Cute Paw Print Stepping Stones

How to Make Cute Paw Print Stepping Stones

A simple guide to crafting a cute dog-themed garden ornament

Materials:
Bucket
Quickrete
Paw Print Mold
Cooking spray
Acrylic paint
Concrete sealer

This is a super easy, fun project to add some rrrrrrruv to your garden.  You can do this with any mold.  I used this one:
Dog Cat 13 Inch Paw Print Stepping Stone Concrete Plaster Mold 1030

You can get Quickrete at any home improvement store.  Follow the instructions on the back to mix the concrete in the bucket.

Spray the mold with the cooking spray.

Pour concrete into the mold until it is about 80% full.  Tap the edges firmly to release air bubbles.  You want the concrete to settle with as few air bubbles as possible.  Once there are few bubbles coming to the top, set the mold in a dry place for 24 hours.

After 24 hours, pop the paw print out of the mold.  If you did not put enough concrete in the mold, it may crack, so be careful.

Paint whatever design you fancy with acrylic paint on the paws.  Let it dry, then seal with concrete sealer.  Again this is available at any home improvement store. Let dry for 48 hours before putting outside in your garden.

I tried mod podging some stepping stones. They looked great at first but did not hold up to the elements.  Maybe your environment is less harsh than the Florida sun, heat, and rain, but I would stick to the paints.  These held up beautifully even in the worst elements.

Here is an example of the paw print on the left and the failed modpodge on the right:

You can skip the mold making part and just paint already made stepping stones like this as well:

Enjoy!

Cheers,

Sammy the Dog Trainer