How to Mix Concrete for Crafts - Perfect Consistency Every Time

1. 1

   Step 1: Open the Bag the Right Way

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   Cement mix hates moisture, so keep the bag up off a bare concrete or dirt floor. Left on the ground it can wick up damp and harden inside the bag before you even open it. A wood pallet or a scrap board keeps it dry and ready.

   To open it, find the corner that was never glued shut and stand the bag upright. Give it a little drop on the floor to loosen the packed powder, then reach in and tear the top straight across. Now you have a clean mouth to pour from.

   Tip:

   Watch this step Store whatever you don't use in a sealed tote or a doubled trash bag so the rest of the bag stays good for your next project.

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   Used in this stepconcrete or cement mixrubber work gloves

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2. 2

   Step 2: Portion Your Dry Mix Into the Tub

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   You rarely need a whole bag for a craft piece, so take out only what the project calls for. A cheap five-quart paint pail works as both a scoop and a rough measure. Tip the dry mix into a wheelbarrow or a wide tub where you have room to turn it over.

   Judging the amount gets easier fast. After a couple of projects you'll know that a planter takes about this much and a small tray takes about that, and you can portion it by eye.

   Tip:

   Watch this step Mix a little more than you think you need. Concrete waits for no one, and topping up a short batch mid-pour leaves a visible seam.

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   Used in this stepplastic mixing tubfive-quart bucketdust mask

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3. 3

   Step 3: Add Water a Little at a Time

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   There is no single water-to-mix number that works everywhere. Heat, altitude, and even the day's humidity change how much the batch drinks. So add water in small pours from a measuring cup, work each one in, then look before you add more.

   As the mix starts to come together, slow way down. It will read dry right up until one heavy splash tips it into soup. If you are coloring the batch, stir the pigment into the water first so it spreads evenly.

   Tip:

   Watch this step Keep a rough note of how much water you used. Next batch you can get close faster and only fine-tune at the very end.

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   Used in this stepplastic measuring cupconcrete pigment

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4. 4

   Step 4: Fold It Together With a Hoe

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   Drag a mixing hoe or trowel through the batch, pulling the dry pockets from the edges into the wet center and folding the whole thing over on itself. Keep at it until the color is even and no dry lumps are hiding in the corners.

   Stick to the rhythm of a little water, a lot of mixing. The more you turn it before reaching for more water, the more control you keep, and the less likely you are to overshoot the consistency you want.

   Tip:

   Watch this step Scrape the corners and the bottom of the tub often. That is where dry mix hides and where weak, crumbly spots come from later.

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   Used in this stepmixing hoemargin trowel

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5. 5

   Step 5: Finish the Mix By Hand

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   Once it is close, pull on gloves and work the last of it with your hands. Fingers find clumps a tool skips right over, and you can pinch them apart as you go. Lift the mix and drop it back down a few times to fold air through it.

   That aeration matters for sculpting. A batch with air worked in goes lighter, fluffier, and stickier, so it grabs an armature or the wall of a mold instead of sliding off. Keep a bucket of water beside you to rinse your hands.

   Tip:

   Watch this step Wear snug nitrile gloves under thicker rubber ones if the mix is cold. Wet cement is caustic and will dry and burn bare skin.

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   Used in this stepnitrile glovesconcrete bonding additive

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6. 6

   Step 6: Check the Consistency With the Ball Test

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   Aim for a mix that is a touch crumbly, not wet and shiny. To test it, squeeze a handful into a ball, then break the ball in half. If both halves hold their shape without slumping or falling apart, you are ready to build.

   Too wet and the ball sags, so stir in a bit more dry mix. Too dry and it will not hold, so add a small splash of water. Once it passes, get it onto your project quickly and seal the piece after it has cured.

   Tip:

   Watch this step If a batch gets away from you, dump it back in the tub and rebalance with a little more dry mix or water rather than tossing it.

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   Used in this stepconcrete or cement mixconcrete sealer

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Keep going

How to Seal Concrete Crafts (Indoor and Outdoor Sealers)

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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.

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