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How To Form Small Concrete Projects The Easy Way
comments (5) December 10th, 2010 in Blogs
Chuck Miller, editor at large
Video Length: 1:51
Produced by: John Ross
When you’re making small scale architectural elements out of concrete, you could use a stick to make sure that the concrete is compacted into all of the voids, but there’s a better way.
We’re making some pilasters for a concrete fireplace surround, but the same technique should apply to any small masonry project.
Here’s how to do it:
- Build a mold out of plywood assembled with drywall screws
- For more detail, use pieces of trim or other found objects in the mold. We used cove moldings at the bottom to give a rounded reveal along the edge of our pilaster
- Cover the inside of the mold with blue masking tape. This acts as a form release agent so your cured concrete should fall right out
- When half the concrete is in your mold, run the shoe of your sawzall (without a blade installed) along the sides of the form. The vibrations will settle the concrete and get rid of the voids
- Top the mold off with concrete, and wait for your project to cure before removing it
I heard about using a sawzall for this purpose on a jobsite one time; no one has ever sent it in. It’s just a tip I’ve been using over the years and it really works well. Thanks whoever.
More on Small Concrete Projects
Building concrete-countertop forms
Removing concrete-countertop forms
Mixing concrete in a wheelbarrow
posted in: Blogs, saws, concrete, masonry
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How to Paint Fiber-Cement Siding
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Comments (5)
Posted: 12:40 pm on January 4th
videos. Recently, I applyed for a membership and been
disappointed. Will you cancell my online membership.
Thank you,
McKinley Walker
brimski54@aol.com
Posted: 10:19 pm on December 20th
Posted: 5:13 pm on December 14th
Posted: 2:34 am on December 14th
Thanks for the tip.
Posted: 3:19 pm on December 13th
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