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Garden stones with Leaves
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Posted by ginamarina z4 WI (My Page) on Wed, Sep 8, 04 at 13:22
| I am trying in vain to make stepping stones with leaves on them. I'd like to dedicate stones to specific types of leaves, and I cannot get this down! I bought what I believe to be the equivalent of Contac paper - sticky horrible stuff! I got it at Big Lots, had trouble finding it elsewhere. I cut it out to fit the bottom of my mold, put the leaves face down, press hard and put in the bottom of my mold. Do I need to leave it for some time before I pour it? I've been pouring right away, building up the cement in the center first, and then tapping.
I'm still getting concrete seeping in from the edges, and leaves whose tips floated up =( Any help would really be appreciated.
I've been practicing with ash and maple, my grandparents are leaving their house of 43 years and I took some oak leaves from their yard so I could make a memory...
Thanks again,
Gina |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Garden stones with Leaves
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| Check out FlowrPowr's post under Fossilized stepping stones. There are a lot of different tips on how to get it right. |
RE: Garden stones with Leaves
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| thanks Puppy4. Yes, I have been on that thread. Those pavers are gorgeous. I left a message there a while ago but got no response. Then I was reading about people holding the mosaics down with contac paper so I went that route. Could it be because the leaves are green yet that they aren't sticking hard enough to the paper? Either way, I'm messing up something, because the cement is floating under the paper =( Any ideas? |
RE: Garden stones with Leaves
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| You're always going to get some seepage under the leaves, there's just no way around that. It shouldn't be a problem if you are unmolding promptly as the bits over the leaf just pop off when you removed the leaf itself (at least this has been my experience with a tufa mix variation that I use for stepping stones - it might be different with straight cement). I have also found it helps to wilt leaves in the sun for a bit or flatten them under something heavy for a day before using if they are stiff. Good luck! Mike |
RE: Garden stones with Leaves
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| Thank you Mike, I think I should be unmolding faster, I was under the impression that you should leave them in the molds for 48 hours, but now from reading, you should get them out within 24 and lay a wet towel over them??? I will try drying the leaves a bit, maybe flattening them in one of the useless books I have :) I keep reading these forums and I want to try EVERYTHING! I really don't want to get another job. Then again, I should start selling something then!! Gina |
RE: Garden stones with Leaves (mix?)
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| I'm not familiar with anything but concrete for my stepping stones. Is there something better? |
RE: Garden stones with Leaves
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| You've probably already made them, but I'll post this anyway. I made some stepping stones with ferns on them that turned out great. I used a stepping stone kit and after I poured the cement into the mold, I just laid the fern leaf on top and pressed down very slightly. Once it hardened, the leaf was still stuck in there, of course, but it looked cool like that. After a month or so outside, the leaf dried out and rubbed off, leaving a fossil look. I made several of them like that. |
RE: Garden stones with Leaves
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| I use a 1-1-1 (cement-sand-peat) mix for my stepping stones as I like the aged look the tufa gives them. None of that harsh dead grey that straight cement cures to. I just lay the leaves int he bottom of a box lined with plastic and plop my mix on top. I let it sit for 24 hours then carefully unmold and finish the edges. Somtimes I take a small wire brush and go around the outside where the leaf is not to rough up the surface, leaving the leaf nice and smooth and surrounded by a rugged stonelike texture. 
These two are totally fresh and will soften as they cure. Also they are more like 2/3's part peat than a full 1 part (a ratio I did not care for as it cured to quickly as was hard to finish out). Mike |
RE: Garden stones with Leaves
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| I haven't tried it yet, but when I press leaves into concrete, I have trouble getting even pressure (fingerprints make me wince). Then one day I had the idea of pressing them down with a paint brush, using a brushing motion. If anyone tries it before I do, please post results. 'Pup |
RE: Garden stones with Leaves
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Hi Gina, sorry to hear you are having trouble with your stepping stones. I would have responded sooner, but I don't get a chance to stop in and visit this forum very often.
I wish I could tell you what you are doing wrong, but I am not sure why it isn't working out for you. We had a few leaves that curled up, but it was not really that noticable. I can't figure out why the contact paper would not keep the leaves from curling. I guess the only advice I can give is to try different kinds of leaves and see if one works better than the other. Maybe it would help if you pile the concrete on the leaf before you pour it. It could also be your mix is too runny. I am sure the tufa forum would be helpful as far as a mix goes. We just used plain old Quickrete 5000. It is supposed to set up faster than regular quickrete.
Good luck with your future leaves. |
RE: Garden stones with Leaves
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| I was making sand cast leaves one day and had some Quickcrete left over. Ran outside, grabbed some leaves, lined a paper plate with plastic wrap, plopped the leaves down and dumped the leftover Quickcrete on top. Tapped it down to fill the circle of the paper plate and let it set. Result was beautiful and I've been making more in the same way since then. Have never had a problem. A little will seep around the edges but I usually pull the leaves off the next day and even those with serrated edges will come out pretty clean if the leaf is still green and strong. Whatever cement is still left on the edges I gently brush with an old toothbrush or needle. Details are fantastic and then I paint (which can be tedious but still very fun)...I wish I knew how to post pictures because I would love to share... |
RE: Garden stones with Leaves
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| You might try covering the bottom side of your leaf with a thin coating of rubber cement or possibly even some type of silicone sealant and then placing it firmly down on your contact paper. Make sure that it doesn't "goop out" the sides of the leaves (clean off is it does) but that you have enough to form a secure bond around the entire edge of the leaf. This way your rubber/sealant will conform to the irregularities of the leaf surface and the flatness of your mold. Sort of like sealing your bathtub! |
RE: Garden stones with Leaves
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- Posted by dian57 M-H Valley NY-5 (My Page) on
Tue, Sep 28, 04 at 6:19
| I followed FlowrPowr's directions and made 6 fossil stones. They turned out great and I couldn't be happier with them. The only thing I did differently was to coat the bottom and sides with a layer of Vaseline (I picked up the generic stuff in the 99 cent store). I thought the cement would ooze out the seams of the form but the Vaseline also acted as a 'glue' to hold down the leaf edges. It also helped release the stone when it came time to unmold. |
RE: Garden stones with Leaves
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- Posted by jbug73 z5/6 Cent.OR (My Page) on
Fri, Oct 1, 04 at 12:12
| I've created stepping stones by pouring concrete into a form, placing the leaves on the face and then covering with moist sand. The sand was good for anchoring the edges of the leaf and avoiding finger indentations. You just brush off the sand as the stone cures and rub the leaf off after a few days Beautiful idea, BTW. I have some cones from a 'birthday Spruce' my g-mother planted in her garden when I was born. She has also moved from her garden after 40+ years. I think it'd be a nice gift for her new garden. |
RE: Garden stones with Leaves
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| I have wanted to make some of the stepping stones you are talking about but would like to do them in the winter. Is there a way to preserve the leaves until then? |
RE: Garden stones with Leaves
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| I have some pretty black oak leaves drying in books right now, I'll be cutting contac paper tonight to prepare =) I'm sorry I haven't been back. I went on to other things for a while. (But now I'm back) =) Hopefully now that they are dry-er they will stick better. |
RE: Garden stones with Leaves
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- Posted by emtnest z8/Northern CA (My Page) on
Sat, Oct 16, 04 at 15:31
| Mike from Garden of mu, can you send a link to view your pics? All I get is the dreaded red x....thanks...Dottie |
RE: Garden stones with Leaves
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| gina, this may sound like a couple of stupid ideas, but here goes. it seems to me you just need something sticky to temporarily hold down the edges of your leaves...so have you considered using double sticky tape between the leaf and the mold? if that won't work, could you try melted marshmallows? Think about how sticky your hands get making r.crispy squares. If you've tried everything else & nothing worked, why not give these weird ideas a try? |
RE: Garden stones with Leaves
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Hi there, these leaf print stepping stone are large 3'x3 1/2'x3". i nailed flywood and four 2x4 together like a shalow sand box, put leaf(i use elaphant ears variety) upside down. mix concrete and pure on the leaf and let it spread out till it cover the tray( sadnwich chicken wire in the midle to help support.) let it dry for two day then gently flip the tray over and the thing just fall right off. the leaf will dry out peal off in a day or two.
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hytuffa forum is the place to learn more about this sort of project, best of luck. tuanh |
RE: Garden stones with Leaves
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| Tuanh- I love how big your stepping stones are. They really make a statement. |
RE: Garden stones with Leaves
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| Ginamarina, I am wondering if your concrete is too soft (liquid) & that is why it is oozing under the leaves. Add less water so the concrete is about the consistency of muffin mix. Also try putting the first bit down in the center of the leaf, spreading it outward so the weight of the concrete holds the leaf down, then adding more concrete to the depth you want. Just a thought.... 'Pup |
RE: Garden stones with Leaves
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| Thanks, and the leaves above are gorgeous! My problem I suppose is that I'm using like 4 oak leaves, not one big leaf. To be honest, I haven't tried again in a while, I need to move the "operation" to the basement now because it's too cold :( Luckily I can still get out and nab some leaves to play with during the winter!! Thanks again for all your suggestions! Gina |
RE: Garden stones with Leaves
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| Wow, Tuahn! Those are gorgeous stepping stones. I am inspired. heatherisnotaweed |
RE: Garden stones with Leaves
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| Thank every one for the complement- Mudmaker the stepping stones smallest size are 3'x3 1/2'x 3". i plant on making more and use for flooring on my back porch, which i plant on build next spring. Gina, i tried some birch and red bud leaves but they aren't show much detail like the large leaf are. best regard, tuanh |
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