Supplies Here you see most of the supplies used to create Garden Gems stained glass garden stones. All were purchased from local stained glass suppliers, hardware stores, and discount stores. The basics include a pattern, glass and glass cutting supplies, concrete, mold, and concrete sealers.

Cutting glass Each piece of the pattern is traced and hand cut from stained glass. I use Spectrum glass since many pieces of art glass are too brittle to withstand the shrinkage of the concrete during the curing process and will crack. The use of a grinder is unnecessary as all but the surface of the glass is embedded in concrete. Once all pieces have been cut, they are cleaned and spaced evenly over the pattern to prepare for the next step.

Setting the glass Once the pieces are placed exactly as desired, a piece of transparent laminate is placed over them. The laminate keeps the pieces from shifting when concrete is poured over them in the next step. Be sure each piece of glass is securely fastened to the laminate by carefully smoothing the laminate across each piece working from the center outward to avoid any sharp edges. Once all pieces are secure, turn the sheet of laminate over and trim away the excess with an X-acto knife.

Setting the mold If desired, apply a mold release agent to your mold or form. Next place the inverted glass design attached to the laminate in the bottom of the mold. I have found that the sparing use of a glue stick on the laminate keeps your glass firmly on the bottom of the form. Without it, glass may 'float' away from the surface and embed itself deep within the stone.

Pouring concrete Choose a level surface and place the prepared mold where it won't be disturbed until the stone has set up. Carefully mix concrete and slowly pour it into the mold over the glass. VERY gently, tap the sides of the mold to bring any air bubbles to the surface. Allow the stone to set undisturbed until it is ready to be removed from the mold. I use Diamondcrete concrete for a number of reasons. It is very easy to use as it requires no additional reinforcement, it comes in a variety of colors, mixes simply with water, sets up in about 1 hour, and produces an incredibly smooth surface on the finished stone. The most common objection I hear about this product is its expense, however, I feel the end result and convenience justifies the additional cost in supplies.

Removing the stone Once the concrete has set up, the mold can be turned over and the stone popped out. Now is the time to remove the laminate from the surface of the glass. You will notice places between the pieces of glass where the concrete did not flow. These will be filled with grout in the next step.

Grouting Using a small bowl, mix a small amount of concrete to the consistency of a thick milk shake and press into the spaces between the glass that were not filled with concrete when the stone was poured. Allow the grout to dry to a haze, then brush away excess grout mixture. Check the rest of the concrete surface for small air bubbles and grout as needed.

Seal the Stone After grouting the stone, find a place indoors where the stone can be elevated and left to cure for 28 days. Once cured, the stone should be sealed on the top, bottom and sides with a quality concrete sealer. Sealing the stone reduces the amount of moisture and stains the stone may take on once installed. There are many quality concrete sealers on the market including the two pictured.