Level: Easy Cost: $10 to $20 Time: 30 minutes
I am loving the industrial vibe that these cement vases are giving. It was my first time working with cement, and while I did some research, I am more of a "get in there and try it" type of gal… my sister is the instruction reader. This project is inexpensive, therapeutic, can be a bit like throwing paint at a wall to see what sticks. In short, it was just my style! So I got my supplies together, pushed play on my current favorite podcast (check out "The Goal Digger Podcast" by Jenna Kutcher!), and had an amazing afternoon experimenting and playing with cement!
SUPPLY LIST
Glass – I hit the dollar store and looked for glass containers with a small opening so that I could split up a bouquet with a few stems in each vase. That is to say, you don't have to have an actual vase...one of my containers was originally designed to be an olive oil jar.
Photo Paper or Cardboard – I used photo paper because I had it on hand and thought it would come off easily. Once I put the wet cement in, it started to soak the paper, but after wrapping the paper with tape, it held up just fine. A thicker card stock might work better.
Tape – Blue painter's tape
Bucket and Mixing Device – I used a 2.5 quart bucket, which was small enough to easily pour the mixed cement...any old bucket will work great!
Sandpaper
Optional:
Sander – Can be used without sandpaper to remove air bubbles, but you can also simply tap the sides of the mold with a stick or your hand. Also comes in handy for the finishing touches, like sanding off rough edges, but a piece of sandpaper and good ol' elbow grease works just fine as well.
Oil – I used cooking olive oil spray that I had in my cupboard, but you can wipe on any type of oil from vegetable oil to WD-40. The photo paper probably would have come right off without any oil. I think you really only need oil when using plastic forms to make your cement projects.
Drop Cloth – If you want to protect the table or surface that you are working on grab a drop cloth, old sheet, piece of cardboard. It is inevitable that you will drip some cement when pouring.
Cotton Balls – I found these handy to protect the opening of my glass container from rogue cement drips.
INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1: Create your cement form.
Using the photo paper, wrap the top portion of your glass container, making sure that the paper sits higher than the top of the glass. You can cut the paper to make the edges perfectly flush with one another, but I didn’t mind an imperfect seam and knew that I would be sanding the cement after it dried, so I overlapped the paper and taped it down.
Tip: If you are using photo paper, wrap the paper in tape to give extra support and prevent the cement from soaking through.
Step 2: Grease the inside of form.
Spray or wipe the inside of your paper form with oil, so that dried cement can be easily removed.
Step 3: Mix cement.
Mix your cement according to the packaging. I did not personally do this (I was always the rebellious child)...I just put 2 scoops of cement powder in my bucket and slowly added water until I got a workable consistency. It does not take much water to get the desired consistency. (Desired consistency = not watery but easily pours out of your container - very scientific, I know!) The more water, the weaker your cement will be, but that's not necessarily a huge deal since these are purely decorative and not structural at all.
Step 4: Pour cement.
Fill the area between the form and the outside of the glass with your cement. I filled it to the very top of the opening by carefully pouring in a little at a time and gently tapping the side of the vase until the cement was flush with the top of the glass. Don’t worry if your pour is not perfect and there are cement drips on the side of the form, you can easily sand them right off once your vase is dry.
Tip: Put a cotton ball in the glass opening to prevent drips of cement getting inside your vase. I added a little piece of tape to the cotton ball, so that I could easily remove it from the vase.
Step 5: Remove air bubbles.
Tap or use a sander (without sandpaper) to get air bubbles out. I found it easier to tap the sides of my vase with my hand and a small piece of scrap wood. If you are wanting your vase to be as smooth and "perfect" as possible, bust out your sander and rotate it around your vase. The vibration will bring the air bubbles to the surface.
Step 6: Set it and forget it.
Let the cement cure according the determined time on the packaging. I left mine untouched for a minimum of 24 hours.
Step 7: Clean-up work space and tools.
While your project cures, rinse your bucket, stirrer, etc. I was careful to hose mine off in the backyard rather than the sink.
Step 8: Remove form and sand.
Peel off paper or form and sand down edges to your desired look.
Tip: The higher the grit, the smoother it will be. I used 150 and 220 grit sandpaper.
Step 9: The finishing touch.
Clip some flowers from the yard, or get a pretty Trader Joe's bouquet and enjoy!
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