How to make a Concrete Chair

Introduction

One of the good things about concreteA mixture of sand, gravel, water and cement which hardens to a stone like condition when dry. furniture is that you can’t move it. Once it’s there, it’s there. Nobody is going to walk away with it.

One of the bad things about concrete furniture is that you can’t move it. Once it’s there, it’s there.
So it’s important to put a little bit of thought into where the chair is going to rest, simply because once it’s there, you’re stuck with it!

This project is done in three parts over a period of time.

The first part involves making a form (mold) the desired shape of the chair, filling it with concrete and some strategically placed reinforcing steel, and then leaving it until the concrete sets.

The second part involves digging a footingA base (in or on the ground) that will support the structure. hole, taking the form (mold) off the (now hardened) concrete chair, positioning the chair over the footing hole by sitting it on temporary blocks and then filling the footing hole up with concrete.

Whoooa! Hold it right there!
A very important note.
The concrete chair is very, very, very heavy. When you try to position it you will need some strong men who know how to lift and position heavy objects, or some type of suitable mechanical lifting device. The chair is not only heavy but also an awkward shape to try and maneuver. You have been warned.

The third part is the easiest. Once the footing concrete has cured, simply take out the temporary blocks and give the edges of the chair a bit of a grind.

From start to finish, the project should take around a month to complete. It is a bit of a waiting game as it is advisable to allow the concrete in the form (mold) a couple of weeks the cure (harden) and then another couple of weeks for the concrete in the footing to cure. Of course it could be done in less time, but to get the best result the longer the better, as it takes concrete (as a rule) about a month to reach 90% of its strength.

The plans, material requirements and instructions with pictures included, are on successive pages.
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