Make Concrete Stepping Stones in 4 Steps

Concrete stepping stones are a cost-effective and highly-customizable alternative to buying actual rock stepping stones. You can color concrete by dyeing the mix or painting right on top of it, or you can even incorporate some mosaic tiles for a truly personal and one-of-a-kind touch. You can add virtually any material to your concrete to make it completely unique, whether it’s sea glass or pebbles, marbles, or even semiprecious gemstones. Making your own stepping stones is an easy and inexpensive thing to do with the right materials.

Step 1 – Choose Your Shape

In many craft stores you can find wax or plaster molds all of kinds. Even most hardware stores carry concrete stepping stone molds. You can also use something as simple as a round or square cake pan. If you want a shape that’s organic and different, you could melt down a brick of paraffin and cool it off until it’s a pliable solid. You can sculpt the inversion of your design out of wax and use it for your stepping stones. However, this isn’t very cost-effective because you will have to either continuously reuse the wax or keep adding more to it.
Once you’ve chosen your shape, use your cooking spray to grease the mold. You’re now ready to mix your concrete.

Step 2 – Mix Concrete

In a bucket, mix your concrete up according to the directions. Afterwards, you can go ahead and put in your mix-ins. You can add just about whatever you wish save for organic matter, because the substances will deteriorate even within concrete. If you wish to dye or color the concrete do it while it’s still in liquid suspension form. Simply stir it in like you would a can of paint, until the color and consistency is uniform.

Step 3 – Pour Concrete

Next, pour your concrete into the mold you’ve chosen. If you want mosaic tiles on the surface of the stepping stone you can choose 1 of 2 things— wait until after you pour your concrete to decorate the surface of the wet mixture, or you can put the decorations in the bottom of the mold, wrong side up, and pour gently on top of them.

Pour your concrete into your mold. You can put them on your concrete creation before it dries, but not while it’s freshly poured. Wait an hour or so, depending on the directions on your concrete’s bag or container. Then you can press things into the concrete, whether it’s a stamp that came from the craft store, nature, or some other shiny and pretty things.

Step 4 – Let it Set, Repeat

The only thing left to do is allow the concrete to harden in the mold you’ve designated.
Once it’s dry, run a thin sharp knife around the edges just like you would a cake and loosen it from the mold. Turn it over and spill out your new concrete stepping stone.

Repeat this process as necessary, if you want more of the same kind of stepping stone. You can lay them out immediately after they dry, or you can paint them first if you desire.