Easy to make concrete bowls and planters...

Step 8: Additional idea #3...

This bowl is made using the same type of glass bubble bowl as in the introduction
of this Instructable, but it is much more shallow and of larger circumference. It is heavy, which
makes for an excellent pet food or water bowl after it has been properly sealed...don't want Fido
to become sick from anything harmful that may leak from the concrete. Thanks for the reminder,
Quester55. 

No tipping! Best source for these bubble bowls -
yard sales and second hand stores.

Comments

[danzo321]

Sorry Quester, I don't know where you got the idea hydrochloric acid is anywhere around. It is in Muriatic acid which dissolves [destroys] concrete. Portland cement is a strong alkali [base], opposite of acid.
Everything in concrete is soon neutralized by water and time.

[Quester55]

This may have already been mentioned, But Concrete Of any type, Needs to be Treated Before Allowing Animals to Drink from it. Over Time it will Leach-out Poisons that can Kill a Cat, Dog Etc...
I suggest using a bit of In-Ground Pool Paint & Gloss after the Bowl has had time to Cure. Another ( Though Less Reliable ) Coat the Inside of the Bowl with Hot Paraffin or Bee's Wax, Both create a great Watertight Seal.

[confu]

Except overall watertighness, there should be no concern using concrete.
It´s a natural material, which reacts on adding water and oxygen.
It´s irritant before reacting/curing because it reacts irritantly on your mucosas which provide the moisture to react. If you inhale dust. But cured it won´t leach out anything. Not anything means "nothing". Worry about your furniture, not about your concrete
Once cured it should be much safer for your pet to drink from it than treating it with whatever kind of (waterproof) paint.

If you want waterproof concrete without probably chemical leaching painting, use way more cement as in the description, use more fine aggregates.

It´s posssible to build almost "ceramic-like" things by doing so.
The raw-materials are really cheap, so feel free to experiment a little.

[confu]

Would you mind telling me, what kind of poisons you suppose to leach out of concrete after setting/curing?
I´m just curious.

[Quester55]

To start with, Portland Cement uses Hydrochloric Acid as an Hardener, Also, found in the Mix of Quick-mix is Lime or Quick-lime as a Drying agent. Other mixes have other ingredients That can do harm to both Animal and Human life.
Yes, I've seen the many Bird-Baths , Livestock water tanks, Etc..., All I'm Advocating is that You and the other readers use caution. Thats all.

[Madrigorne]

Wouldn't the lime counteract the hydrochloric acid? Chemically speaking, lime is a base and acid is...well an acid; you mix the two together and you get a neutral Ph, not necessarily poisonous. I agree that stuff can leach out of concrete - some of the molds I have made for plants I add fertilizer pellets into the concrete - it fertilizes the soil slowly and the plants grow better, but eventually you end up with voids in your concrete. I don't know what you'd use to seal against it.

[WUVIE]

Thank you so much, Quester! I will definitely amend the Instructable to include this great information!