Make a Japanese Garden Lantern Out of

Hypertufa
by KDS4444 in gardening

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Japanese garden lanterns are beautiful. They are also very heavy, and
frequently rather expensive. This Instructable will show you how to make
a lantern of your own for less than $15 in materials, though the total cost
might be more than this depending on what materials you might have on
hand and what you can easily get access to. The final product will be a
completed Japanese lantern that is about twenty inches tall and has a
light fixture inside of it for mounting an electric light bulb.

TIME: Once the materials are assembled it will take the average person
about an hour to mix and cast the hypertufa into its molds, and then about
a week for the mixture to cure (longer cure times will make for a stronger
structure-- the industry standard is 28 days). Creating the molds can take
as little as an hour or two if you have the necessary materials and tools
on hand and have a well-organized sense of what you want to accomplish
and how to make it happen. This Instructable should help with that.

TOOLS: This project requires no specialty tools or materials, and as long

as the appropriate precautions are observed regarding the use of
Portland cement, is not hazardous.

SUPPLIES:
To make the hypertufa mix:
*Play sand, 2 qts., such as THIS

*Portland cement, 1 qt., like THIS (you do not want "concrete", or "mason
mix", or "mortar mix", or "pronto mix", or "stucco"-- you want plain, simple,
basic Type I Portland cement)

*Although I originally recommended 1 qt. of peat moss, today I

recommend a an equal amount of coir. Coir is cocoanut husks which
have been shredded for use as ground cover. It makes excellent
hypertufa mix, though it is somewhat chunkier than peat moss. More
importantly, coir is a renewable resource-- peat moss largely is not. Note
that many commercially available peat moss is often sold with Miracle
Gro® or some such fertilizer added-- this fertilizer with compromise your
hypertufa and is undesirable. If you decide to use peat moss, you should
acquire peat moss without added fertilizer. If you accidentally get some
peat moss with fertilizer, you can also rinse it well before using it to wash
away most of the fertilizer, though you cannot mix it with the other dry
ingredients until it itself is dry again and since peat moss is built to retain
moisture, this can take some time.
*Perlite, 2 qts., such as THIS (substitute same amount of vermiculite-- in
either case again make sure it does NOT include added fertilizer like
Miracle Gro®, which is a common additive).
*If you live in a climate that has winter freezing temperatures, you will also
need about 1 sq. foot of shredded fiberglass sheet fabric
*Tap water, 2-3 cups
*Two large plastic mixing tubs (one for mixing the hypertufa, the other for
dumping the dry ingredients into and back out of as you prepare it)
*Strong rubber gloves (I like to use "Bluettes"), filter mask a good idea too
*For clean-up, I have read about though not yet tried a product
called Mean Klean which is a concrete and mortar dissolver composed
mostly of eco-friendly and surprisingly effective yet non-toxic glycolic
acid. It is inexpensive and readily available. Also, if you are confident
with it, you can use a very dilute solution of muriatic acid on any hypertufa
mix spills as long as you have baking soda on hand to neutralize it with
immediately afterwards.

To make the casting forms:

*Scrap wood pieces of various sizes & thicknesses; I used some
discarded painting frames made of easily-sawed pine and some
pressboard from a discarded shelving unit.

*Glue (wood glue will work for most purposes but any strong contact
cement will also do. What I had on hand was a product called E-6000 by
Eclectic Products, Inc. (available from Michael's, click HERE) which they
advertise as “industrial strength adhesive.” I don’t know if I would go that
far, but it's pretty strong.)

*Kitchen plastic wrap, one roll; alternatively, you may use a sheet of
"painter's plastic". Husky's Painter's Plastic (available from HomeDepot
and viewable HERE) is wonderfully thin and though it punctures rather
easily, it works very well for preserving water in hypertufa mix (though a
400-foot roll is much more than you will need for this project)

*Large plastic garbage bags, pref. puncture-resistant or heavy-duty, 3-4,

such as THESE

*Various forms (bucket, plastic planter, lampshade, serving dishes, etc)

*Optional:
-Beveled glass tiles

To light the lantern:

*Ceramic light fixture (a Craftmade K212-O Porcelain One Piece
Keyless Lamp Holder like TIHIS works well and costs under $2. Use a
fixture without any switches or pull-chains, make certain that it is ceramic
and not plastic
*Light bulb, pref. a compact fluorescent

*Copper wiring, 10'-20', and associated plug

*To make a paper liner, which is entirely optional: a sheet of rice paper, a
Sharpie marker, some clear polyurethane-- see Step 4 for more details

Step 1: Before We Begin: Lantern Theory

Before we go much further it will be useful to review the theory of the

construction of Japanese lanterns and explain exactly what hypertufa is.

THE LANTERN:
A Japanese lantern or “to-ro” has a distinct style, and is composed of
several distinct parts. The one you make may deviate from the style
demonstrated here, and still be very Japanese in its format. A standard
Japanese lantern like the one demonstrated here consists of the following
elements, from top to bottom:
A&B..) Ho-ju or ho-shu ( lit. “jewel”) - The onion-shaped finial at the very
top.
C.) Kasa (lit. “umbrella”) - A conical or pyramidal umbrella covering the
fire box.
D.) Hibukuro (lit. “fire sack”) - The firebox.
E.) Chu-dai (lit. “central platform”) - The part on which the fire box rests.
F.) Sao (lit. “post”) - The supporting main post, often missing or replaced
by legs.

There are various Buddhist meanings attributed to these items as well,

but I will not review them here.

You need not follow my own design exactly, but if you want your own
lantern to look like a Japanese one, here are some guidelines for
constructing your forms:

The umbrella must be wider than the light box and its platform, and is
often wider than the base as well. Lamps with very broad umbrellas are
very attractive. The umbrella is often divided into panels like the light box,
and often the number of panels matches and lines up.

The firebox must be narrower than the platform below it, and taller than
it. It must also contain at least one and as many as six perforations/
windows. The firebox may also be made cylindrical. The most frequent
arrangement of windows is six windows on six panels of a six-sided box,
though a six sided box could also have only three windows that alternate
with solid panels.

The platform must always be wider than the box itself and wider than the
top of the base it rests on, though not wider than the umbrella, and must
not be taller than the box (usually it is less than 1/4 the height of the
box). Also, the basic shape of the platform frequently mirrors that of the
box: if the box is square, the platform is also often square; a round box
typically has a round platform; a hexagonal box, a hexagonal platform
(this is not a hard and fast rule, and I do not follow it myself here). Note
that the platform, however it is constructed, is usually made so that it's
bottom side slants upward and outward from the top of the base.
The base: the base may be nothing more complicated than a pillar,
although if a pillar, the pillar itself typically flares out at the bottom so as to
keep it from easily tipping over. The pillar may be very short, even less
than the overall height of the box and umbrella (for example, a lantern for
a table-top) but the flaring rule still applies: if a pillar, the bottom is wider
than its top. Pillars may also flare at their tops, but this is optional. Bases
with legs will have between three and four legs, three being by far the
most common if not the most stable (getting all four legs of a 4-leg lantern
base to be the exact same length and therefore not wobble can be very
difficult and the added stability is not always worth the effort, whereas a 3-
legged base will never wobble).

WHAT IS HYPERTUFA?
Hypertufa is a a mixture of Portland cement and other materials which
combine to produce a stone-like substance of exceptional durability while
also weighing much less than standard poured cement and costing much
less than stone to manufacture. It is often used to make garden planters–
its use here is a variation on that theme, using hypertufa to make a
garden object designed to house a light rather than make a planter to
house a plant. Hypertufa tends to sag somewhat while it cures unless it
is supported on all sides, so the use of molds is necessary. Properly
mixed hypertufa, however, does a reasonably good job of holding its own
shape as long as the scale is relatively small, though I would never build
anything larger than a teacup with hypertufa without some kind of form on
either the inside or the outside. Creating these forms is the first challenge
of making a hypertufa Japanese garden lantern.

Step 2: Making Your Molds/ Forms

 Show All Items

In order to create much of anything in hypertufa, you will need to use

molds. As previously mentioned, the hypertufa mixture, though stiff (if
made correctly) will tend to sag as it cures and needs to be held securely
in place by a form. Note that anything and everything that the mixture
attaches to while curing will become more or less permanently bonded to
it– glass, metal, and most plastics. This is great in some senses (if, for
example, you wanted to embed objects into your cast pieces), but can be
problematic in others. It is very important when finished making a batch
of hypertufa that you wash down every surface of everything it has
touched. Clean-up can never be left “for later,” because “for later” easily
means that it will be too late.

Also be prepared to be very patient. Although I could do it much faster

now, the process of making this lantern took me almost a week to plan,
and more than three days to finally execute, and then I had to wait the
additional cure-time of at least another week. This Instructable means
that you won't have to spend quite that much time doing the prep work,
but you cannot rush the process of curing the hypertufa-- If you remove
any of the pieces from the molds too soon or allow them to dry out before
the week is up, the mix will not have set enough and your pieces may
break! You have been warned.

MAKING YOUR MOLDS (in no particular order)

The Umbrella:
For this particular hypertufa project, I used a discarded lampshade from a
halogen floor lamp as the form for my umbrella– it was broad as well as
very shallow, which gave it the proper shape. Indeed, it was the
inspiration for the whole lantern, in my own case, and was very easy and
happened to be readily available.

The Platform:
For the platform, I used a large serving dish. It was important that this
piece be smaller in diameter than the umbrella, that it be flat on the
bottom, and that it be wide enough across the bottom to accommodate
the ceramic light fixture plus an inch or two. I wrapped the dish in plastic
wrap, placed the ceramic fixture in the center, and then covered it and the
dish with another layer of plastic wrap– once filled with hypertufa, this will
look somewhat like a large flattened donut.
The Legs:
For the legs, I used a cheap bucket from the 99 cent store for the outside
and a plastic garden planter to provide structural support for the inside. It
was important that these two shapes more or less match in their slopes,
that the space between each of them be about an inch to two inches on
all sides (too thin and they won’t hold up the lantern; too thick and they
become ungainly). To create the arches between the legs I used some
foam core that had come with the delivery of my computer: it was flexible
yet stiff, and just the right thickness for this project. I cut three pieces the
exact same shape and wrapped each in plastic wrap secured with
masking tape. I also included, at the bottom of the bucket, a small
wooden “peg” to allow the future electrical cord to travel through (see
illustration).

The Lantern:
The design and execution of the lantern was the most time-consuming
and difficult of any of the pieces I made. For the lantern itself, I decided
on a six-paneled design because that was most familiar to me and
seemed relatively simple. I also had several pieces of beveled glass that
I wanted to use to make the window shapes (note:I did not intend to
“mount” these glass pieces IN my lantern– I only used them to create a
set of shapes, though I suppose they COULD have been mounted in the
design if that had been my intent).

The important thing was to create six uniform panels, each about an inch
thick, with sides that sloped very close to 60 degrees, that were all the
same height, and were flat on the top and the bottom. Exactly how YOU
decide to go about this will be up to you. I did it by cutting 12 wooden
trapezoids pieces out of some scrap lumber. These had 3" wide bases
(their thickness did not matter much. I then mounted these on a board in
two carefully aligned rows that were spaced exactly 4" apart, giving me
the basic form to create six panels that were 3" wide and 4" tall. It was
important to create panels that were at least this high so that I could
eventually insert a light bulb into my lantern; if I had gone much shorter, I
would have had much fewer light bulb options to work with.

To create the openings for the windows, I made six uniform stacks of my
beveled glass pieces between blocks of wood (all connected by masking
tape), and glued these stacks onto the board between the trapezoid end
pieces (see my illustration of this board). It was important that these
stacks be at the same height and, for my purposes, that they be closer to
one end (i.e., the top) than the other. It was also important that the stacks
be tall enough to go “all the way through” the form so that they would
create actual windows.

Incidentally, a standard light switch cover is 3" wide and just over 4.5"
high. They would have made excellent guides for my forms, if I had
thought to use them, and would have produced panels only half an inch
taller, which would probably have looked just fine.

Note: you may be tempted to design a mold that will allow you to cast the
entire fire box as single piece, with openings for the windows and a
hollow space in the center for the light bulb. Let me forewarn you: I have
tried this several times, and so far every attempt has ended in disaster: it
is very difficult to extract the cured fire box from such a mold, even if the
mold is only a temporary one designed to be discarded once you are
finished. The delicate frames around the window openings are both very
difficult to properly pack with hypertufa mix-- even thin mix-- and very
likely to crack and come apart in the end even if you allow the cement to
cure a very long time before extraction. Once cracked, re-attaching
broken fragments of hypertufa is not easy! You can try moistening the
two sides of the broken pieces, sprinkling them with pure cement dust
(while wearing gloves), and then carefully bracing them together until the
cement cures, but I have had only moderate success with such bonds.

The Jewel:
This is a very small and simple element. I took a rounded dessert dish
from the kitchen and lined it with plastic wrap. It guaranteed me a final
round shape that was the correct aesthetic width, but any number of other
mold shapes would have worked as long as they were small enough and
curved up evenly around the sides.

Finalizing the Molds:

Once all of these molds were created/ acquired, they all had to be
completely lined in plastic wrap– it took several lengths of it to completely
line the form I had made for the panels, and at least two or three to line
the bucket and garden planter. Remember, the hypertufa mix will adhere
to any surface it is allowed to cure against– the plastic wrap is the only
barrier between your molds and the mix. The more of it you use, the
more protection it will offer, though the less detail you will achieve in your
final pieces.

Step 3: Casting the Hypertufa

Dry Ingredients:
Once all of the molds were covered in plastic wrap, I prepared the
hypertufa mix. I mixed all of my dry ingredients in a plastic tub, being
careful not to breathe in any of the extremely fine powdered cement–
Portland cement becomes airborne very easily, and you cannot scoop it
into anything without creating a cloud of dust around you. This dust
contains lime, and is a throat and lung irritant which should be treated
with respect and avoided when possible: only mix where you will have
adequate ventilation and can clean up easily. Also, avoid getting cement
on your skin– its high alkalinity can cause a chemical burn that can make
your skin peel. Always wear protective gloves when using cement for any
purpose. As much hypertufa as I have made in the past few years, I have
never touched any of it with my bare hands until it had cured.

A bit about the other ingredients: the presence of perlite is what will make
your final pieces light. The perlite does not retain or absorb water, just
air-- if you want to, you can make your mix of nothing but cement and
perlite and it will be quite strong and amazingly light. You may
substitute vermiculite for the perlite, though vermiculite will retain water
and your final pieces will not be as light as with perlite. The peat
moss will imbue your pieces with a rugged rock-like quality and will make
them suitable for colonization by moss (note that peat moss is often
considered a non-renewable resource, and you may use any number of
other plant refuse materials in its place-- grass clippings, hedge
trimmings, bark, fine wood chips, etc., even shredded
paper). The sand will give your final pieces a pleasant texture and solid
strength. I never leave it out. If you live in a climate that freezes
seasonally, you will also want to add additional materials to keep your
lantern from crumbling apart over time: fiberglass sheet cut into strips or
squares and added to your mix will have the effect of preventing it from
cracking. It is readily available over the Internet, and is frequently carried
locally by outdoor and camping supply places that sell canoes and kayaks
(fiberglass is used to repair hulls).

It is important to mix the dry ingredients thoroughly before adding any

water. I find that completely emptying these ingredients into a second
container and then back again into the first is the only way to ensure that
they become completely mixed. If you do not mix them completely, the
cement will cure unevenly and your final project will be unstable. Also:
any mixing container will have corners, and these corners are where dry
materials will tend to deposit themselves unmixed-- scrape them out
regularly with your gloved hands as you mix to prevent this.

Add Water:
Once the dry ingredients are mixed, it is time to add water. This is where
hypertufa becomes more art than science. How much water? “Enough”
water. You need to add only enough water to allow the mixture to
become something akin to cookie dough in texture. If it is so thin that it
won’t hold its shape in your molds, you will need to add more cement
powder (it is the cement powder that sucks up the water). If it is so thick
that you are getting clumps, you will need to add more water. Only add
water in very small amounts! It is easy to add more cement to your mix,
but impossible to take any water out of it! And it takes surprisingly little
water to activate any given batch of hypertufa. There is no need to rush
this process– the cement will not begin to cure for several hours, so take
your time to do it correctly. If you add a lot of water in the beginning, your
mix will end up soupy... And it will weigh a ton. Also note that though it
may seem counterintuitive, wetter mixes are ultimately not as strong as
more crumbly ones. Your final mix should stick to your gloves just like
cookie dough would stick to your hands, maybe a little stickier/ wetter. It
is then time to start packing it into your molds. (There are many web
resources on the nature of hypertufa and on the theory of cement curing–
they are worth reviewing. Cement.org has a very good article here:
http://www.cement.org/basics/concretebasics_faqs.asp)

Step 4: Final Act: Clean-up, Trimming, Electrical, and

Shades
After Casting:
The most important thing to do once you are done casting the hypertufa is
clean it all up and rinse off everything it has touched– floors, gloves, tools,
etc. Also, avoid rinsing leftover mix down your drains, as cement will also
cure underwater and enough of it can create a solid plug in your plumbing
that no amount of Drain-O will ever be able to remove. This is the time to
break out the "Mean Klean" product mentioned in the first step: spray it on
all surfaces the cement mix has touched and apparently it will ensure that
none of it sets. If you have extra mix when you are done, consider
making a small planter out of it– make sure it has a hole in the bottom for
drainage, and that it will stand up when it has cured (either give it legs or
make sure it has a flat bottom).

You must now wrap up all of your pieces in plastic bags to help conserve
moisture as the hypertufa cures, and you should revisit your pieces
regularly over the next week or more and spritz them with water to keep
this process moving along. After 24 hours the mix should have hardened
enough for you to pop all of your pieces out of their molds (gently, gently–
the cement is still very delicate and will break easily!) and have a look at
them. If you make your panel pieces the way I did-- in a row of touching
forms-- You should be able to break apart any of them which were still
touching when the cement was cast. This is also your best opportunity to
even out any rough spots on any of your pieces using hand tools or
abrasives.

If you are working outside and have a flat driveway, you can begin by
taking the umbrella piece out of its mold: place it face-down and move it
gently in grinding circles on this rough surface to produce a very smooth
and perfectly even plane on what will be the underside of your umbrella
(make sure you wash down whatever mess is left behind: all of this
cement is still curing, and will cure into a permanent white spot on your
driveway if allowed to dry there). This leveling will become important to
prevent light from leaking out between the umbrella and the firebox once
the lantern is assembled and lit. Likewise, you can "roller-grind" down
your platform and the edges of the panel pieces (leave the legs be– they
are still delicate and should not be messed with yet).

I took this opportunity to also grind my “jewel” down into a more onion-
domed shape using a Dremel tool. The cement was not quite so hard
that this wasn’t possible, but it still took me at least 20 minutes to grind off
enough cement to give the jewel its characteristic point (see photo).

Now that everything is smooth, you can mix up a very small batch of
mortar mix– just cement and sand, in a combination that is almost soupy
but still slightly stiff, using all the regular precautions– and use it to bind
all of the panels of the firebox to your platform and to each
other. Covering your work surface with plastic sheeting, begin by placing
a dolop of the cement “glue” on the bottom of each panel and one side,
place that panel on the platform about where you think it should go, then
do the same to the next piece and put it in place next to the first, and so
on until you have completed a ring of six and have made a
hexagon. Wipe up any drippings as best you can with a damp sponge,
cover the assembled pieces with plastic again, and let sit for another 24
hours. Then you can uncover it again and do your best to even up the
top edge of the hexagon so that it will fit smoothly against the
umbrella. You can do this by mixing up yet another small batch of mortar,
putting it only on the top edge of the firebox, and then placing something
you know to be flat on top of it (I used a sheet of glass wrapped in plastic
wrap) for at least 24 hours. Once this mortar hardens, you will be
guaranteed a perfect fit between firebox and umbrella.

Final assembly of the lantern is straightforward: once all of the pieces

have cured under plastic and have been kept moist for at least a week,
you may uncover them and complete the assembly. No more mortar or
cement is necessary: the jewel for the very top only needs to rest on the
umbrella which only rests on the firebox which is already attached to the
platform which only rests on the legs.
Electrical:
Between the platform and the legs is where you can place the ceramic
light fixture, and run its electrical cord down the hole in the center of the
tripod piece that was created by the wooden block discussed much
earlier, and then to your power source. As always, make sure this
electrical connection is well protected against possible moisture– sealing
it with silicone is not a bad idea. If you do not have any experience
working with electricity, please proceed with caution: unexpected
electricity is frightening at best and dangerous at worst! Trim the ends off
of your copper two-ply cord and secure each of the two strands of one
end of the cord to the two electrical connecting screws on the ceramic
fixture. Tighten these screws well, and cover them with a layer of
electrical tape (none of this work will be visible-- err on the side of
caution). At the other end is where your plug should be. I leave the plug
part up to you.

Shades:
Many original Japanese lanterns had paper liners to diffuse the light
inside them, and you can certainly use such a device in your lantern if the
wattage of your bulb is not too bright (anything incandescent over 40
watts will run too hot-- any compact fluorescent bulb will probably be
fine). If you decide to include a lampshade like this, out of paper, it is
important that the paper be able to withstand the heat of the bulb in your
lantern, that it be suitable for exposure to the outdoors, and that it be thin
enough to allow most of the lantern's light to flow through it. Ordinary
printer paper, for example, will probably be too thick and your lantern will
look dark. I took a sheet of very-thin rice paper, decorated it with a
metallic permanent Sharpie pen in swirls, and then painted each side of it
with Zar "Ultra-Max" interior waterborne oil-modified clear satin
polyurethane. Once the polyurethane was dry (a couple of hours) I
simply slid the paper in between the light bulb and the interior walls of my
lantern, put the umbrella and jewel on top, and I was done.
 Build Custom Molds to
Pour a Concrete
Japanese Lantern
Inspired by Japanese gardens, it’s easy to cast and looks good for decades!

 By Jim Becker
 Time Required: 4–6 Days
 Difficulty: Easy

 Print this Project

788 82 58 3 1

I was in Japan eight years ago and like a good tourist, I went to many
Japanese gardens, which were amazing. A ubiquitous feature of
Japanese gardens is concrete and stone lanterns in endless shapes
and sizes. When I came back home, I decided to build one myself.
This lantern is my design; it’s not based on any particular build, but it’s
representative of many traditional garden lanterns.
While making this lantern is not difficult, there are lots of steps, so for
the sake of brevity I drew some diagrams that Makers can follow.
All the forms for casting the pieces of the lantern are made from 5/8″
plywood. I used inexpensive CDX grade, which leaves a subtle wood
grain texture on the concrete. You can use a smoother grade of
plywood if you want a smoother finish.

Cast Your Concrete Lantern

The lantern has 6 pieces: a base, column, pedestal top, window box,
canopy, and cap. You can download PDFs of the full-size diagrams or
click the images below to view them in your web browser.

Build the basic forms

You’ll use mainly 1″ screws, or simple 1″ angle brackets with ½”
screws, to connect the plywood pieces together. If desired, you can
sand down rough spots or smooth them with wood filler.
Starting with base/pedestal top form (Figures A and B), cut all pieces
as indicated, then screw them together. I used 1½” screws to fasten
the walls to the base, but 1″ are probably fine. Note that you’ll use this
mold twice: for both the base and the pedestal top.
Figure A
Figure B

Next build the canopy form (Figures C,D, E, and F). Since this is a
complex shape, it’s a lot easier to use duct tape to hold the pieces
together, and the shape of the form (a truncated pyramid) actually
makes for a sturdy mold using just the tape.
Figure C
Figure D
Figure E
Figure F

Now build the column form (Figure G), which is a simple box shape,
and next the cap form, which is a small piece, but is 2 forms built into
one (Figures H, I, and J).
Figure G

Figure H
Figure I
Figure J
Build the window box form
This form is trickier — it creates negative spaces inside the box to
make the windows. The outer form is a simple box; the inner form is a
smaller box with foam blocks duct-taped to each wall. Once the
concrete has set, the foam blocks are removed to create the windows.
Build the outer and inner form boxes as shown (Figures K and L).
Figure K
Figure L
Cut out 10 pieces of 1″ foam, each 5½” square. Using 2″-wide duct
tape, attach 2 pieces together by wrapping tape around all 4 edges to
make a 2″-thick block (Figure M). Repeat to make 4 more blocks.
Figure M

Using more duct tape, attach one foam block to the bottom of the inner
form. Then tape a block on each side, 2″ up from the bottom (i.e., flush
with the bottom of the plywood) (Figures N and O).
Figure N
Figure O

Insert the inner form inside the outer form (Figure P). Make sure it’s a
tight fit, otherwise it can float out of position when you pour the
concrete. If it’s too tight, use sandpaper to trim the foam blocks, or just
remove one side of the outer box, insert the inner box, and then
replace the outer panel. It’s OK if the foam is compressed a little.
Figure P

Mix a batch of concrete

I’ve found it’s best to start with 4 parts concrete to one part water, and
then add more water to get the consistency you want. In a plastic tub
or bucket, measure out 4qts of concrete mix using a 1qt measuring
cup. Then add 1qt of cold water, stirring until the mixture is completely
dissolved (Figure Q). Now add a little water if needed, until it has the
consistency of pancake batter.
Figure Q

Continue stirring for 5 minutes. I suggest you only mix batches about
this size — any larger and it gets hard to stir, and trust me, you have a
lot of stirring ahead of you!

Pour the pedestal and cap

IMPORTANT: Place your forms on a level surface before pouring
concrete. If they’re not level, the top surface of the piece you’re casting
will not be parallel with the bottom surface! Use a bubble level (or a
level app on your smartphone) and shims if needed to level the form.
Pour the concrete into the base/pedestal form until it’s level with the
top. Then pour into the cap form until it’s level with the top edge
(Figure R). Let both cure overnight, ideally 24 hours.
Figure R

NOTE: Pour any leftover concrete into a heavy-duty plastic bag, and
scrape as much off the tub as possible. Then use a garden hose
outside to rinse the tub. Don’t rinse in a sink until almost all the
concrete is gone, or you run the risk of plugging up your sink drain with
sand and concrete!
Before making any more pieces, check that the pedestal and cap have
cured properly. Unscrew the pedestal form and carefully remove the
side panels. You may have to pull hard to get the concrete to release
from the plywood, but don’t worry, it’s not fragile. Save all the panels,
as you’re going to cast a second piece (the base) from the same form.
For the cap, carefully remove all the panels (Figure S). The piece with
the square hole in it might be tricky to remove, if the top of the cap is
wider than the hole. If needed, use a handsaw to cut this piece away
(Figures T and U).
Figure S

Figure T
Figure U

Pour the base, column, and canopy

Assuming both the pedestal and cap came out fine, move on to the
other pieces.
Reassemble the base/pedestal form, and make another identical piece
for the base.
The column is a big piece, so you’ll need more than one bag of
concrete. It’s hard to mix that much concrete at the same time, so think
in terms of 4 batches to fill up the form. Again, make sure it’s level.
This piece will be particularly heavy, so if you’re not that strong or don’t
have a friend to help, I suggest making the column shorter by just filling
the form halfway. The lantern still looks great when shorter!
For the canopy, it’s important that the concrete fill the entire form,
especially the thin angled edges. Make the first batch a little thinner
than usual so that it fills the whole cavity. Then you can go back to
regular pancake-batter thickness. You may see some liquid concrete
seep out corners; that’s fine. It’s more important that there are no air
pockets. Give the whole thing a good shake, then fill the form all the
away to the bottom edge of the square hole. Let it set for at least 24
hours — ideally 48 hours since this mixture is a little thinner (Figure V).

Figure V

Then simply remove the duct tape and the panels should pull off
(Figure W). If some of the edges come out a little rough, that’s OK — in
my experience people prefer the “rough” look.
Figure W

Pour the window box

Now that you’re a concrete expert, it’s time to tackle the trickiest piece,
the window box. This piece has some thinner sections, where regular
quick-set concrete would likely crack. So you’ll use a specific concrete
called “construction grout” or “structural grout.” Mix a normal-sized
batch, about ⅓ of the 50lb bag. Once again since the cement needs to
get into tight corners, make the mixture a little on the liquid side.
Pour into one corner and check that the mixture fills the bottom of all 4
corners; you can use a stick of 2×2 lumber to push the mixture down.
Then fill all the sides, pouring directly into each side, until the mixture is
level with the top edge (Figure X). Let it set at least 24 hours; 48 hours
is best.
Figure X

To remove the inner panels, use the small socket wrench to remove all
the hex head screws, then gently wiggle out all 4 panels, starting with
the narrower ones (Figure Y). Remove the outer panels with a
screwdriver.
Figure Y

To remove the foam blocks, first drill a ½” hole in the foam near the
corner of the block (Figure Z), then use a keyhole saw to cut out most
of the foam. Peel off the duct tape, and you have a window! Do this on
all 5 foam blocks and window box is done (Figure AA).
Figure Z

Figure AA
Assemble your lantern
Each piece on its own is not that heavy (except for the column), but
once assembled the lantern will be too heavy to move. So find the
place where you want to put the lantern and move each piece
separately to that location.

Don’t just stack the pieces — it’s important that you

glue them together so that the lantern doesn’t accidentally topple over
and injure somebody! Use Quikrete Construction Adhesive or
something equivalent. You’ll be using a lot of glue, so cut the tip for
wide diameter and fast flow.
First make sure the base is on solid ground and adjust it with small
rocks or gravel until it is perfectly level in all directions. The rest of the
pieces you can eyeball for level (or plumb, for the column).
To put the column on the base you’ll need a helper! Once in position,
adjust for level/plumb by adding bits of gravel under the column
bottom. Then tilt the column slightly, apply the adhesive liberally, and
tip the column back. Let dry for 24 hours.
Place the other pedestal on the column and let cure for 2 hours. Then
proceed with gluing the window box. Then glue the canopy and cap
(Figure BB). Your lantern is complete!
Figure BB
Build the lantern windows (optional)
For each window’s frame, cut 2 wood pieces approximately ½”×1″×5½”
and 2 pieces ½”×1″×3½” (adjust as needed to fit your window holes).

For the center pieces, cut 2 pieces ½”×½”×3½”. Cut a small lap joint on
each pair, about ½” wide and ¼” deep.
If desired, finish all pieces with simple stain on the front. Then slot
them together and glue up the whole window.
Light it Up
Of course you can make it a real lantern by adding a candle (Figure
CC) or LED lights. Make your own tiny weatherproof LED lanterns, or
try Dark-Detecting LEDs.
Figure CC

To add permanent lighting, you might try gluing a length of pipe, ½”

diameter or wider, into the center of the forms for the column and
pedestal, to leave an open conduit for wiring.

Going Further
The variety of Japanese stone lanterns is amazing. Search online for
styles you like, and then modify the forms I’ve provided to create your
own design. Some ideas:

 Top it with a traditional jewel-in-the-lotus shape, by carving your

own mold.
 Use an old satellite dish to cast an umbrella-shaped canopy; try a
trash bag or nonstick cooking spray as a mold release.
 Create incised details or symbols on the column, by gluing raised
shapes inside the mold. If you do 3D printing, let your imagination
go wild!
 Add window frames. Make: engineering intern Matt Kelly built the
beautiful wooden window frames shown here.
 Building molds for concrete is really rewarding, and definitely not
something most people do. Enjoy your lantern — it’s one of those rare
things that looks better as it gets older. And start thinking about other
things you can make out of concrete!

 PARTS

 Quick-set concrete, 60lb bags (6) such as Quikrete

 Construction grout, 50lb bag aka structural grout
 Plywood, 5/8", 4'×8' sheets (2) CDX or other non-appearance grade
 Sheet metal screws, 5/16" hex head, ½" long (50)
 Wood screws or drywall screws, 1" (50)
 Angle brackets, 90°, 1" (20)
 Duct tape, 2" wide, high quality
 Scrap lumber, 2×2, 12"–18" length
 Concrete adhesive, 10 oz tubes (2) such as Quikrete Polyurethane Construction
Adhesive
 Rigid foam insulation, 1" thick, approx. 12"×30

A Japanese garden is not complete without lanterns. Traditionally, crafted

from granite, lanterns cost from $200 on up, and shipping can run over $100
too. Here are some ideas to help you make your own lanterns from cement
($4.00 per bag) using everyday household items. Check out Herb's album for
some more ideas.

Lantern 1
Here are the molds that
I came up with for my
1st lantern. The town
plastic re-cycle bin is a
great place to find free,
unusual containers:

 An old
tupperware base
 An empty plastic
lamp oil container
 A plastic
pumpkin and
bowl
 A plastic deviled-
egg tray
 A plastic bowl
 Bottom of a
plastic 7up bottle

(This took about 2/3 of an

80lb bag of cement so I made
another smaller one at the
same time so that I could mix
the whole bag.
Here I used the table saw
(blade backwards) to rip
a 3" PVC pipe in
half. Then I used a razor
blade knife to cut the
plastic so the pipes
would fit. This should
give me a base similar to
this one.

Again with a razorblade

knife I cut rectangles for
a scrap board and using a
hole saw cut out holes for
the 1¼" PVC pipes. I
should end up with
something similar to
below
I mixed an 80lb bag of
ready mix cement in the
wheelbarrow. Although
cement with stones in it
is stronger, I selected a
sand mix so that it would
be smoother and easier to
stuff into the
molds. Also, I mixed it
just a little "wetter" to
work into the molds
easier. Be careful not get
it too wet or it won't have
any strength. In the
shade you have a good
hours time before the
cement begins to setup.

Finally, the fun part -

stuffing the molds.

Normally, in concrete
work you can remove the
forms the next day. This
is NOT the case with
these plastic molds as
they hold moisture for a
long time and you should
probably wait 3 days or
so before removing
them. The longer the
concrete takes to "dry"
the more strength it will
have.
Here are the parts "dry"
stacked. I will put them
together with either thin
set cement or
construction adhesive
and then coat the entire
exterior with cement
patch to fill in cracks, air
bubbles etc and give it a
sand look followed by a
coat of butter milk for a
mossy aged look. The
pumpkin really didn't
work out and I broke it
removing the wood. I
will probably construct
something square from a
milk carton. The deviled
egg roof is very ornate.

Lantern 2
Here are the molds that
I came up with for my
2nd lantern which is
somewhat smaller:

 An old
tupperware
square base
 A plastic
Gatorade bottle
for the pedestal
 A plastic bowl
 A plastic
Gatorade bottle
 A bigger plastic
bowl
 The top of a
Gatorade bottle

(This took about 1/3 of an

80lb bag of cement)
I cut the top off the
Gatorade bottle with a
razorblade knife and cut
rectangles in the sides so
the scrap wood would fit
through. I actually
removed the wood pieces
until the bottle was half-
filled with cement, and
then slid them back into
position and filled in the
remainder.

Here are the parts "dry"

stacked. I will put them
together with either thin
set cement or
construction adhesive
and then coat the entire
exterior with cement
patch to fill in cracks, air
bubbles etc and give it a
sand look.

Japanese Garden Lantern

Pagodas originated in ancient China many centuries ago and were inspired by
the Indian Stupa. A Stupa is a bell-shaped monument that is used to house relics
or sacred Buddhist scriptures. Japanese stone garden lanterns reflect this
ancient Pagoda design, which consists of a base pedestal, a platform for the
firebox, the firebox, and the roof. Japanese lanterns were originally placed
around Buddhist temples and shrines. Later they were introduced by tea
masters to guide guests through gardens to the tea ceremonies that were held
in the evenings. Today, garden lanterns are not only used in the Orient but have
become part of our western culture. We use these beautiful natural looking
structures as decorative accents for patio entrances, garden pond areas, to add
harmony and balance or as a focal point in a specific spot in a flower garden. A
candle or oil lamp can be placed in the firebox as a decorative element or to
give light in a walkway. Simple and yet seemingly divine, they add a mystic
quality, spirituality and harmony to the home and garden. AMACO Crea-stone is
a lightweight casting/sculpting material that has a granite look and texture
when it is hard. Crea-stone mixes with water to achieve a thick paste like
cement mix. Pour this paste into available objects to create the Japanese Garden
Lantern. Once the paste starts to set up you can take it out of the cardboard
box/mold and start doing any needed carving to enhance the cast shape.
Usually this can be done after letting it harden for about 18 hours of pouring. At
that point, although hard, the piece can easily be carved with a knife. As you are
carving, Crea-stone is going through a chemical reaction and becoming harder
all the time. Therefore, try to keep it wet with water, but also work fast. As you
progress you will have to change your carving tools accordingly from a knife to
a hammer and chisel. Try to cast and finish each section of the lantern at a time
before it gets to be too hard and chose a casting box/mold as close to the
finished shape as possible. This will reduce the need to do too much carving.
Mix enough material only for the part of the lantern that you are working on at
the time. Try not to mix more than you need. If you are a little bit short on the
amount, you can readily do another small mix to finish the section. Before you
start, wear a NIOSH approved mask for dust and mist and make sure to wear
vinyl gloves. Crea-stone is an alkaline material and will otherwise irritate your
hands.

Base Pedestal: Box

Start by building a mold for the base pedestal using the 16” x 16” x 11 1/2”
box. Place two of the 16” x 16” x 12” cardboard pieces on opposite sides
inside the box to form the first two sides of the upside-down pyramid.
Measure the area at the bottom between them and cut the slanted shapes of
the other two sides of the pyramid. Place them inside the box thus forming
the 4 sides of the upside-down pyramid. Tape all corners

Fill With Creastone

Pour Crea-stone into the mixing container. Add water slowly and mix
thoroughly. Be careful not to add too much water as the paste will tend to
want to flow and level in areas where you do not have a molding material to
restrain it. The mix should be just wet but not soupy. As you proceed with
this project do not mix too much Crea-stone at a time. If you do not have
enough paste for the section of the piece you can always mix some more
and add to it. Crea-stone does not set up instantaneously. Spread some
Crea-stone paste in the bottom of the box, and then place the plastic bucket
on top of the paste in the center of the box. Make sure that the rim of the
bucket is at the same height as the rim of the box, then add more Crea-
stone paste to build the four legs of the base pedestal
Remove Bucket
Let Crea-stone start setting up for about 18 hours. Once it is stiff, pull the
plastic bucket out

Remove Base from Box

Turn the box upside down and pull away the box from the cast shape.Save
the bucket to use again

Shape Base
Leave a center 6” x 6” flat area on the top of the pedestal. When you are
done use the rasp all over the Base Pedestal to smooth the shape and give
it a sculptured markings with the rasp

Create Platform for Firebox

Leave a center 6” x 6” flat area on the top of the pedestal. When you are
done use the rasp all over the Base Pedestal to smooth the shape and give
it a sculptured markings with the rasp
Shape Platform
Leave the cast piece for about 18 hours like you did with the base pedestal,
then remove it from the box and carve the corners and the ridges strait. You
will need to carve on the bottom too, to form the flowing up and down wavy
shape of the platform. When you are satisfied with the shape use the rasp to
even out and smooth the surface. Also the rasp will leave a nice texture
simulating a chiseled form.

Create Firebox
You will need the plastic bucket from step #2 plus a smaller plastic bucket to
mold the firebox. For easier release of the form you can brush dish soap on
the inside of the bucket and on the outside of the small container. Mix
enough Crea-stone with water to the right consistency and spread the paste
in the bottom of the bucket. Place the small container over the paste in the
center of the bucket, making sure the rim of both containers is at the same
level. Use a piece of wood or ruler on top to make sure. Fill the space
around the small container to the top of the bucket. Leave the ruler or place
a sheet of plywood over the bucket and put some weight in order to keep
everything level until it sets up.

Remove Firebox Form and Draw Designs

When Crea-stone has set up, remove it from the bucket and remove the
small container from inside the casting. If the bucket is square like the one
used in this project, round up the corners with the knife. If you are using a
round bucket, carve the outside, making it into a more or less 4-sided shape,
but do not leave sharp corners. Draw the openings that you want in the
firebox with a pencil.

Carve Firebox
Using the drill with the 1/2” drill bit, drill holes in the openings, and then using
the knife you can carve them further and shape them according to your
drawn design. When done use the rasp again to smooth out any
irregularities and texture it with a chiseled like surface. Make sure the bottom
of the firebox is also 6” x 6” wide to match the platform and the pedestal.

Create Roof

You will use the 16” x 16” x 8” box for the roof. First, cut 3 layers of
cardboard to fit the bottom of the box. Cut a hole in the middle the same size
as the rim of the small container used in the Firebox, and place them in the
bottom of the box. You can also cut a ½” strip from the small container that
you used for the firebox and insert it in the hole that you cut. The hole in the
center will be the plug that will fit as a cover for the firebox. Build corners out
of cardboard to cut on carving time and effort. Mark the inside wall of the box
with a line about 2” from the bottom. This will be your thickness limit.

Mix enough Crea-stone with water to the right consistency as you did in step
#2. Fill the plug in the center then spread the paste to the thickness line, let
the paste stiffen for 10 minutes then build a two levels hill in the center of the
box and pointed ridges on the corners. When the Crea-stone has set up,
remove it from the box and carve the surface of the ridges and top into a
nice shape, then go over all irregularities with the rasp and smooth it out to
repeat the chiseled like surface you did on the other pieces.

Prepare for Assembly

Now you have all 4 parts ready. Mark the center on the base pedestal top
and drill a hole the same thickness as the rod that you have prepared. The
hole depth does not need to be deeper that 4”, just make sure not to drill the
hole all the way threw the bottom of the base pedestal. You also need to drill
the same size hole through the center of the firebox platform and one in the
center of the bottom of the firebox. Lantern Assembly

Place the metal rod in the base pedestal. It will be sticking out for the most
part.
Assemble
Place the firebox platform on top of the base pedestal by sliding it through
the hole in the center. Place the firebox on top of the firebox platform by
sliding it through the hole in the bottom. If the metal rod is sticking inside the
firebox, cut it so it would be flat with the inside floor of the firebox, so you can
place a candle of oil lamp if you want to.

Lighting and Display

Place the roof on top of the firebox by inserting the bottom plug into the top
of the firebox. Now your lantern is complete. Let the natural elements and
the concept of balance contribute to the harmonious balance of your home
and surrounding area by planning your garden and placing this lantern
where it is meaningful to you.

Easy Garden Pagoda

by diamondemb in molds-and-casting

Download
2 Steps

Shar e

Favorite I Made it! Collection

This is my first Instructable and I look forward to all of your comments.
I wanted to add a garden pagoda to our bamboo garden but was amazed
by how much they cost.
I decided to make my own for under $25.
Step 1: Collect Your Parts
Here's what you need to make one just like mine but I would encourage
you to be creative and and experiment on your own. When you're done it
will stand about 35" tall.
2 16"x16" square pewter stepping stones
4 4"x4"x4" wood (pressure treated may last longer)
1 12"x12" grey stepping stone
1 6"x8"x8" concrete half cinder block
1 8"x8"x8" concrete half cinder block
1 16"x24" slate patio stone
1 9"x12" tumbled paver
1 6"x6" tumbled paver
6 Roundish rocks (found in my front yard)
With the exception of the 4x4 pieces of wood that I had left over from the
deconstruction of a pallet, all of these items were purchased at a big box
home improvement store. I'm sure you'll recognize the one. I actually built
the pagoda on the cart inside the store to see what it would look like
before I brought it home.

Step 2:

Decide where you want to put your pagoda and set the first 16"x16"
square pewter stepping stone. Use a level to make sure it is level. If it is
not, your pagoda may not be stable when you get to the last step and
may lean.
Now it's just a matter of stacking the parts.
Here's the order from bottom to top.
16"x16" square pewter stepping stone. (This is the one that needs to be
level.)
4 4"x4"x4" wood
12"x12" grey stepping stone
6"x8"x8" concrete half cinder block
16"x16" square pewter stepping stone
8"x8"x8" concrete half cinder block
16"x24" slate patio stone
9"x12" tumbled paver
6"x6" tumbled paver
large rock
smaller rock
1 smaller rock on each corner of the roof
Thanks for looking and good luck!

Japanese lantern made of Hypertufa

rufreticMarch 8, 2013

Hello,
Just wanted to say thanks for the help making my first Hypertufa project a
successful one and share my progress. Maybe it can help someone else
in the future.
So this project started because I wanted a Japanese lantern in my garden
but once I found out you can't find one for under $1000, at least the size I
wanted, I decided to try making my own. At that point I never heard of
hypertufa and was going to use concrete. Once I started researching I
found out about hypertufa and then this forum. Anyway, I learned a lot
here and decided on what I thought was a good recipe, adding my own
touch of course and couldn't be happier!
The mix:
1 part peat moss
1 part perlite
1 part portland cement
1 part black blast(looks like black sand)
1/3 concrete bonding additive
and a handful of synthetic fiber mesh for the larger pieces that I thought
could use the extra strength, base & top
So far it seems to be working out as the perfect mix I was looking for. I
wanted strong, heavy and to look like granite stone. So far it seems
strong, it is very heavy but not quite as bad as concrete and the finished
look is pretty nice in my opinion, of course it doesn't look exactly like
granite but way more interesting than concrete.
I started simple, just tried the little round topper piece to make sure the
mix was good and see what I was getting myself into. I just used a
medium size bowl, filled it about 1 1/2" and let it set for a day. Popped it
out and was pretty dissapointed with the look. Then I found out the trick,
electric drill with a hard wire bruch bit. Sanded down all the dull finish and
got a pretty nice looking spotty with black specks and little craters finish.
Very cool stuff, but a lot more work than I thought.
Next I started making molds for all the other pieces, most out of wood but
had to get creative for a few, grill cover, large planter with carved
styrofoam mold and so on. I have everything made except the top which
I'm still designing but wanted to share my progress so far. I have a ton of
pics but I'm not sure how many I can post. I'll try a few to start and add
more later including a finished product eventually.
If you have any questions let me know.
Lou
 Email

Comment38Bookmark4Like

Comments (38)

rufretic

Mold for windows.

Like Bookmark March 8, 2013 at 9:57AM

rufretic

Base plate made with wood frame

Like Bookmark March 8, 2013 at 10:01AM

rufretic

Styrofoam mold made for main base/legs

Like Bookmark March 8, 2013 at 10:03AM

rufretic

Pot used for main base/legs covered with plastic and rebar positioned for extra
strength.

Like Bookmark March 8, 2013 at 10:06AM

rufretic

Main base/legs with styrofoam insert, filled and now the long wait to see how it
turned out
Like Bookmark March 8, 2013 at 10:10AM

rufretic

The topers

Like Bookmark March 8, 2013 at 10:12AM

rufretic

The topers are the only pieces to have fully dried yet so they are much lighter
and give you a better idea of the final color. I tried to get a close up so you can
see the finished color and detail/texture and maybe see how the black blast
adds a nice black sparkle, not sure if you can make it ou in the picture though.
This is the last pic for now but I'll follow up with the main top and finished
product when I'm done.

Like Bookmark March 8, 2013 at 10:19AM

rufretic

One more just to give you an idea where I'm going with this, just a quick mock
up of some of the pieces I have done so far.
Like Bookmark March 8, 2013 at 4:42PM

rufretic

The mold for the main base worked pretty well, it's a little small compared to the
rest of the lantern but I couldn't find any container larger that had the shape I
wanted.
Now I just have to pour the top.
1 Like Bookmark March 15, 2013 at 12:46AM

karmicforager

Wow, that is fantastic! I have been wanting to do this for a long time. Your ideas
will be a big help! Can't wait to see the finished product!
Like Bookmark March 21, 2013 at 12:17AM

rufretic
I'm glad it will be a help to you! I'm just glad someone even saw it lol, it seems
like this forum doesn't get a lot of traffic. I'll continue to follow up until it's 100%. I
just finished refinishing the top, it was a lot of work! Took me like six hours to
grind it all down probably because of the extra hardener I added so it doesn't
break in half. It's way heavier than I planned but I'm hoping it will still lighten up
a bit as it drys. My wife and I couldn't even pick it up together to put it on top so
now I'm waiting for it to dry more. I'll add a few pictures of what I went through
to make the top in a little bit.
Like Bookmark March 22, 2013 at 11:50AM

rufretic

Here is the mold I built for the top, of course it's not finished in this pic but gives
you an idea how I made it.

Like Bookmark March 22, 2013 at 12:26PM

rufretic

Here is the top with about two hours of grinding done. It got a little faster as it
went but took way too long, least fun part of the project :-(
Like Bookmark March 22, 2013 at 12:29PM

rufretic

Here is the bonded windows, it shows how I added rebar at each corner to help
support the weight of the top piece. I hope it's strong enough!
Like Bookmark March 22, 2013 at 12:33PM

rufretic

This picture shows the size of the top and a can for overall size, it's going to be
pretty large about 40" tall I think.

Like Bookmark March 22, 2013 at 12:38PM

rufretic

I got the top on but it looks a little bulky. I might try to grind it down a little to
make it a little thinner. I'll post a new pic if I do.
Encouraged by some very complimentary messages, for which I thank you all, I thought I'd shar
a very practical person. Those of a similar age will understand that for us it was a case of necess
didn't get done.
Most of my knowledge came from a huge forty-plus year-old DIY book by either Readers Digest
What they encouraged you to attempt in that, wouldn't be allowed today!

I think a lot of people have the potential to do stuff, it's just having the courage. I taught my you
him. When he bought his first house I with his help converted a bedroom into two rooms to form
electrics, plumbing, decorating etc. After that he said, "We're gonna take out this chimney breas
did it safely and it passed the building inspection!
Anyway, if you can make sand castles, you can do this!

"For those of a nervous dispostion, look away now!"

All you need is some fine concrete mix, cheaper to buy it loose, but more expensive and easier w
Sand and cement mortar.
Cement dye, your choice of colour. I used this to get the end result to look like sandstone, the sa
Some lengths of scrap timber
An old sheet of hardboard or plywood.
Some plastic tubs.
A sheet of contiplas.

I wanted something to compliment my koi pool and I wanted it to look "old."

Those in garden centres 25 years ago were horrendously expensive and I'm talking £50 to £100
molds.

I found this photo in a book on Japanese culture.

So as it was exactly the sort of thing I wanted, I thought it'd be a piece of cake to make for a few

The first step is to make a box the size of the base, (like a cake tin).
Then mix up some concrete but just damp not wet, you don't want to see any liquid.
At the same time make up some mortar mix with added cement dye.

Fill the box with the concrete a bit at a time (about two or three inches) but force the cement mi
thick. I also put a long bolt down the middle, the end of which would protrude a couple of inches
Carry on until the box is filled, but have the same thickness of cement on the top.

Let it go off over night and then carefully remove the box. (don't try to tip it out!) Depending on
and corners with the side of a chisel if it's still not quite gone off, but if you're not confident, leav
The two flat pieces are made in the same way, with the formers made of bits of wood. Set these
smooth. But the sides of the bottom one must slope down and the other slope up.
I put a bit of copper pipe in the middle bit to take the bolt in the base (it's upside down in the pic
put a bit of weldmesh in each to strengthen them. If the mix is the right consistency the top will
gone off.
The top is made using the larger former, but an upturned half litre plastic ice cream container w

The four sides are made of all concrete mix with added dye. Note that two of the sides have to b
I used small plastic tubs to form the apertures for the light.

When it's finished, put the base in the position you want it. "Stare at it for a couple of days" from

Fit the first "platform." You can either cement it in or as I have, just let it sit on the base secured
it, but check it's level. Then position the four sides "brickying them" with a thin layer of mortar w

Fill the middle with wet concrete mix in a "bowl shape" up to the bottom of the apertures as this
sides to hide the joins.
When it's gone off fit the lamp, you can make a tray to support it out of a bit of plywood or an ic
first pool, the cable is encased in a bit of speedfit pipe until it reaches the base fence panel behi
in the tea house. It enters the lamp from the back through a small hole I made in one of the side
Check it works!
Then lift the top on, it'll be very heavy. If you've made the recess correctly it shouldn't foul the la

Here's the kit.

There you go, this one's four feet high, but you can make them any size.

You can also use the "kit" to make another.

You can paint the top with natural yoghurt if you want the moss to grow on it more quickly than

I'm cheating a bit here, as there's also a much brighter 35watt low voltage spotlight on the fen

The second lamp was more adventurous but made in a similar way.

The pagoda was even more adventurous because of the complicated design, but the construction
type fibreboard stuck on the contiplas to make the detail. It was made in seventeen sections.

It's based on photos of a three tier one I found in the same book.

I couldn't quite replicate the "proper" detail.

I've recently rebuilt the finial on the top, the original one just rotted away. There's no kit availab
shaving gel aerosol can, a number of drilled-through old brass cupboard handles, some plastic cu
bit of a shaped and drilled-out plastic garden light stake for the sorin and a couple of wooden be

It looks quite good at night.

 1.
eHow UK»
2. Hobbies»
3. How to make concrete Japanese lanterns

How to make concrete Japanese lanterns

Written by Will Gish

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Japanese lanterns have been a tradition for more than 1,000 years. (Japanese garden image by Yianni
Papadopoulos from Fotolia.com)
Japanese stone lanterns are a great addition to any landscaping project. The high
cost of artisan-made lanterns and the time-consuming difficulty of actually carving a
lantern from stone, however, prevent many from thinking seriously about adding a
Japanese lantern to their home. Thankfully, creating a Japanese lantern using
common household items and shop-bought cement is a relatively easy, relatively
inexpensive process. With a little know-how and some creativity, you can begin
making your own Japanese stone lanterns.
Skill level:

Easy
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Things you need

 Moulds
 Gloves
 Cement
 Bucket

Show More
Instructions
Creating the mould

1. 1
Collect your materials. A mould can be a number of common household items. For
a circular lantern component, you can use a plastic ball decoration. Cylindrical
moulds can be built with items such as large, empty yoghurt containers.

2. 2
Cut holes in the sides of your lantern moulds with your razor. You'll need to do this
in order to create the holes in the lantern through which light will shine.

3. 3
Place PVC pipes through the holes in your container. When you pour the cement
into your mould, the PVC pipe will ensure that a hollow remains, though which
light will shine.

4. 4
As an alternative to Steps 2 and 3, collect large plastic containers and smaller,
square or circular objects such as empty milk cartons that can be placed inside the
larger containers to create hollows.

Making the parts

1. 1
 Put on your work gloves.

2. 2
Coat the inside of your moulds and cake pans with liquid latex using the
paintbrush. This will prevent the cement from sticking to the material as it dries.
Three coats are recommended, at intervals of one hour each. If you are using PVC
pipes, coat the outside of them with liquid latex.

3. 3
Mix the cement in the bucket. Shop-bought cement will come with mixing
instructions. While mixing cement, wear a dust mask to protect your lungs.

4. 4
Pour the wet cement into the mould that has been coated in liquid latex. If you are
following Step 4 from section one, place your smaller object inside your larger
container and pour the cement around the smaller object.

5. 5
Pour cement into your two cake pans, which will ideally be different sizes. Fill them
halfway. Smooth the surface of the cement with your hands or a garden trowel.
Allow 12 to 18 hours for the cement to dry.

Assembling the latern

1. 1
Remove the hardened cement from the moulds. The cake pans should easily release
hardened cement. The apparatus from Step 4 in Section 1 should as well. For
moulds like a plastic pumpkin or yoghurt container, you may need to cut them away
with a razor.

2. 2
Remove the PVC piping from any moulds you have used them in.

3. 3
Using the disks from the cake pans as the base, assemble your Japanese lantern.
Place the largest disk first, followed by the second largest. Place your central form--
the circle, cylinder, square, etc -- on top of the disks, and any smaller shapes or
disks you've made on top of this.