Decorative stone molds recipe

REQUIRED MATERIALS

- 4 liters of water
- 1 bucket (10 liters) of marble aggregate, grain size 4–8 mm
- half bucket (10 liters) white cement (52.5 – standard compressive strength [MPa])
- half bucket (10 liters) sand
- iron oxide (for coloring)
- fiberglass mesh (polystyrene reinforcement mesh) or fiberglass flakes

PREPARATION METHOD

1. Mold preparation:

- wash the mold with water and make sure it is clean;

2. Material preparation:

- put the water, marble aggregate, cement, and sand into a concrete mixer and mix them well, if you do not have a concrete mixer, place them in a bucket and mix using a mortar mixer.
- to color the slabs, add iron oxide until the desired color is obtained and mix well;
- after the mixture is fully homogenized, pour the material into the mold until it reaches half of the mold height;
- add the fiberglass mesh (cut to the size of the mold), then fill the mold completely with the remaining material;
- if you use fiberglass flakes instead of mesh, they must be mixed together with the other materials from the beginning;
- gently tap the mold on the table until air bubbles appear on the surface;
- if you have a vibrating table, vibrate only until the material levels inside the mold;
- cover the molds with plastic foil;
- do not expose them to direct sunlight. The drying process must not be too fast, otherwise the concrete may crack.

3. Demolding:

- leave the mold to dry on a flat surface and remove the slab once it is dry;
- drying time varies depending on temperature (24–48 hours). If the concrete is not strong enough, it may break;
- to demold the slab, turn the mold upside down on a table and gently move the edges, then carefully lift the mold;
- after demolding, leave the slab on a flat surface to dry completely and to obtain its final white color.

4. Cleaning:

Clean the molds thoroughly using water and vinegar, then rinse them well.
No concrete residue must remain on the mold. Otherwise, during the next casting the slab may stick to the mold.

WARNING! Plastic molds must not be scratched, hit, or exposed to sunlight for long periods. If properly maintained, plastic molds can withstand a very large number of castings.

INSTALLATION

- decide from the beginning how the slabs will be mounted on the wall/fence;
- if necessary, they can be cut using an angle grinder;
- the slabs are glued to the wall using ceramic;
- after installation, the joints should be grouted;

Thank you for your order! Good luck with your project!