Pouring a Large, Professional Rubber Statue Mold

• 1). Spray the interior of your rubber mold with the manufacturer's recommended mold release spray. Assemble your mold by lining up the outer fiberglass base and securing the locking straps or nuts and bolts.
  
  
• 2). Scoop some wet concrete into a 1-gallon plastic drink pitcher or pouring device of your choice. Pour concrete into the hole at the top of your mold until inner rubber mold is approximately half full. Lightly tap all around mold with rubber mallet to settle concrete into crevices.
  
  
• 3). Insert rebar down the center and away from the edges of your mold for reinforcement. Rebar needs to be completely submerged in concrete when finished pouring.
  
  
• 4). Pack concrete by inserting a long, thick wooden dowel. Tamp up and down with your dowel until concrete is compressed. Do not scrape the sides to avoid damaging your rubber mold.
  
  
• 5). Fill the rest of your mold with concrete. Continue tamping down any air bubbles. Again, use your rubber mallet to lightly tap all around the outside to finish settling concrete; top off with more concrete if needed.
  
  
• 6). Cover the mold with plastic sheeting and wait 36 hours for concrete to set. Release the fasteners and open the fiberglass base. Carefully peel rubber from concrete.
  
  

Pouring a Small Concrete Garden Ornament

• 1). Spray an aluminum mold or hard plastic mold with mold release to prevent sticking. Pour some concrete into your mold.
  
  
• 2). Pick mold up and gently drop it an inch or two onto a level surface to settle the concrete and force air bubble to the surface; drop it several times. Drop gently enough so the concrete does not splatter out of mold.
  
  
• 3). Lay a piece of steel chicken wire on top of concrete so it spans across the middle of your mold. Fill mold to the top with concrete and cover with plastic wrap. Drop it at least a dozen more times to ensure a smooth surface on your concrete garden ornament.
  
  
• 4
  Stepping stone garden ornament.Sun Face on Stepping Stone image by nTripp from Fotolia.com
  
  Allow concrete to set for 24 hours. Tip mold over while supporting concrete with one gloved hand; finished garden ornament will slide out.