let all excess moisture drain away and care­fully lift out the form. Fix up slight im­perfections with a teaspoon or a length of dowel with one round end. When you're satisfied that the shape is right, do the pouring. Use a free-flowing mix that won't have to be worked too much to fill the cavity. But be sure the cavity is filled. Use a small-size lightweight aggregate mix if you want a smooth finish—a large-size lightweight aggregate if you want more texture. Be careful to let projects like this dry a sufficient length of time before you hang them.

Shrines

Shrines are popular garden decorations that are as effective in concrete as they are in wood. To make this shrine we formed one of 2x4s (see drawing) which was actually a duplicate of the project minus the back. This was placed on sand and driven in flush by whacking with a rubber mallet. Making the mold for the casting is as simple as that. If you find that you can't imbed the wooden form easily, drive it in as far as you can, then build up around it with wet sand, tamping as you go.

Withdraw the form carefully and, if necessary, fix up imperfections with a short length of 2x4. Be careful, thereafter, that you don't disturb the sand.

To get some strength into a project like this you should use one of the lightweight mixes that includes both lightweight ag­gregate and sand and is heavy on the ce­ment. Make a batch that will flow easily through the sand grooves and keep pour­ing after the grooves are filled so you can shape up the back.

Don't worry about getting the shape of the back exactly right. After the mix sets a while you can return and trim off ragged edges by cutting with the edge of a trowel as if you were working with clay. You can leave the edges square or round them off. As soon as the mix sets sufficiently cover the whole thing with sand and then keep the sand wet for several days. Don't be impatient to remove it and when you do, lift carefully from the bottom after you have moved away the sand. Place the project to cure for at least a week before using it.
 
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Sand forms ready for casting mushroom heads are shown in the photo above. Circles are outlined with plywood disc cut for this purpose. Sand is then scooped out to form the depressions shown.

Woodhill Chemical Corp. E-POX-E was used to bend mushroom stems to heads—better than trying to cast both of the pieces as one unit. When us­ing epoxy be sure to follow manufacturer's data.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms are intriguing little projects to place around the home, especially in a rock garden or in an area of shade plants. Use a straight mortar mix for these, mak­ing the forms for the heads and stems (which should be cast separately) in a sand pile. Only after the castings are thor­oughly dry should you attempt to join them with the epoxy.

The projects covered in this chapter are by no means inclusive. Needless to say, the possibilities offered by masonry materials are endless and, as we pointed out at the beginning, flexibility, attractiveness and durability are their positive points.

STEEL ROD OPTIONAL
HEAD FORM
I2" TOTAL HEIGHT INCLUDES 4"TO BURY,UNLESS ROO IS USED

The forms for mushroom heads and stems are scooped out of sand pile as illustrated in the draw­ings. These projects are very decorative, especially in a rock garden or in an area of shade plants.