Dream House

Concrete Garden Spheres: Add Some Whimsy to Your Garden

July 31, 2022
Kelly C. Gamble

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Concrete backyard garden spheres include curb enchantment or enrich your yard with whimsical hardscaping. Imagine of them as a contemporary interpretation of the vintage backyard garden gnome!

This post is sponsored by Quikrete

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Nestle these spheres involving crops or use them to accent porch methods or the patio. No matter exactly where you place them, they’ll make a great conversation piece.

Here’s how to make your have.

Plastic planters keep the kinds in spot when the concrete cures. (3 Echoes Articles Studio)

Supplies

  • 4 hollow half foam balls
  • Very hot knife foam cutter
  • Toothpicks
  • Caulk
  • Planter or container crammed with filth
  • Quikrete 5000 Concrete Mix
  • Water
  • Nitrile gloves
  • Eye safety
  • Mixing container
  • Drill with a mixing paddle
  • Yard trowel
  • 120- or 150-grit sandpaper
creating forms for concrete garden spheres using a foam ball and hot knife
A hot knife would make a thoroughly clean slice in the foam ball. (3 Echoes Content material Studio)

Produce the Kinds

You will need to have two hollow 50 % foam balls for every single yard sphere you want to build. I’m earning two spheres at a time, so I have received four 50 % foam balls. 

Initially, use a very hot knife foam cutter to make a 2- or 3-inch-diameter gap in the tops of two fifty percent foam balls. (These will provide as the spheres’ tops, in which you’ll pour the concrete — but we’ll get to that afterwards.) 

Then, established the other two 50 % foam balls in planters or containers crammed with grime to hold them continuous. (These will serve as the spheres’ bottoms.) Stick toothpicks into the rims of each individual bottom fifty percent foam ball and utilize caulk all along the rims. The toothpicks retain the major foam ball from shifting, when the caulk creates a seal so no concrete mix seeps out. 

Inserting a toothpick into a foam ball
Toothpicks safe the fifty percent foams balls with each other. (3 Echoes Written content Studio)

Position the other two 50 % foam balls on top rated of the base half balls, making sure the toothpicks hook up the base halves with their tops, all the way all over. Wait for the caulk to dry. Most silicone caulk usually takes 24 several hours to dry, but some fast-drying caulks only take a person to 3 hours. 

Trowel mixing concrete in a plastic bucket
Combine Quikrete 5000 Concrete Combine and insert h2o until finally it is the consistency of oatmeal. (3 Echoes Information Studio)

Mix the Concrete

When the caulk is dry, you are all set to mix the concrete. I’m utilizing Quikrete 5000 Concrete Combine for the reason that it strengthens quickly. 

Tip: When functioning with cement-based mostly products, normally put on a mask, eye safety and nitrile gloves.

Use a drill with a mixing paddle and observe the bag’s directions for mixing. 

Your concrete combine should seem like oatmeal — if it does not, gradually include much more water to get this consistency.

Trowel pouring concrete into a foam ball
A compact yard trowel is a great measurement for shoveling the blend into the sphere. (3 Echoes Information Studio)

Fill the Spheres

The moment the concrete is comprehensively combined according to the guidance, scoop it into the kinds with a backyard trowel until finally they are entire. 

Quikrete 5000 Concrete Mix normally takes about 5 days to overcome in warm weather (70 levels Fahrenheit or bigger) or seven times in colder temperature (50-70 levels Fahrenheit).

Removing foam from a concrete garden sphere
The prime of the sphere in which the concrete was poured will be the sphere’s base. (3 Echoes Content material Studio) 

Remove the Foam

Right after the concrete cures, take away the foam balls. 

Chelsea Lipford Wolf uses a hot knife to remove foam from a concrete garden sphere
Slice the foam vertically with a warm knife — this aids to take away larger pieces of foam at a single time. (3 Echoes Content Studio) 

For easier elimination, lower very long triangles alongside the balls with the very hot knife to assist leverage the variety off the concrete sphere.

Chelsea Lipford Wolf sands concrete garden spheres
Rub sandpaper in a round movement for a easy finish. (3 Echoes Written content Studio) 

Sand Any Imperfections

After you take out all the foam, sand the whole sphere with 120- or 150-grit sandpaper for a easy complete. 

Sealing concrete is generally a great idea — it will continue to keep the yard spheres from getting moldy, and it will add a slight sheen. Use Quikrete Acrylic Cure and Seal as soon as the concrete has hardened and the surface sheen has disappeared.

Now, all that is left to do is make your mind up where by you want to exhibit them off in your backyard garden!

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