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Let’s make a concrete stepping stone DIY for your garden using broken plates and cups. This mosaic stepping stones project is fun to do with kids and is an esier stepping stone DIY than you might expect. Let’s make concrete stepping stones for the garden today!

A concrete stepping stone path in a backyard - two mosaic concrete stepping stones shown among the grass - Kids Activities Blog — Let’s make concrete stepping stones for our backyard!

DIY Concrete Stepping Stones Project

Making concrete stepping stones for your garden is a great way to use odd plates and cups that you have in your cupboards. Or, head to a thrift store or yard sale to pick up pieces to mix and match.

We wanted to make a path from our chicken coop door to our chicken pen gate. Outside the coop door though we have a large maple tree with shallow roots so we decided the best option was to make a stepping stone path.

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How to make a concrete stepping stone Path

We made 6 stepping stones and complete the project over a 3-day period. Even though the concrete and grout are said to be quick drying, we wanted to leave each of those steps overnight to ensure they were dry completely before moving on.

Supplies needed to make a concrete stepping stone

Supplies Needed for Stepping Stone Project: Mismatched plates, bowls, and cups for a mosaic concrete stepping stone DIY project for the garden. — Mismatched plates and cups for a concrete stepping stone mosaic project.

Pro-Mix Accelerated Concrete Mix or any other fast-setting concrete mix
10-inch clear plastic plant saucer
China Plates, bowls, and mugs
Grout
Bucket
Trowel
Sponge
Water
Tile nippers
Chicken wire
Wire cutters
Shovel

Instructions for making a concrete stepping stone

Step 1

Use tile nippers to cut your plates, cups, and bowls into smaller pieces. For curved pieces such as mugs and bowls you will want to cut smaller pieces so you don’t have a large curve in your mosaic.

Tile cutting tip: Face the wheels on the tile nippers in the direction you want the tile to break.

Step 2

Place wire over the top of the clear plastic saucers and cut around it. Place the cut wire inside the saucer. When this quick set concrete is poured, it should be about 2 inches thick, however the saucers aren’t quite that high on the sides. You will need the wire to help reinforce the concrete and prevent cracks from forming.

Step 3

Follow the directions on the fast-setting concrete mix bag to combine it with water in a bucket. We find the fast-setting concrete mix works best with this kind of DIY project, however once poured, you will need to add the mosaic pieces quickly.

Step 4

Pour the concrete mix into the clear plastic saucers. Make sure that the wire is covered. You will need to work quickly for the next step, especially if you are making a few stepping stones like we did.

Step 5

Working quickly, place your broken plate pieces into the concrete. You can make a pattern, or just place them in random spots, it’s entirely up to you. Set aside to dry completely; we left ours overnight.

Step 6

Spread a layer of grout over the top of your mosaic stepping stone. With a damp sponge wipe a layer off to expose the pattern, but don’t wipe it completely clean. Leave overnight, and then using a sponge, gently clean the remaining grout off the plate pieces.

Step 7

Using scissors, carefully cut down the side of the clear plastic sauce and then across the bottom of it to remove it from the stepping stone.

Step 8

Place the concrete stepping stone where you want it in the garden. Using the shovel dig marks around the edge of it. Remove the stepping stone, and then dig a shallow hole to place the stone in. This will give it extra support to prevent cracking over time when it’s stepped on. If you have sand, you can add a layer of that underneath it too if you like.

Finished Concrete Stepping Stones

Finished concrete stepping stone project - Feet standing next to a concrete stepping stone made with broken plates.

We absolutely love how our finished concrete stepping stones turned out and look in the backyard.

Yield: 1

Concrete Stepping Stone DIY For Your Garden

Make concrete stepping stones for your garden using broken plates and cups.

Prep Time 30 minutes

Active Time 2 days

Total Time 2 days 30 minutes

Materials

Pro-Mix Accelerated Concrete Mix or any other fast-setting concrete mix
10-inch clear plastic plant saucer
Plates, bowls, and mugs
Grout
Water

Tools

Bucket
Trowel
Sponge
Tile nippers
Chicken wire
Wire cutters
Shovel

Instructions

Break plates, cups, and bowls into pieces using tile nippers.
Place wire on top of the clear plastic saucers and cut around them using wire cutters. Place the cut wire inside the saucer.
Mix the concrete with water according to the bag directions and pour into the saucer making sure the wire is covered.
Working quickly, arrange the broken plate pieces on top, gently pushing them into the concrete. Set aside to dry overnight.
Spread grout over the top of each stepping stone and carefully wipe the excess off (to expose the broken plates) with a damp sponge. Set aside to dry.
Once completely dry gently wipe the excess grout off each of the broken pieces with a damp sponge.
Dig a shallow hole in the garden the size of the stepping stone and put it inside.