DIY Experiment: Embossing Concrete Challenge

Check out the the short video I made of this DIY challenge above.

This DIY was born out of a curiosity to see if I could emboss cement. Using only the materials I had around - which ended up being cardboard. This could of been done better and easier with a 3D printer or a CNC cutter - but I had cardboard.

For more pictures have a look at my blog post here: Home Tree Atlas

Step 1: Materials

All you need for this project is:

A bag of concrete
Cardboard
An exacto knife
And a design that you want to use

Step 2: The Template

The first step is to print out your design and cut it out. Then trace it onto a sheet of cardboard. I did this twice because I wanted a thick mold for the concrete to pour into.

Step 3: Save the Scrap Pieces

You can save the scrap pieces of the template you just cut out. I went and made this stool, using the cardboard cutouts as a mold for the white cement inlay. You can see the project here.

Step 4: Waterproofing

The next step is to waterproof the card. This is done by covering it with tape.

After you've done that, you'll want to add a backing piece, again covered in tape

Step 5: Building the Box

Next cut out strips for the sides of the box, cover them with tape and put the box together.

In the pictures you can see I made some T shaped stripes. These are stuck to the sides of the box to brace it. Otherwise, when you pour in the cement the sides will bulge out.