If you followed along with the hypertufa fountain I made, you’re going to love these faux stone garden stools! Hypertufa is a cement-based mixture that is as versatile as it is strong. This incredibly durable material can be molded into any desired shape or size. Hypertufa is a great option to get the look of stone without all the weight. Plus, it can withstand all the outdoor elements and it only gets better with time.
I decided to try covering a 5-gallon bucket with hypertufa to create some faux stone garden stools for our patio.
The Supplies
The Prep Work
Start by removing the metal handle from the 5-gallon bucket and place the bucket, upside-down, on your work surface. I just set up a scrap piece of plywood covered in plastic to use as my work surface.
Mixing the Hypertufa
We’re going to mix all of the dry ingredients together. You’ll definitely want some gloves for this part and I also suggest mixing everything together in a wheelbarrow if you can.
Basically, you will be mixing equal parts of peat moss, perlite, and Portland cement. My batch of hypertufa consisted of half a bag of Portland cement, two 8 qt. bags of peat moss, and two 8 qt. bags of perlite. This was enough mix to make about 3 garden stools. You can always create a smaller or larger batch of hypertufa depending on how many garden stools you would like to make.
Once the dry ingredients were combined, I added some water, just a little at a time, until the mixture reached the desired consistency. You’ll want to be able to pack the hypertufa mix in your hands without it crumbling and falling apart. Think of making a snowball.
Covering the 5-Gallon Bucket
Now we’re going to take our hypertufa mix and cover the 5-gallon buckets. I successfully covered one bucket completely, but I stopped halfway with the other buckets because my mix was not sticking as well. If your mix is sliding at all, it’s ok to stop, let it dry overnight, and add more mix the next day.
Once your buckets are completely covered with the hypertufa mix, you’ll want to cover them in plastic and let them sit and cure for 24-48 hours.
Creating the Stone Texture
After you’ve let your garden stools set for 24-48 hours, you’ll want to roughen up the surface while the hypertufa mix is still soft and not fully cured. To do this, I am using a wire brush attachment on my drill. This is a key step to achieving that aged stone look.
Once you’ve reached your desired texture, it’s time to let them fully cure and dry for about one full week.
Finishing the Hypertufa Garden Stools
There are many different options for finishing your garden stools. I’ve seen some limewashed, painted, grouted, and more. You can have lots of fun experimenting with different finishes or simply leave it as-is. I decided to limewash mine with a very diluted mix of Romabio Classico Limewash in Avorio White. I also went over the whole garden stool with a wire brush to soften the limewash.
Sources
Adirondack Chairs | Seat Cushions | Similar Pillow 1 | Similar Pillow 2
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12 Responses
Do you take the bucket out after drying
Nope, just left it in!
Do you remove the bucket and if yes…how?
Nope! Just leave the bucket
These look great. Are they sturdy enough to sit on? Also, would it make sense to spray paint the bucket a light color to help it blend in or would that impact adhesion of the hypertufa?
Yes, I would say they are sturdy enough to sit on. I don’t ever see the orange showing through. If anything I might paint the inside of the bucket to not see the orange when moving them around.
Did you just leave the bucket in?
Yep!
After it is cured… can you remove it from the bucket or is it a completed product with the bucket..
I love the project and will be attempting to complete it..
Thank you! The bucket is just used as a mold, so you will completely remove it.