When you think of concrete, you probably just think of roads and driveways, but concrete is more versatile than that. It can be an easy way to add little decorative touches to your home in an inexpensive way. So, here at Concept Concrete, we thought we’d give you some tips for working with concrete so that you can safely create your own pieces and add personality to your home.

If you want to learn more about concreting options, check out our resources:

1. What Are The Most Common Concrete Types?

2. How to Find the Best Concrete Contractor in Melbourne

3. Top Benefits of Hiring Professional Concrete Services

4. 5 Ways You Can Use Concrete in Your Garden

5. What Concrete Extension Types Can You Add To Your Home?

6. How To Remove Stains From Concrete

What you need

It’s important to stay safe when working with concrete, so make sure you have the following to hand:

  • Long sleeved jumper or top
  • Long trousers or jeans
  • Gloves
  • Goggles
  • A mask to cover your nose/mouth
  • Sturdy shoes with closed toes

Optional: protective glasses

Cement dust is toxic so it’s important to protect your eyes and skin from it. Small doses don’t cause much reaction in most people, but it’s better to be safe rather than sorry. If the mixture touches your skin, it can burn so wash it off with water and keep water running over it for up to 20 minutes.

Mixing cement

There’s an easy rule to follow when mixing concrete and that’s 1, 2, 3 – 1 part cement, 2 parts sand and 3 parts aggregate (small stones). Then you add water so that you blend the mixture into a smooth paste, keep folding the mixture over and over, as if making a cake so that the moisture is evenly distributed throughout. Be careful not to add too much water at once, just enough to mix it.

What can you make?

The only limit is your own imagination, but here are some ideas:

  1. Coasters

Functional and easy-to-make, coasters are a really good craft to start out with. You can experiment with shapes, from triangle to hexagon, and you can go really decorative when you get the hang of it.

  1. Bookends

It makes sense to have concrete bookends as they are a good weight. Pick up some baking moulds and create letters, shapes and unusual patterns to keep your things in place.

  1. Plant pots

Cement pots will last much longer than plastic pots, plus they are much more elegant. Again, you can be creative with shapes.

Check out YouTube for some other ideas on DIY Cement pieces.

Call Concept Concrete on 11300 366 343 for all your concrete and paving needs.