Step 1
Choose a comfortable place to set up your work place . A service department or workshop is idealistic , however a plastic - covered cinch table will work as well . Place a flat piece of cardboard on your board .
Step 2
Slice offa fresh rhubarb leafwith a sharp tongue . Pour your play backbone into a Pyramids of Egypt - mould pile on top of the composition board . Make the sandpile a few inches big around than your Rhubarb leaf .
Step 3
Place your Rhubarb leaf on top of the sand with the under - side up . stage the sand under the leafage to form a thick drainage area for your birdbath as well as supporting for the leaf edges .
Step 4
Step 5
Use a cotton ball to spread a light layer of mineral oil onto your rhubarb leafage to keep the leaf from adhering to the concrete .
Mixing Your Concrete
Put on gloves and a dust mask . Use a fine sand mix rather than an aggregate for best results .
unify your concrete consort to the package instruction in a five gal bucket or pail .
scoop up out a smattering of wet concrete and squeeze . If it crumbles , it is too thick and you need to mix in a few more drops of water . Avoid using maudlin concrete mixture .
Applying Your Concrete
Scoop some concrete out of your bucket . Place it in the middle of your rhubarb foliage . Carefully dab it down ; avoid strike your rhubarb folio out of position as you spread .
go on scoop and diffuse concrete until the center portion of your Rhubarb leaf is cover completely with a 2 - inch stratum of concrete . Use your trowel to sharpen the sloshed concrete down to a thickness of 1/3 inch along the edges . weightlift firm down to free air bubble .
Use your heavy - duty wire cutters , cut a piece of brand chicken wire somewhat lowly than your Rhubarb leaf to employ as reinforcement . twist and position poulet telegram so it spans across the entire folio , but does not poke out over the edge .
outdo more concrete and position on top of the wire reinforcing stimulus . employ your trowel to circularize it around . target for a heaviness of 4 inches in the center ; taper concrete step by step down to a thickness of 1 inch on the edges . Flatten the in-between area so your Rhubarb birdbath will sit squarely on a base or on the ground .
Step 6
Pay special attention to touching up the edges of your Rhubarb leaf ; employ your trowel to create a crinkled pattern instead of smoothing the leaf butt against out to a flat and even thickness . Once slaked with the anatomy and synopsis of your concrete rhubarb leaf , cover with a piece of plastic wrap .
Curing Your Birdbath
tolerate your Rhubarb birdbath to dry out for 48 hour . To avert crack in the concrete , spray the concrete light with water some once every eight hour .
Get some help to cautiously turn over your concrete Rhubarb leafage . expend extreme precaution when handling your new birdbath . Do not pick up by the edge or bump the edge .
pare the leaf from the concrete . habituate a mat - straits screwdriver to trace the pieplant leaf venous blood vessel . Use a fine - grit sandpaper to remove leaf residue or touch up any imperfections .
mildly spray your concrete birdbath with a garden hose to remove all remainder ; drain off supererogatory water . Keep birdbath covered and shade to finish curing . softly mist with your garden hosiery every few days ; allow to cure for 20 days before using or finishing .
