Color concrete garden projects : make your own planters, furniture, and fire pits using creative techniques and vibrant finishes

Cover -- Title -- Copyright -- Table of Contents -- Preface -- Getting Creative With Concrete: An Introduction -- Concrete Fundamentals -- How Does Concrete Work? -- Understanding Concrete Mixes -- Safety -- Mixing Concrete -- Forms and Molds -- Casting Techniques -- Common Tools -- Coloring Concrete -- A Few Words About Color -- Projects -- Tabletop Planter: Integral Color with Acid Stain -- Concrete Sphere: Integral Color With Contrasting Slurry -- Stacked Ring Planter: Gradated Integral Color -- Address Sign: Integral Color With Recessed Design.;Discover the countless ways you can craft with color and concrete! Concrete is the perfect medium for outdoor crafts. It is versatile and durable, and it looks even better with time. Add the unexpected element of color, and you have the perfect recipe for vibrant, modern outdoor decor. This hands-on guide will take your outdoor space from gray to great. Concrete artisans Nathan Smith and Michael Snyder show you how to mix concrete, use forms and molds, and add color using stains, slurries, and other innovative techniques. Twenty creative step-by-step projects for furniture, planters, and art include an elegant tabletop planter, a modern birdhouse, and a charming chair for kids. Cover 1 Title 4 Copyright 5 Table of Contents 7 Preface 9 Getting Creative With Concrete: An Introduction 11 Concrete Fundamentals 15 How Does Concrete Work? 17 Understanding Concrete Mixes 19 Safety 21 Mixing Concrete 21 Forms and Molds 22 Casting Techniques 23 Common Tools 25 Coloring Concrete 25 A Few Words About Color 29 Projects 31 Tabletop Planter: Integral Color with Acid Stain 34 Concrete Sphere: Integral Color With Contrasting Slurry 42 Stacked Ring Planter: Gradated Integral Color 50 Address Sign: Integral Color With Recessed Design 56 Tabletop Candleholder: Integral Color With Old World Texture 62 Doorstop: Integral Color With Embedded Object 68 Hanging Concrete Pendants: Integral Color With Two-Tone Acid Stain 76 Simple Dish: Integral Color With Inlaid Slurry 84 Side Table: Integral Color With Multiple Slurries 94 Pressed Stool: Integral Color With Tone-On-Tone Slurry 102 Water Feature: Integral Color With Two Shades 112 Board-Form Fire Pit: Integral Color With Pigment Stain 120 Large Oval Planter: Integral Color For Varied Color Values 128 Child's Chair: Integral Color In Any Hue 136 Wood-Burning Fire Pit: Integral Color With Concrete Joinery 144 Garden Swing: Integral Color With Multiple Hues 152 Cast-In-Place Side Table: Integral Color With Trowel Finish 160 Bike Stand: Integral Color With Inlaid Object 170 Simple Bench: Raw Concrete With Acid Stain 178 Modern Birdhouse: Integral Color For Brilliant White 188 Metric Conversions 197 Resources 198 Acknowledgments 200 Index 201 Getting creative with concrete : an introduction Concrete fundamentals How does concrete work? Understanding concrete mixes Safety Mixing concrete Forms and molds Casting techniques Common tools Coloring concrete A few words about color Projects Tabletop planter : integral color with acid stain Concrete sphere : integral color with contrasting slurry Stacked ring planter : gradated integral color Address sign : integral color with recessed design Tabletop candleholder : integral color with old world texture Doorstop : integral color with imbedded object Hanging concrete pendants : integral color with two-tone acid stain Simple dish : integral color with inlaid slurry Side table : integral color with multiple slurries Pressed stool : integral color with tone-on-tone slurry Water feature : integral color with two shades Board-form fire pit : integral color with pigment stain Large oval planter : integral color for varied color values Child's chair : integral color in any hue Wood-burning fire pit : integral color with concrete joinery Garden swing : integral color with multiple hues Cast-in-place side table : integral color with trowel finish Bike stand : integral color with inlaid object Simple bench : raw concrete with acid stain Modern birdhouse : integral color for brilliant white. A Library Journal Best Crafts & DIY Book of 2015 Incorporating concrete design into a home garden can now be easily achieved by any do-it-yourself enthusiast! Concrete furniture and containers add style and personality to outdoor spaces, and the addition of color makes these objects even more eye-catching. These trendy pieces can cost thousands of dollars at garden centers and furniture stores, but they can also be made affordably at home. In this hands-on guide, concrete artisans Nathan Smith and Michael Snyder offer basic information on how to mix concrete and add color using dyes, paints, and inlaid materials. The twenty step-by-step projects include small items, like a candle holder with an old-world feel and a simple stacked-ring planter, and larger pieces, like an elegant bike rack and a beautiful fire pit that is the perfect gathering place for friends and family. Discover the countless ways you can craft with color and concrete! Concrete is the perfect medium for outdoor crafts. It is versatile and durable, and it looks even better with time. Add the unexpected element of color, and you have the perfect recipe for vibrant, modern outdoor decor. This hands-on guide will take your outdoor space from gray to great. Concrete artisans Nathan Smith and Michael Snyder show you how to mix concrete, use forms and molds, and add color using stains, slurries, and other innovative techniques. Twenty creative step-by-step projects for furniture, planters, and art include an elegant tabletop planter, a modern birdhouse, and a charming chair for kids.--Provided by publisher Concrete is the perfect medium for outdoor crafts. It is versatile and durable, and it looks even better with time. Add the unexpected element of color, and you have the perfect recipe for vibrant, modern outdoor decor. Concrete artisans Nathan Smith and Michael Snyder show you how to build forms and molds, mix concrete, and add color using stains, slurries, and other innovative techniques. Twenty creative step-by-step projects include an elegant tabletop planter, a modern birdhouse, and a charming chair for kids. Book jacket Concrete is the perfect medium for outdoor crafts. It is versatile and durable, and it looks even better with time. Add the unexpected element of color, and you have the perfect recipe for vibrant, modern outdoor decor. Concrete artisans Nathan Smith and Michael Snyder show you how to build forms and molds, mix concrete, and add color using stains, slurries, and other innovative techniques. Twenty creative step-by-step projects include an elegant tabletop planter, a modern birdhouse, and a charming chair for kids.--COVER Twenty step-by-step projects that offer both function and decoration for the modern garden. Readers are provided with all the guidance they need to work with concrete and create both small-scale items like planters and candleholder to larger projects such as fire pits, benches or a bike rack