Create Concrete Molds Using Wood: A Simple Guide

You don’t need to purchase expensive household items made from cement to use as decorative pavers, benches, or countertops. You can DIY many items using wood. Stay tuned to learn how you can create impressive concrete molds out of wood in an afternoon.

Concrete Molds

Concrete molds are usually made of melamine, which you can find at a home improvement store in the shelving section. You can easily cut it down to size yourself or have an employee do it for you at the store. Melamine is relatively inexpensive, and you can sometimes reuse it to create a duplicate project if no pieces have been accidentally broken.

Here are the steps to making concrete out of molds.

Step One

First, decide on the length, width, and thickness of your complete cement slab. Your home improvement or lumber store will have lumber that is as long as it is wide and dense, so get those ordered. (most home improvement stores have curbside pickup) Ensure that two of your boards are at least a few inches longer than the measurements for your finished slab. This is so you can attach the boards.

Step Two

Next, divide the excess length of the longer boards in half and measure the distance from either end of each longboard. Mark these measurements using a pencil; they are points of attachment.

Step Three

Next, ensure your boards are positioned lengthwise along the mark, and then line up the short edge of one of them with a pencil mark. Use a clamp to hold the two boards together, and then, with a hammer, plunge a straight row of three or four carpentry nails along the back of the longboard into the edge of the shortboard.

Step Four

Now, attach the second shorter board to the other pencil mark on the longboard. Position the longer board so that its mark aligns with the short detached edges of the smaller boards. Clamp it into place. Next, use a hammer and nail to secure the longboard to the edges of each shorter board from the back. Note, keep your lines of nails as straight as you can.

Step Five

Nail a sheet of plywood over one open side of the mold, so the molded cement can be later removed — unless you’re pouring the cement onto a sidewalk or other site.

Need Concrete Coating? 

Whether you’re using a concrete mold for paving stones or a sidewalk, for example, you’ll want to protect your concrete with some coating. Hard Rock Concrete Coatings offers solutions to prevent oils, greases, and other chemicals from penetrating your concrete. Contact us to explore options that include colors matching your existing area or a new one altogether. Call us today to learn more.