How to Embed Rocks in Concrete
Adding decorative rocks to concrete functions in tiny jobs, like garden pavers, or larger jobs, including a new patio or paved pathway. The rocks add texture and colour to the ordinarily bland-colored tangible to help bring visual interest to your yard. The easiest way to embed the rocks is to use a surface retardant to slow the drying time of this concrete, although this means you can not walk to the surface for at least two to three days.
Build a mold form, if necessary for your concrete job. Cut a square of plywood with a circular saw 4 inches bigger than you need pavers to be, like. Cut 2 two-by-fours to the same length as the plywood, then cut 2 pieces 4 inches shorter. Nail the extended timber pieces on two parallel sides of the plywood square, then nail the pieces on the ends. If you are pouring a patio or pathway, tamp the dirt down with a mechanical tamper and drive wooden stakes into the corners. Cut two-by-fours to match the measurements of the tamped region and nail them to the stakes, making sure they are flush with the ground.
Spray the mold with a concrete discharge spray to ensure that you are able to eliminate the concrete from the mold later.
Mix the concrete with water till it’s about the same consistency as pudding. For smaller jobs, this can be done with a trowel at a wheelbarrow. Pour it into your mold, leaving 1 inch loose at the very top.
Let the concrete dry immediately.
Mix more tangible. When you reach the correct consistency, add enough rocks to the mixture to cover your project. Pour another layer of concrete into the mold, covering the present layer.
Spray the surface of the concrete with a surface retardant spray. This lengthens the drying procedure on the top.
Let the concrete dry for around 2 hours, then spray the top with steady stream of water, like from a pressure washer on the bottom setting. This should start to expose some of this aggregate, or rocks, you added into the layer. Sweep more tangible off the rocks using a nylon-bristled brush or broom.
Let the concrete dry for two to three days. Paint it with a clear-coat concrete sealer if desired to help protect the concrete from spots and also hold the rocks in place.