Making a Concrete Bench

RE: Making a Concrete Bench Post By Kenneth A. Fahrenfeld (Guest Post) (08/21/2008) Where can i find 3/8x21/2" philips carraige bolts Report Spam or Abuse RE: Making a Concrete Bench Post by Lily 59 (166) | (04/20/2007) Profile | Contact You could use an old bathtub lined with garbage bags? Im making stepping stones from pizza box molds and once dry they dont stick to the garbage bag at all! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Making a Concrete Bench Post By Robb Hammack (Guest Post) (04/18/2007) For straight molds, use melamine covered pressboard. for full directions, pics, etc. search using a search engine like google for DIY concrete countertops ;o) the melamine gives you a smooth surface on the concrete and make the form release the concrete much easier. http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/hk_ca ... cle/0,2037,DIY_13942_2276353,00.html Report Spam or Abuse RE: Making a Concrete Bench Post by msburny (25) | (04/15/2007) Profile | Blog! | Contact I have used plastic garbage can lids as molds for assorted items in the yard. Once the concrete dries pops out real easy. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Making a Concrete Bench Post by Gina J. (42) | (04/14/2007) Contact The most common forms for concrete (foundations, flatwork, etc...) are made from wood. If you can run an inexpensive jigsaw and drill, you can cut the curve that you would prefer from plywood, and fasten it to a solid piece of plywood. Kind of like a reverse cookie cutter or a stencil. You may need several layers of plywood on the curved portion to get the thickness right. Fasten these layers with screws from the front. Then attach the solid back with screws put in from the back, so it's easily removable. If you pour your concrete into this flat relief setup, making certain to use some sort of steel reinforcing (such as remesh or rebar) inside, and let it set up, you should be able to flip it over, remove the backing, and pop out the finished piece. It may take a little experimentation or research to get the proper strength of concrete, and you may have to lubricate your mold to keep it from sticking. On the subject of plywood, if you go to a construction site and ask nicely, often there are scraps--some quite large, that the crew would probably give you for free for small projects. Often such things and pieces of dimensional lumber are deemed worthless and tossed into a dumpster. One time a framing crew gave me a whole truckload of lumber that they couldn't use. We built a very nice chicken house (less the two greenhouse panels for heat and light) entirely for free: brick floor, lumber, siding, shingles, trim--all of it that was going to be thrown away. Keep in mind that a little extra time with a saw and a vivid imagination can help you turn "junk" into lots of cool stuff for your home, pets or garden--Have fun! Report Spam or Abuse