Concrete cool
Pep up your hallway with a bit of urban chic in the shape of this easy-to-make concrete stool.
Get the industrial look with our stool
How to make the concrete stool
Need somewhere to perch when you’re putting on your shoes? Try this simple stool for size. If you’ve never worked with concrete before then you’re in for a treat – it’s cheap, easy to sculpt into whatever shape you choose and extremely satisfying to work with. The rough urban look it creates gives our stool a cool industrial appearance that will sit pretty with interior-lovers who adore the minimalist look. We’ve mixed materials by adding wooden legs in a tripod style that keeps the seat light and portable and allowed us to add a metallic dipped effect to make our stool really shine!
1
Cut the wooden dowel into three pieces measuring 50cm (19 in) – these are the legs for the stool. Score lines near the top of each leg 1cm ( in) down from the edge – this will help to secure the dowel as the concrete will fill the gaps and anchor the legs in place.
2
In a clean and dry plastic bin, mix together 2.5cm (1in) of concrete and 2.5cm (1in) of silver sand. Add water and continue to mix until the concrete is wet through but not soaking.
Add a cup of PVA glue to the mix to add strength and give a glossy finish, and stir well. Shake the bubbles out of the concrete before it sets by tapping the bin on the floor and around its sides – the bubbles will come to the surface and pop, but don’t worry too much as this will be the underside of the stool.
3
Place the bin onto an even surface, then position the legs, scored end down, into the concrete, making sure they don’t touch the bottom of the bin. Position them in the shape of a tripod and, once you’re happy with the positioning, lean them against the side of the bin and use masking tape to stop them moving.
4
Check the drying time of the concrete on the instructions and add two hours due to the thickness of the concrete. Once dry, tap the sides of the bin until the stool becomes loose enough for you to remove it by pulling it out by the legs. Be careful not to wiggle the legs until the concrete is 100% dry.
5
Use sandpaper to rub down the legs, removing any grazes and flakes of concrete that may have fallen onto them. If the legs are uneven when you stand your stool up, then keep sanding the bottom of the legs until the stool sits evenly on the floor.
6
Seal the wooden legs by rubbing them with natural beeswax. Apply masking tape to the legs, just above the bottom, then spray paint the bottom of the legs with rose gold paint for a dipped effect.