Statue Making Archives - WoodsMan Report

If you're looking to add to your inventory or even just get started in the business, you came to the right place! Here I will tell you where you can find molds that aren't so expensive. This part of the business is where you'll spend the most money, but getting it back shouldn't be all that difficult. Concrete statue molds are molds used to make concrete statues. They are pricey, but last a long time with proper care. You can easily make your money back plus some. [Related Article: Safe Paint And Sealer For Concrete Bird Bath] Concrete Molds For Sale Concrete statue molds are expensive, but on eBay, they're not so salty. You can check them out here, Concrete Molds ABS Plastic molds For Concrete Aluminum Molds Latex Only Molds Concrete Bird Bath Molds eBay is the best site I found for purchasing molds without talking to the bank for a loan first! If you're serious about ornamental concrete or just want to learn how to do it for yourself, your best bet would be to learn how to make the molds yourself, that'll save you some money. Plus as you can tell from some of the prices you'll see, it can be profitable too. This site is worth checking out. Fiberglass Molds You can find some good deals there also. Concrete Mold Release Agent If you're using fiberglass or aluminum molds, you will have to prepare your molds to ensure you can take them apart after there poured and have cured. Not maintaining or prepping your molds before use will shorten their lifespan and new molds are not cheap. Use either a brush or spray bottle to apply the mold release prior to pouring. There are 2 different oils I use. Castor oil mixed with denatured alcohol or 91% rubbing alcohol for latex rubber molds and non-detergent motor oil for aluminum molds. You can find these things on Amazon here, Castor Oil and Denatured Alcohol and for aluminum molds, you'll want this, Non Detergent Motor Oil. Castor Oil Concrete Release Agent The mix ratio of castor oil and denatured alcohol is 8 parts denatured alcohol to 1 part castor oil. Spray or brush it on the inside of the latex rubber before pouring cement in. Make sure there are no puddles inside the mold after the mold release is applied. The concrete won't set where the puddles are and it will be sandy when you take the ornament out of the mold. Never, ever, use any motor or petroleum-based oil on latex rubber. That will ruin the rubber. Also keep the latex mold out of direct sunlight or the rubber will weaken and eventually, tear. Aluminum Mold Release Aluminum molds are pretty straightforward. Just brush on non-detergent motor oil and make sure there are no puddles and then it's ready to be poured. The thing with aluminum molds is they are not as detailed as latex rubber molds, but in some cases more expensive. I always preferred fiberglass latex rubber molds over aluminum molds. A detailed piece is more fun to paint, plus it looks a lot better when done and you can get more money for it if you plan on selling it. Mold Release for ABS Plastic Molds For this type of mold, you can use Pam cooking spray. Just cover the inside with the spray and use a paper towel to wipe as much of the cooking spray out as you can. Avoid puddles or the concrete will not "set" right and you will have a sandy finish instead of a smooth finish. How To Make Concrete Statuary How To Make Concrete Statues? Well, making concrete lawn ornaments is fun and can be very rewarding if done right. The 3 main things in making concrete lawn ornaments are cement, sand, and water. Making and painting concrete lawn ornaments is fairly easy and straightforward process. Shouldn't be a big learning curve for someone who really wants to do this. CEMENT: There are a bunch of different types of cement on the market today. The kind you want to get is normal Portland cement. They make white Portland cement, but it's more expensive. SAND: I use Jersey sand. You don't want to use a fine sand, like a beach sand, it will make your concrete statues weak and won't last over time. It is also important to dampen your sand. What I do is fill a tub with sand (make sure water can drain out the bottom of the tub) and drench the sand with water and let it sit overnight. The water takes the air out of the sand. That helps big time with minimizing pinholes in the finished product. WATER: Good clean water is what I'd recommend. Never really want to use stagnant or dirty water. You could use a cement mixer, but to start I'd recommend using a mixing tub. That way you get a better idea of the kind of consistency you need. You want a soupy or liquidy type of mix to pour into your molds. That way theirs less chance or trapping air and it fills in the mold better as opposed to a stiffer mix. Best Concrete Mix For Molds You want to use a ratio of 3 to 1, 3 part sand 1 part cement, ( the sand I use has pea gravel in it) and you mix this in the wheelbarrow till you can't see the color of the sand. It should all look grey, like the cement. Then add water till you get a soupy consistency. That is how I do it. It's been working for me. With it being "soupy" it will pour easier and more effectively because there will be less air trapped in the mold, which means fewer pin holes on your ornament and in turn will lead to less patching after you take it out of the mold. Don't get frustrated if you make it to runny, just mix a separate 3 part sand to 1 part cement and dump it into your runny mix and that should fix that problem. Pouring Concrete Statue Molds Pouring your concrete statue molds can be tricky. The best way I found to do it is by slowly pouring the cement down the sides of the latex rubber till the bottom is covered and then slowly dump in the center of the mold and after the mold is full, tap around the bottom of the mother mold with a rubber mallet (but don't tap to hard, you'll be doing more bad than good) to release the trapped air in the concrete. If it's a small mold you can shake it to. Once filled, let it sit for about a day and then carefully take the mold apart. Green concrete isn't that strong, so take your time doing it. Here is a video showing how to "shake" your molds when your pouring. This is a better way than using a rubber mallet. Curing Concrete Statues Let it sit awhile (an hour or so) and then submerge it in water for a day. That will help and speed up the curing process and strengthen your concrete. After you take it out of the water, wait about a week or so and then paint it. It should be a light grey color when it's dry. Painting any sooner can result in your paint peeling when it is outside in the sun. Don't set it out to cure in the direct sunlight. That can cause the statue to get surface cracks from curing to fast. Patching Up Air Pockets In Your Statue After you take your statue out of its mold there are going to be a few blemishes here and there. That's normal. It's from air being trapped in the concrete mold when it was poured. To fix this is super easy! Just take some portland cement, the same stuff you used to mix with the sand and put some in a bowl an add water till it's like a paste and then cover up your pinholes and any other blemishes that you might have. Remember, just use the cement, don't add sand.