How to Make a Concrete Bird Bath (DIY, Step by Step)

Kit builds the basin from two plastic trays that nest together and the pedestal from an old bucket. Before any concrete goes in, the inside of each mold needs a release coat so the cured pieces come out clean.

Spray WD-40 over every surface the concrete will touch, then wipe it around with a rag until there is a thin, even film. Cooking oil or a proper mould release works too. Do not skip this - it is the difference between the pieces sliding out and cracking on the way.

Tip your cement and sand into a big tub and mix it dry first so the color is even. Kit uses one part cement to two parts sand, which came out to six scoops of cement and twelve of sand for a couple of baths.

Add water in small splashes and turn it over with a trowel or a gloved hand. Stop when it looks like thick porridge, wet enough to pour and settle but stiff enough to hold a peak on the scoop. Too runny and it will end up weak and full of shrinkage cracks.

Start with the pedestal bucket and pack it right to the top. Then load concrete into the larger basin tray, filling it about halfway since the second tray still has to press down into it.

As you fill, tap the sides and give each mold a good shake. Air pockets rise up and pop at the surface, and getting them out now means fewer holes in the finished piece. Level the top off with the back of your scoop.

Push the second tray straight down into the half-filled basin mold. It squeezes the concrete up and around the sides, which forms the shallow dish the birds will drink from. Center it by eye and wiggle it to chase out any last bubbles.

Pour water into the top tray to weigh it flush and stop it floating up as the concrete sets. Check it is sitting level, then walk away. Leave both molds untouched for at least 48 hours, because a single day is not enough and the concrete tears when you demold.

After a couple of days the concrete is hard enough to handle. Tip the water out of the basin, then work your fingers around the rim to break the grip between the plastic and the stone.

Flex the tray and ease each piece free. The WD-40 does the heavy lifting here and most pieces drop straight out. The pedestal sits deeper in its bucket, so tip it and coax it rather than yanking, and do not worry about a hairline crack on the hidden underside.

Fresh concrete is still soft enough to shape. Run a wire brush over the rim and down any ridge left by the seam between the two trays, knocking off the gritty high spots until the edges feel kind to the touch.

Rinse the dust away with water and a sponge as you go so you can see what you are doing. Get it done in the first day or two, because within a week the surface sets rock hard and the brush just skates over it.

Rest the basin on top of the pedestal. Its own weight holds it in place, or you can bed it down with a dab of exterior adhesive. Carry the pair to a spot with a little cover nearby so birds feel safe stopping in.

Sit it level on gravel or grass and fill the dish with clean water. Keep it shallow, top it up every few days, and tip it out to rinse now and then. Give it a week or so and the regulars will find it.