Making a pillar is an easy way to show off your concrete skills. All you need to do is carve a series of steps in your concrete, then glue them together and add some decorative touches.
Then, you add the next step: Add sand or gravel to the mix and mix in! This creates the top of your pillar, where you can add paint or another material to finish it off.
Contents:
Buy concrete mix
When making a pillar, you must choose your mix. For each inch of height you want in your pillar, you must use more concrete.
Concrete is made by mixing together a liquid and solid base. The liquid contains aggregate, or stones or chips to create the shape of the pillar. The solid contains market-grade Portland cement, which creates the shape of the column.
Too much of either liquid or solid will not result in a durable structure. The ideal mix is one in which there is enough liquid but not too much!
Mixes like Granite are popular for making pillars because they are so easy to make. Granite is very hard, which makes it very difficult to crack or chip.
Buy gravel for the base
When making your pillar, the first step is to buy some gravel. You can buy it at any local lake or river, but we recommend Adler’s because they are so generous with their material.
It all starts with creating a circle of gravel in the base of your pillar. You can make this by using a bag to hold the gravel, or simply by placing enough gravel in the base to create a circle.
Once you have created your base, then it is time to add your concrete! You mix your concrete with water and/or sand, depending on what kind of concrete you make. We suggest using medium-hard sand and water for this part of the process.
Make sure to keep your eyes open while mixing so that you do not miss any cement! Once mixed, set it aside to harden for about an hour before attempting to move.
Mix the concrete
Once you have your concrete, it is time to mix it! We suggest using a meat cleaver to cut the concrete into pieces about an inch long. This will give you more control of the concrete as you mix it.
You can also use a knife or tool, but we suggest the meat cleaver because it is bigger and more powerful.
Directions: Start with your front feet, then work your way up. When cutting down the length of the concrete, remember to keep a slight curve so water does not go down the wrong path.
Then, start mixing! Use some elbow grease to make some good results out of little bit of concrete goes a long way.
Pour the concrete
Once yourbrick is prepared, it is time to pour the concrete. You can do this either directly in the brick or in a lined mixer, either way.
You will need a level surface to place the brick on to pour the concrete so be careful. The brick must be poured into the lines of the brick!
To make this easier, you can use one side of a neighbour’s bricks as a reference point to pour your own. Or you can use ones with slightly different shapes or densities of concrete.
Let it dry completely
Once the concrete has dried, you can paint it! You can do either a light grey or a dark grey, so long as your background color is appropriate.
Many people make pillars by first painting their top and then their bottom. This allows them to hold their weight in the process. Once the pillars are standing, they can be painted!
Let the concrete dry completely before working with it. If you must refrigerate it, do so immediately after pouring the concrete mixture into each square area.
Working with concrete is riskier than with other types of block material.
Take out of mold
When the concrete is set, it is time to take it out of the mold. This means that you need to cut it and break it into pieces.
You can do this by using a saw, or if you are more experienced, using a hammer and chisel. Either way, you must remember to return the tools to the storage container before cutting is done!
Once cut, place in heat source to warm thoroughly until set. Try not to overheat or the piece will be soft and mushy. Once this happens, it will not hold its shape or sit well on your wall. You will need to use another method of creating a support for your piece.
Finish with paint or polish
Once you have built your pillar, it is time to add some color. You can do this in several ways. You can purchase a kit that gives you all the necessary materials to make your own paint or polish. You can buy a kit that contains both, or you can find some very good quality paints and polishes at the store.
One great way to use your new concrete pillar is as a water feature. You can mount your pump on the bottom and connect it to an overhead sprinkler system. This way, you have access to water 24/7!
Another great way to use your new concrete pillar is as a countertop. A contractor should be able to give good instructions on how to make this work.
Reuse mold many times
Once you’ve created your pillar, it is time to make it solid! You can add more concrete later, as long as it is deep enough.
Normally, when concrete is made, some of the powder from the mixture is added again. This liquid cement is then mixed with more powdered cement and placed in the same container to create new pillars.
This procedure continues until all the concrete has been made. At that point, there are usually some national standards for how tall and wide the pillars must be.
Being that we are using such a small quantity of concrete in this project, there was no need for more mixing!
How to make a Concrete Pillar (text/picture) | Create CS: How to Make a Concrete PillarConcrete pillars are a classic architectural feature.