Making concrete/cement garden ornaments

[Ian Stirling]

Then don't stick them in the cement mixer :)

[Ian Stirling]

In some cases, you can coat the outside of the mould (the bit that'll be visible) with a thinnish layer of concrete with dye in, then pour on the rest. Much cheaper than colouring invisible stuff. Also, start off with a concrete more or less the right colour if possible. The appropriate colour of sand, and use of white cement in some cases may do wonders.

[Phil L]

You don't even have grounds at your tower block

[John Stumbles]

The late, lamented Geoff Hamilton showed how to make fake limestone (he called it hypertufa, dunno why) as an alternative to ripping off ancient limestone pavements. Forget the ratios but it was basically coir fibre and a cement mix, with colouring to taste, poured into a mould made by digging a hole in the ground and lining it with polythene. I think he put a bit of chicken wire in to strenghthen it. I recall he'd take it out when it was set firm but not quite hard and wire-brush the surface to give it a rough look. The coir encouraged stuff to grow on it to give a natural organic look.

Google would probably throw up more information but that's cheating :-)

[John Stumbles]