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concrete leaf casting problem
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Posted by strawberrygirl06 z8WA (My Page) on Thu, Jul 22, 04 at 18:57
| I have just tried my first concrete leaf casting, all went well except that I can't get all of the leaf off. I waited two days, was that too long? It seems pretty stuck on. I tried wetting the remaining leaf but that left a brown residue, I also tried burning it off. This worked okay but then it left a burnt stain, which I'm not sure if I mind because it almost looks natural. I would prefer to just have an easier way to get the leaf off. Also, the receipe I used didn't tell me to mix sand with the Portland cement, I only used the Portland cement. What does mixing it with sand do? If anyone has any suggestions I would appreciate their help. I am going to try it again (this time with sand mixed in!) next week. Thanks! |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: concrete leaf casting problem
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Strawberrygirl
I make my leaves with 1:1 portland cement/construction sand - have made about 50 of them - wild rhubarb, catalpa, hosta, swiss chard(sp) the only one I don't have a problem with is the swiss chard(sp)- it comes right off - the rest I wait a couple of days - spray leaves daily & remove with a wire brush. The leaf comes off no problem & the wire brush doesn't scratch the cement (I use a fine srewdriver to get the dead veins out) Hope this helps
Gardenrose |
RE: concrete leaf casting problem
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| I just did some small leaf casting, and several leaves would not come off. I dropped the whole thing in a bucket of water and left for several day, then let dry in the sun, and the leaves flaked right off. |
RE: concrete leaf casting problem
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| Easiest way I have found to remove stubborn leaves is let them sit in the hot sun for several days. The leave pieces will either come right off by themselves or are easily removed by a sharp stream of water out of the hose nozzle. |
RE: concrete leaf casting problem
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| strawberrygirl- did I understand that you used no sand or rock or shell or gravel or anything with the cement? Did you use Portland?, mortar mix, vinyl patch, or qwik cret? If you used portland, mortar mix, or vinyl patch, you really do need to use some sand. For one thing, it makes your cement go farther. For another, it makes the cement strong. You can use it equal parts, or 2 sand:1 cement, or 1 1/2 sand: 1 cement. Don't use quick crete, don't use pebbles or rocks or shell. This needs to be really smoooooth. You can get masonery sand, or you can sift the all purpose sand. Try it, I think you will like it a lot better. Janie |
RE: concrete leaf casting problem
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Hey strawberry I think I used the same instructions as you. I did straight cement as well. I spent a few nights lightly spraying the leaves and hand picking them off the form. I even picked up some slugs and snails to put on to eat the leaf off :>)
Then as I was spraying them down with the hose as it was hot out, I noticed a piece of leaf fly off. Then I used a heavy stream of water from the hose, is much quicker and the cement stays put. |
RE: concrete leaf casting problem
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| Put the leaf face down on a pile of sand, then cover with thin plastic film, then cover with cement mix. |
RE: concrete leaf casting problem
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Hi neighbor,
I use a 4 part sand to 1 part portland cement mix for large leaf castings. If you are doing a course textured leaf it is a stinker removing the dried leaf residue. What type of leafs are you casting?
Regards, |
RE: concrete leaf casting problem
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Hi,
We must be neighbors with about the same Zip.
For casting I use a 4 to 1 sand to concrete mix. If you are casting a leaf with a course texture it is time consuming to remove the leaf fragments. |
RE: concrete leaf casting problem
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| Sometimes the leaf doesn't come off. I have one from 2 years ago with the leaf still on, and it is still green! I've tried many methods of scrubbing it off. A little bit flaked off recently. |
RE: concrete leaf casting problem
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| I always use Quick Crete when making my leaves...never has been a problem when it comes to peeling the leaf off (usually the next day)...EXCEPT when I used a mullien leaf --- what a nightmare! My guess would be that it is the type of leaf you are using....I've found that some leaves lend themselves more to having little bubbles...others (like the mullien) tend to stick badly. I really think it just depends on the leaf. I've made so many leaves and all in the same way (dock leaves are particularly beautiful to use, as are elephant ears, cabbage, collards, etc.)....What leaf where you trying to cast that stuck so bad?? |
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