Silicone is mainly recommended for creating concrete statues and figurines. The process is made more accessible due to the durability and flexibility of using silicone. However, silicone is one of many options as mold in creating concrete art.
Other than silicone, plastic, and metal are viable options for creating concrete art. Both plastic and metal molds provide the artist with an alternative to creating concrete art pieces that are different and varied.
Each type of mold has its advantages and disadvantages, which we will elaborate on below. As an artist, I love the challenge of creating art using the materials that I have readily available. Plastic molds can be made from plastic bowls or items purchased in a flea market.
Metal molds can be made from simple baking cutters to customized metal molding.
What Can I Use As A Concrete Mold
Making Concrete Art Using Plastic Mold.
Cement statues are durable and can be a great decorative item for indoor and outdoor decor. Cement can be molded to fit your imagination and desired end goal in its semi-liquid state.
When making cement art pieces, the correct type of mold is needed to help create the best end product for your cement decor. One type of mold that is commonly used is plastic mold. You can use everyday household plastic items to shape your cement, create your mold, or explore already-created molds.
Plastic molds can also be purchased online or at specialty stores, such as art stores, cake decorating stores, or even some specialty hardware stores. These molds can be easily used to form cement to assist you in making beautiful art pieces.
. Plastic molds are readily available, but you need a releasing agent to separate the concrete from the plastic mold.
Concrete can release from most plastics without a release agent, but your chances of it becoming stuck or deforming your piece are much greater without using it.
While curing, the concrete undergoes an exothermic reaction, causing the concrete to heat. This reaction usually stays below 120 Fahrenheit, but the larger the piece, the hotter it becomes.
Considering this, plastic is best for pieces that use less than 10 lbs of concrete or very thick, heavy-duty plastic.
Plastic molds are easy to buy for a beginner who would like to dabble in creating cement art pieces. The users can purchase plastic molds that can be used to make their indoor artwork and create garden art pieces.
Advantages of Plastic for Concrete Art.
Plastic Molds Are A Good Starting Point For Beginners.
As a beginner, plastic molds are a great start to experiment and improve your skills with the ease of finding plastic mold around your home.
With the different plastic materials around you, you can mold as many items as you desire. The process requires you to think outside the box indoors to produce what you intended.
You can use your existing plastic planters to create your first concrete piece. You can make a variety of planters depending on the number and designs available at your disposal.
With time your skills will improve, and you’ll be able to delve into purchasing silicone molds.
Plastic Molds Are Inexpensive.
Plastic molds are inexpensive compared to silicone molds. Plastic molds tend to be brittle and break easily. Even with the breakage, plastic molds are relatively easy to replace.
You can practice your skills and not have to spend on expensive mold options and learn and improve your technique.
The skills learned during the plastic mold phase can be easily transferred to making more sophisticated and expensive molds.
Disadvantages of Plastic molds.
Plastic molds are known for lasting only a short time compared to silicone and metal molds. They quickly lose their shape and details when used for a long time.
Plastic molds are not able to survive in high temperatures. Plastic molds start deforming with temperatures above 150 degrees Fahrenheit. You can clean the plastic molds in hot water as they begin to melt.
When the resin has cured in the plastic mold, demolding your project can be difficult. A sufficient release agent is needed to ease the removal process. You run the danger of deforming the plastic mold when you remove the resin from the mold.
Making Concrete Art Using Metal Molds.
Can we cast resin molds using metal? The answer is yes. The process is more straightforward if you already have a metal casting that you would like to produce a concrete art piece.
Concrete art can be made with homemade metal baking tools like Cookie cutters. The shape of the metal cookie cutter can produce multiple
concrete star-shaped concrete art for you to hand out as a Christmas gift, with various shapes and sizes of metal baking molds. You can create a varied amount of concrete projects.
Advantages of using metal molds.
Readability: The availability of metal molds at home is an excellent tool for beginners looking to test their skills in making resin art. You can purchase different shapes to try out your skills in producing an art piece you desire to create.
Durability: Metal is known to last a long time. Having to reuse the same metal mold over and over with not having the shape be deformed is a great trait. The same mold can be reused without worrying about the resin reacting to the metal surface.
Disadvantages of using metal molds:
Hard to Manufacture: Making very detailed mold requires specialized tools to create the desired shape. Creating intricate patterns and contours from plain metal requires specialized skill and tools.
Rigid Material: Unlike silicone and plastic, metal is rigid material to mold. It’s no secret how metal is used for reinforcement and strength. The ability of a metal to retain its form can be its downfall when attempting to mold it to the desired shape. If the mold is damaged, specialized skill is required to repair the damage.
The information provided above is important to open your eyes to the possibilities of creating different concrete art using the molds I have described. As I experiment with different materials, I will share my experiences and what I have learned.
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