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I've bought some moulds to make concrete (or similar) garden ornaments but I'm wondering how best to paint them? The only 'concrete paint' I can find is for floors and comes in huge pots, which is a bit OTT for what I need. I'm wondering if I could use ordinary household wall paints and then varnish over the top?

The surface of concrete is quite porous so you'll probably need to prime it with something first otherwise it'll soak up too much paint.

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Some of us live in the past, always talking about back then. Some of us live in the future, always planning what we are going to do. And, then there are those, who neither look behind or ahead, but just enjoy the moment of right now.

Which one are you and is it how you want to be?

I think whatever you do you need to make sure it's primed and sealed. I think my Dad used to use an acrylic paint on my Mum's gnomes.

edit: Yeah, like what Alison said.

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A simple dude trying to grow veg.

http://haywayne.blogspot.com/ - Tuscany update - 27th September

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I don't know much about paint seahorse but did some painting in our apartment in Leuven some 2 years ago... for inside wall it is better to use latex paint and for outside ( water contact) we use acrilic type. The concrete paint were for car drive (balcony or similar). Perhaps you could use the swimming pool paint fo water proof purpose... better stop as I might mislead you...
Btw, seeds were sent this morning.

Happy painting...

Momol

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I grow, I pick, I eat ...

Good advice about priming/sealing. By 'acrylic', are you meaning I could use little artists tubes? Or am I on the wrong track there?

Thanks for sending the seeds Momol!

I'd give artist paint a go. Paintings that I did many years ago at college are still fine - then again, they've not been left out in the garden...

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A simple dude trying to grow veg.

http://haywayne.blogspot.com/ - Tuscany update - 27th September

http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/p/dev036pr___.png

We painted some concrete slabs prior to our house move several years ago - we didn't prime them and we used 'normal' household paint and it started flaking off almost immediately - I would suggest that you definitely prime the concrete first and invest in some proper paints too...

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How can a woman be expected to be happy with a man who insists on treating her as if she were a perfectly normal human being.”

PVA glue watered down measure for measure, can be used to seal new plaster for painting. Guess it could be the same for concrete. Masonry paint should then be okay to use - get testers from your local DIY store

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Happy Gardening,
Shirley

http://www.honeyjukes.co.uk

True shirl, pva glue seems to be used as a first coat for everything nowadays.

Now seahorse if its gnomes you're painting we demand to see the pictures (and know their names)!

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Manda.

"Wouldn't it be nice
For maybe an hour
To not have a care."

I have a mold for a 'Green Man' plaque. I sometimes use a sand/cement filling and when dry mix up some white wood glue (epoxy resin) with water to paint over it and seal it. Once sealed I've used acylic artists paints with some success!

Here's one I did earlier!

This guys about 14" tall!

Attached Thumbnails

 

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My Majesty made for him a garden anew in order
to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE)

Look at Garage Floor Paint: wide range of sizes and colours designed for painting... concrete! (available all big DIY stores)

And read the instructions!


Designed exactly for your needs.

It's not gnomes (yet! ) it's Fairy Doorways! Which are clearly more cool and sophisticated

That's just the ticket!

I've yet to find anywhere from searching online that does small amounts or tester pots (otherwise I'd be left with vats of unused paint) but will check our local DIY places in person.

Many thanks everyone!

Brill Seahorse!! I bought some of those (ready-made, not moulds) off eBay, they look so cute in the 'woodland' bit of my garden! They weren't that expensive, but the postage costs are quite high because of the weight involved. They'd make great presents for little girls with spring/summer birthdays too

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Sarah

“Tell me one last thing,” said Harry. “Is this real? Or has this been happening inside my head?”
“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”

If your fairy doorways are like this:-


** FRESHLY CAUGHT FAIRY FOLK ** SINGLE FAIRY DOORWAY on eBay, also Fairies Pixies, Mythical Creatures, Fantasy Myth Magic, Collectables (end time 14-Jan-08 12:08:29 GMT)

They're very small, and an artists pack of Acrylic paints would last you for ever! Acrylic can be thinned with water to give some wonderful pastel shades as well!

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My Majesty made for him a garden anew in order
to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE)

They're twice that size Snadger... but of course that still only makes them 15cms high! I think I may actually have some acrylic paints somewhere (if they're still fit for purpose - long time since I used them!). I'm really looking forward to experimenting with them now!

SarzWix, neither of my little girls looked hugely impressed when I told them what we getting, lol! but I know they'll make me smile I have several places in the garden where I think they'd look good and as my lottie is an 'end plot', there's plenty of scope there too!

We've got one of those, a wooden one though. It stands next to our gnome (Sir Mortimer) who uses it instead of struggling with the back door!

Those in the link snadger posted looks good too, look forward to seeing your piccies!

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Manda.

"Wouldn't it be nice
For maybe an hour
To not have a care."

FAIRY DOOR & ACCESSORIES STONE GARDEN ORNAMENTS (F9) on eBay, also Other Garden Ornaments, Garden Ornaments, Garden Plants, Home Garden (end time 02-Dec-07 16:27:35 GMT)

These are similar to the ones I have, mine came with a chimney too. Milly's 7, and she loves them, constantly rearranging them - she says Faeries like to move house often so that the goblins don't find them

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Sarah

“Tell me one last thing,” said Harry. “Is this real? Or has this been happening inside my head?”
“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”

That sounds like good advice!

I got this one:

LATEX MOULD/MOULDS/MOLD FAIRY FAIRIE DOOR + SUNFLOWER on eBay, also, Ceramic Pottery Making, Crafts (end time 04-Jan-08 17:24:28 GMT)

Plus a similar one but with insects and also a little round one. If it all works out I think I'll get windows and all that stuff too!

Awww, that's sweet You should deffo get the windows etc, they're great. Could be a good money-making venture once you get the hang of it, at car boot sales and the like.

Btw, like your new avatar

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Sarah

“Tell me one last thing,” said Harry. “Is this real? Or has this been happening inside my head?”
“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”