Making Concrete Stepping Stones

[JoeyGee]

I am going to start making some concrete stepping stones (hey it IS woodworking--the forms will be wood, LOL). Is there any special type of concrete that I should use? I am planning on just using Quikrete or something similar. Should I mix it fairly thick?

These will be ~16" round (actually Mickey Mouse head shaped) and I figure about 3"-4" thick, with some mesh reinforcement embedded in.

One more question...is there anything special needed for a smooth top--well not exactly smooth, to prevent slips. In case you can't tell, my concrete experience is limited to setting posts and the like.

[Tom Slick]

quickrete has this pdf on their website
http://www.quickrete.com/PDFs/Projec...pingStones.pdf

I wouldn't use the mesh reinforcement, the product they recomend has fiber reinforcement built in.

[Pappy]

Not an expert here by any stretch, but to get a non-slip surface sweep the top after it has started to set with a straw broom. For stepping stones like you are making a whisk broom will work.

[backpacker85]

The fiber is a whole lot easier to work with than mesh, and a broom finish will take care of the non-skid finish. Depending on how narrow the area is where Mickey's ears join his head, I'd put a couple steel rods in to prevent the ears from breaking off.

[JoeyGee]

Thanks for all the help. That fiber reinforced concrete seems ideal.

[moc]

where Mickey's ears join his head, I'd put a couple steel rods in to prevent the ears from breaking off.

That's not going to help you when Disney's lawyers come 'round with their sledge hammers and subpoenas.

*moc

[JoeyGee]

That's funny, I hope Disney does come after me, LOL. I was inspired by a posting on a Disney fan site about official Disney stepping stones that break if you leave them out in the cold!?!?!?

I figured I could do better, and thought having some Mickey ears as stepping stones with my kids' hand prints in them would be pretty cool.

[TheRic]

3" is normally a decent thickness. Since you will have that small area were the ears are 4" might be better. A driveway, sidewalk, patio is normally 4" around here.

Smooth out the top, then after it starts to dry (could be a minute, could be 30+ minutes many variables) take a brush to it. You also could sprinkle sand / small stones on top, may have to trowel them in a little to get smooth/even on top. This gives it texture and helps to hide any hairline cracks that will form.

Depending on the width of the ears to head area using a rod might not help, and even hurt. Metal rods, mesh, etc are used to keep the piece together AFTER it cracks / breaks. If you have seen driveways or sidewalks that pieces are higher/lower than the rest. No rods/mesh were used. If you have a small area the rods are cutting down on the amount of concrete.

Your best bet to keep the stepping blocks from cracking is to take extra time and prepare the ground under the stepping blocks. Instead of putting them on top (or digging a small hole to make them flush) then putting the stepping stones in and leaving it. Put down a base of small gravel / sand make sure that is flat, and packed. This smooth base will help keep the stones level, if you use gravel it will help channel the water away.

Be for warned on the weight of these stones!!!!!! I made stepping stones when I poured my patio, used the same concrete and stamping pattern. So the stepping stones look like an extension of my patio. My largest stones were 14" in diameter, 3" thick. I'll say it weighed about 50 lbs. Didn't drag the bathroom scale out.