Thread: Back yard projects...

Since purchasing my little country home I have been making slow improvements to my back yard, mainly with cement walkways to my shop, play area(for the kids), and to my garden/gazebo area that i'm working on.

Have any of you ever used the quickrete stone path maker? It's a cement mold that looks fairly decent. If you have used it, what are some tips and what cement did you use?

I have not but kids and in-laws have to make the stepping stones. They have all just used the Quickrete or Sakrete to do it. Don't mix too wet for the mold.

Originally Posted by Mr. Cleland

Since purchasing my little country home I have been making slow improvements to my back yard, mainly with cement walkways to my shop, play area(for the kids), and to my garden/gazebo area that i'm working on.

Have any of you ever used the quickrete stone path maker? It's a cement mold that looks fairly decent. If you have used it, what are some tips and what cement did you use?

Sounds like a lot of work! I wish I had your motivations and skills.

If you are talking about what mix, you should use a coarse sand mix or fairly small pea gravel unless you have a crushed stone gravel mix (doubtful in southern MS). Gravel mix with smooth worn creek gravel is slippery when wet as is pure Portland cement. For stepping stones you want traction when wet.

Different aggregates are available in different areas.

Yes, i'm vaguely familiar with plain qucikrete for setting posts and such, but i've never used it in an area where I want 'pretty'. I've got some brown dye, but I wasn't sure if there's a preferred cement mix to use for projects like this.

Originally Posted by bn4316

I have not but kids and in-laws have to make the stepping stones. They have all just used the Quickrete or Sakrete to do it. Don't mix too wet for the mold.

Thanks bn.

Never used a mold. I have poured some concrete when we needed it - nothing big though, just sidewalks and pads for lawnmowers and trash cans. Once it's screed (drag a board back and forth across it) and floated (drag a float back and forth across it) it is slick so you have to put some sort of finish on it. I just used a push broom and barely brushed the surface while it was just barely wet. Roughs it up enough to get purchase on it when wet.

I have made path stepping stones before using Quickrette concrete mix. I used a piece of plywood wide enough to accommodate the size of step needed and full sheet length 8 ft. For the form I used deck pickets cut in pieces to form an Octi, screwed to plywood using drywall screws. I was able to fit 4 steps on the 8 ft length of plywood, so I could pour 4 steps at once. Leave overnight, unscrew picket pieces, remove step set aside to further dry, rescrew picket pieces and pour 4 more.

I've used one of those molds before, and I used regular Quickrette. The stones turned out fine. Still in use at my rental today.