How to Make a Concrete Vase (Wabi-Sabi Style, Step by Step)

1. 1

   Step 1: Wrap the Balloon Mold in Mesh

   Watch this step · 0:26

   Enlarge

   Inflate a round balloon to the size you want the vase body to be, then set it neck-down in a cup so it stands still. This balloon is your mold. It gets popped later, which is how you end up with a hollow pot instead of a solid lump.

   Wrap the whole balloon in a layer of fiberglass mesh scrim and smooth it around the curve. The mesh is what the cement clings to, and it stops the shell from cracking as it dries. Cover the ball all the way down to where it meets the cup.

   Tip:

   Watch this step Use a firm, evenly round balloon. A lopsided one gives you a lopsided vase, and not in the charming way.

   Mark step done

   Used in this stepround balloonfiberglass mesh scrimsafety gloves

   Back to all steps

2. 2

   Step 2: Mix the Cement and Apply the First Coat

   Watch this step · 0:50

   Enlarge

   Mix your cement by hand using one part cement to three parts sand. Add water a splash at a time and stir until it holds together like thick peanut butter. Too wet and it slides off the balloon, so keep it on the stiff side.

   Scoop the mix onto the mesh and press it into the weave with gloved fingers. Work in patches around the balloon until the blue rubber disappears under a grey coat. This first layer just needs to grip the mesh, so do not worry about smoothing it.

   Tip:

   Watch this step Wear a dust mask while you scoop dry cement. The powder is rough on your lungs before you add water.

   Mark step done

   Used in this stepcement mixsanddust mask

   Back to all steps

3. 3

   Step 3: Build the Textured Wabi-Sabi Body

   Watch this step · 2:00

   Enlarge

   Once the base coat grabs, pile on a second, thicker layer of cement. Drag it around with your fingers to build the rough, weathered surface that gives the vase its wabi-sabi look. Ridges, gouges, and uneven patches are exactly what you want.

   Push cement up toward the top of the ball but leave a round opening where the neck will go. Keep turning the vase as you work so the texture wraps all the way around instead of building up on one side.

   Tip:

   Watch this step Mix cement in small batches. It starts stiffening within twenty minutes, so a fresh batch is easier to work than a tub that has been sitting.

   Mark step done

   Used in this stepcement mixmixing bucket

   Back to all steps
4. 4

   Step 4: Form the Neck with a Cup and Mesh Collar

   Watch this step · 2:26

   Enlarge

   When the body sets enough to hold its shape, build the neck on top. Cover a plastic cup in plastic wrap so cement will not stick to it, wrap a mesh collar around the opening, and press the cup in to act as a form for the inner wall of the neck.

   Pack cement around the collar and smooth it down into the shoulders. The goal is a neck that grows straight out of the ball rather than sitting on top like a lid. Blend the join so there is no hard seam between the neck and the body.

   Tip:

   Watch this step The plastic wrap is what lets the cup slide out cleanly once the neck firms up. Skip it and the cup cements itself in place.

   Mark step done

   Used in this stepplastic cupplastic wrapfiberglass mesh scrim

   Back to all steps

5. 5

   Step 5: Reinforce and Smooth the Rim

   Watch this step · 2:46

   Enlarge

   The rim is the fragile part, so give it some extra care. Load a stiff brush with a wet cement slurry and stipple it over the mesh collar and around the mouth of the vase. This works the cement into the weave and locks the neck to the body.

   Brush slurry over any thin spots on the shoulders too. Where the surface looks pale or you can still see mesh, a coat of slurry ties it all together and hides the grid.

   Tip:

   Watch this step Keep a bowl of slurry a bit looser than your building mix. A thin, brushable consistency fills pinholes the thick mix skips over.

   Mark step done

   Used in this stepdisposable brushcement mix

   Back to all steps

6. 6

   Step 6: Add the Handles

   Watch this step · 3:35

   Enlarge

   Handles turn a plain pot into something that looks like an old amphora. Roll two short sausages of cement over strips of mesh, then press one to each shoulder of the vase where the body meets the neck.

   Hold each handle in place until it grabs, then pack a little extra cement into the joins so they do not snap off later. Set the vase aside to cure fully, handles and all, before you move on to the finish.

   Tip:

   Watch this step Make the handles chunky. Thin concrete handles look elegant but crack at the join, and a heavier one reads as more authentically old anyway.

   Mark step done

   Used in this stepcement mixfiberglass mesh scrim

   Back to all steps

7. 7

   Step 7: Age the Surface and Seal

   Watch this step · 4:04

   Enlarge

   Now give the vase its old-stone look. Dip a dry brush into ochre and black pigment powder and drag it lightly over the high spots of the texture. Then wipe a pale wash into the low spots so the ridges catch the color and the crevices stay light, which is what makes stone read as aged.

   Sand off any sharp edges that could scratch a shelf, then brush on a concrete sealer so the surface holds up. Your wabi-sabi vase is done and ready for dried stems.

   Tip:

   Watch this step Build the aging up in thin layers. It is easy to add more pigment and hard to take it back off, so go light and check it in daylight.

   Mark step done

   Used in this stepochre and black pigment powdersandpaperconcrete sealer

   Back to all steps

Keep going

How to Make a Concrete Air Plant Holder

→

Tools we recommend

• E6000

  E6000 Craft Adhesive, Clear (3.7 oz)

  The industrial-strength craft glue that bonds glass, wood, ceramic, metal, fabric, and concrete. The one adhesive most craft projects reach for.

• Gorilla

  Gorilla Dual-Temp Full-Size Hot Glue Gun

  Dual-temp so it handles delicate florals and heavy materials alike. A precise nozzle and built-in stand make it the everyday craft-table gun.

• OLFA

  OLFA 18" x 24" Self-Healing Cutting Mat

  The pro-standard cutting surface. Gridlines for square cuts, self-healing so blades never leave grooves, and big enough for paper, fabric, and leather.

Tags