we have made 100's of leaves out of Vinyl Cement Patch from Home Depot. Just add water- half a gallon or so- to a 40# bag. Can mix smaller batches if you like. Small leaves can be turned over and cleaned usually in 24 hours with spray nozzle on a hose. I make fountains out of the leaves we make and even drill holes in the back of the leaves made from this product so I can screw on hardware to hold the them. If interested in seeing some of the fountains email me at xha1man@yahoo.com and used fountains in subject line.
In My Garden Blog
New England
August 16, 2007
By
Kathy Bond Borie,
Richmond, Vermont
Concrete castings of hosta leaves brighten a shady bed.
Making a Leaf Casting
I've always loved big-leaved plants for the drama they lend to a garden, the way they hold onto water droplets and catch the sunlight. The intricate network of veins is remarkably showy on the huge leaves of rhubarb, gunnera, hosta, ligularia, rodgersia, to name a few. So when a friend recently asked if I'd like to learn how to make leaf castings out of cement, I grabbed a pair of disposable gloves and some work clothes and spent a hot summer afternoon in the cool of a barn, creating garden art out of leaves and cement.
First, a note about semantics: cement is the raw material consisting of clay and limestone; concrete is the final product that results when cement is mixed with sand and water.
The basic process of making a leaf casting involves covering the back side of a leaf with a cement/sand/water mixture, letting it dry and harden, then removing the leaf to reveal the shape and design of the leaf in concrete. Leaf castings can be utilitarian, serving as birdbaths or platform bird feeders. They can be eye-catching ornaments amidst low-growing plants or at the foot of a tree. With extra support added, they can guide your steps in the garden.
I'll share with you the recipe and process we used for making leaf castings, but know that there are many variations on the recipe and different techniques as well. Since there's no mold, every casting is unique, and, of course, coloring the casting involves endless possibilities. It's is a creative and exciting project, and the results can be stunning.
Here's the process we used:
* Portland cement type 1 (grey or white)
* sandbox sand
* Silpro liquid acrylic sealer
* acrylic or latex paint
* tile sealer
* water
* plastic tub without corners (where cement can hide) for mixing cement
* thin plastic bags for making castings
* large, thick sheet of plastic for covering container of cement
* waterproof rubber or latex gloves, thick ones for mixing cement, thinner ones for making casting
* face mask for mixing cement
* goggles for mixing cement
* freshly cut leaves to cast. Choose ones with pronounced veins and interesting margins, such as hosta, rhubarb, Dutchman's Pipe, ligularia, gunnera, rodgersia, and elephant ears.
1. Set up a work table in a cool, well-ventilated area out of direct sun. Cover the table with a sheet of plastic. Mix some sand with enough water to dampen it, and make a mound of sand on the table that's larger than your leaf. Cover the sand with a thin plastic bag such as a dry cleaner bag.
2. Cut off the stem of your leaf to about 1 inch, lay the leaf upside down on top of the plastic-covered sand and gently move the sand around underneath the leaf so it supports all parts of the leaf. You may need to remove the leaf a couple of times to form the sand into a mound that will better support the leaf. Make the bottom tip of the leaf point upward so when the casting is finished and turned over, the tip will have a natural-looking downward curl.
3. To mix the cement, don face mask and thick gloves and mix 3 parts Portland cement and 3 parts sandbox sand in the plastic tub. Mix 1/4 cup Silpro into 1 cup of water and add to the cement/sand mixture a little at a time. Continue adding plain water until cement is the consistency of toothpaste. The mixture should hold together if you squeeze it. If you add too much water, add more cement -- not sand -- to thicken it. Mix slowly to avoid incorporating air, which will make bubbles in your casting. Keep the mixture covered to keep it from beginning to set in the container.
4. With your hands protected by thin gloves, scoop a small blob of the mixture at a time, forming it into a thin patty, and pressing it onto the back of the leaf, starting at the midrib and working outward. Aim for a thickness of about 1/4 to 3/8 inch over the entire back, making the midrib extra thick to give the leaf support. Stop just short of the outer edge of the leaf (so you can peel the leaf away.)
To get a more finished edge, use a small paintbrush to brush the cement mixture towards the edges. Just don't make the edges too thin or they may break off.
For large castings that need more strength, you can sandwich a layer of overlapping drywall mesh tape in between two layers of cement mixture. I haven't tried this but you can find directions online.
5. When you're finished, cover the casting with a plastic bag or plastic wrap to hold in the moisture so it will dry more slowly.
6. Immediately wash the concrete tub outside with a garden hose so the cement mixture won't set and ruin the tub.
7. Let the leaf casting sit for a few days. The longer the curing time, the stronger the final concrete casting will be. Since the concrete will dry faster at warmer temperatures than at cool temperatures, anything you can do to keep the temperature down can help.
8. Small leaves may be dry after only 2 days, larger leaves will take longer. The concrete will turn light colored when it's dry. Then gently lift the casting off the sand and turn it over. Let it sit another couple of days before handling it. The real leaf will be stuck to the casting, so peel it off, using needle nose pliers, if needed, to carefully remove the leaf from deep veins without chipping the casting.
9. I used acrylic paint on the leaves, adding different colors in layers. Try different techniques. Watered down paint makes a wash that leaves hints of color. You can apply the paint with an almost dry natural sponge, or apply it with a paintbrush and then wipe it lightly with a damp sponge. You can use a tiny paintbrush to add color to the veins, or sponge on color so it seems into the veins and then lightly wipe the leaf with a damp sponge to remove most of the color on the raised portions of the leaf. Let the creative juices flow.
10. If you're keeping the casting outdoors, it's a good idea to paint a sealer product used for tile over the entire surface -- top and bottom.
Other Techniques To Try
I've read that you can get a smoother surface by mixing a small amount of a more watery slurry of cement and spreading that over the leaf first, then adding the thicker cement. You can also use this slurry to fill in any bubble holes that appear in the finished casting. You'll find other ideas online and in garden craft books.
Another tip: Smallish leaves and those with rounded margins are best for learning. Deeply lobed margins are trickier because there's more risk of the edges breaking or chipping. But, of course, they make the most interesting castings!
Join the discussion!
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- Add a comment -
roger johnson | September 6, 2007 | 12:14AM
Kathy Bond Borie | September 6, 2007 | 9:31AM
Roger, thanks for suggesting that product, I'll have to try it. Do you still have to seal the leaves afterwards? I want to cast some small leaves and was concerned the cement mixture would make them heavier than I would like. Is that product lighter than concrete mixture when dry? I made 3 different-sized leaves and was thinking about making them into a cascading fountain so I welcome any tips you have about that process. There are so many variations to try and I've but skimmed the surface.
roger | July 18, 2008 | 5:06AM
Kathy, If your still out there contact me at Xha1man@yahoo.com Roger
Charlotte Graham | August 17, 2008 | 11:36AM
Would you mind sharing your comments on making leaf casting for outdoors? I would like to make a big hosta leaf or medium size elephant ear casting and I would like it to be smooth and able to be outside. I would like to make them to stick on a pole for a bird bath or to lay on th ground, and I wondered if the idea about the wall patch really works well because that would be the easiest way to make them. Thanks for sharing. Sincerely, Charlotte Graham
Kathy Bond Borie | August 28, 2008 | 2:31PM
Charlotte, An acrylic sealer spray will protect your leaf casting outside. If you want to place it on a stake, you'd need to create the hole in the casting when the clay is still wet. I haven't done this myself but it seems like it could easily topple on a stake and would be more secure lying on the ground. I haven't tried the vinyl patch method but it does sound like a good one. Have fun!
Pink Orchid | September 29, 2008 | 6:46AM
Hi, Just found your thread, I am trying to keep the paint on my leaf castings so any input on this would be helpful. I have painted them pretty pretty, then sprayed acrylic sealer on them. They still peel. but on your note, I have sold a few of the leaf castings I made. What I do is use 2, 3 or 4 inch ( the size I use depends on how big the leaf is) PVC couplings or toiletbowl flanges. After you cast your leaf, place the flange or coupling on the spot where the leaf stem was.(I mark the spot with a bit of lumped mortor mix while I finish casting the leaf, then just pat it down flat. Place the coupling on top, mound the mortor around the coupling almost to the top. I use a bullet level to make sure it will sit flat on the post. Then I make a base ( I use those toss away tinfoil roasting pans, again, size depends on size of leaf) I put a matching coupling in the middle of the pan, put a section of pipe in so the mortor doesnt fill the coupling, fill the pan with cement, let it dry for 1 to 2 days, turn it out and cut the pvc pipe down so the base sits flat. Now i paint a section of pvc (schedual 40 is best, its stronger) with plactic primer and spray paint for plastic and voila! you got a bird bath!
Kathy Bond Borie | September 29, 2008 | 10:43AM
Pink Orchid, Thanks for sharing your method for turning a leaf casting into a birdbath. I'll have to try it. As for the paint peeling, perhaps it has to do with the thickness of the paint or the type of paint. I use acrylic paint and brush on several thin coats of different colors, then spray with acrylic sealer. I haven't had problems with peeling, not yet at least. What I love about the project is there are so many variations on materials and methods. Always something new to try.
marcia | December 31, 2008 | 5:09PM
I have found that after my leaves are well set up, and after the leaf is removed, I put them into a water bath...or just a tub of water. They need moisture to cure. This removes the lime, that is harmful to birds. It also helps keep paint on! I usually seal my leaves first with cement sealer when I paint... or stain, then seal. I also spray each one with acrylic clear coat, found anywhere they sell Kylon paint. Hope this helps. Marcia
marcia | December 31, 2008 | 5:10PM
Opps, I forgot to say I soak them for 4-5 days.
Sher | January 9, 2009 | 3:12PM
Pint Orchid, I would love to see a picture of your birdbaths with the base attached. I would love to try that. Thanks Sher
Sher | January 9, 2009 | 3:13PM
Correction PINK ORCHID
Sher | January 9, 2009 | 3:14PM
Marci, Do you always soak your leaves ?