# Carved Concrete: Lamp Post w/ Mailbox



## oldfrt (Oct 10, 2007)

jgray152 said:


> Didn't think of those. I'll look into them. Thanks.
> 
> *I wouldn't mind speaking with him*
> 
> ...


 
I'm going to try to stop by his shop tomorrow.
I'll get more info.
He's been fighting some health problems so he's not always there.Or I'd get you his #.

He may get more than I stated for his posts,it's been a while since I've talked to him about costs.
But, ran into him last week and he still doing them when he feels up to it.

I'll see what I can do.


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## jgray152 (Oct 4, 2009)

More Images. Not much change but here you go anyways.

Mailbox rock shelf form and well, hack mold.









The next three are of the form with shower pan liner cut and stacked here and there. I used just some self etching primer for metal and fiberglass. It "should" work at least once. haha.

Truck bed liner will soon be sprayed on.


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## jgray152 (Oct 4, 2009)

Maybe bringing the form down to a local rhino lining dealer will be the best thing to add a nice rough, very durable texture to the form. I will have to think of a way to get the hard cliff edges. Maybe just staple the shower pan liner on top of the rhino lining. 

If I am going to do that. I might as well buy 3/4" plywood and make it more durable first since the 2x stock is cracking


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## jgray152 (Oct 4, 2009)

I am probably going to buy more shower pan liner or use some thick plastic to cover the entire inside area of the form boards since I was hoping the bed liner would cover the wood grain texture but it doesn't. I most certainly don't want rocks to have a wood grain. lol.

I have some plastic I may just use that. Means I need to buy another can of primer...darn.


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## jgray152 (Oct 4, 2009)

A Couple more pictures of the completed form design. I need to finish the texture on the inside of the forms still.

Mailbox Rock Shelf Form. 3.5" Thick. Will have rebar from the rock shelf to post for more durability.











Lamp Post w/Mailbox Form


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## jgray152 (Oct 4, 2009)

Seems to be a delay on the pour. Hopefully its soon.


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## jgray152 (Oct 4, 2009)

Sorry for the extreme delay. I have made a few posts and only got a couple pictures.

This pictures here is what I used the form for. I secured the form upright and filled it with concrete. Added some steel wire mat to the inside. Used a grinder to carve out the stones and black/white/brown stain for a granite look. 










This post I made with my new form system, which still needs improvement, but it is covered with a bold stone product which is crushed granite mixed with an acrylic resin which is the "glue". Looks and feels like real granite.


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## Rockmonster (Nov 15, 2007)

Very nice! Can we get a close-up of the short one? How about a close-up of the first one as well.....nicely done.


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## jgray152 (Oct 4, 2009)

Thanks!

Once I get back to my computer I will see if I can find a close up of the lighted post. The short post I will have to go to the customers house and take some pictures with a better camera to get the resolution right. I will try though!


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## PrestigeR&D (Jan 6, 2010)

*Very nice work.....*

and creativity on your part... :thumbsup:




FYI this would be considered a "formed" concrete post..IMO.. it's not an actual "carving"... 


looking good!:thumbup: 

I have a similar architectual element I have to do..corbels.. I have not been able to get to it yet ... but I can appreciate the talant...:clap: 

B.


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## jgray152 (Oct 4, 2009)

The light post I "carved" out or "ground" out with a angle grinder after it was cured. The other post is not carved obviously. Originally when I made this thread I was carving my posts but I made that short one well after I made the thread.

Thanks for the comments


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## lukachuki (Feb 11, 2005)

yeah thanks for coming back and sharing how things turned out. I like both of them.


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## jgray152 (Oct 4, 2009)

Here is another one. This one was trouble, I didn't think enough about how I should form and carve this while it was.....laying on the ground. I basically rolled the post while the concrete was still curing, over on another side so I could continue to carve it. The next issue was that I used standard concrete with rocks, not so good for carving when wet. Needles to say, I had to overlay the post to make it look like this.









The issue right up front is the WEIGHT. I made the above rock post on the ground....solid concrete....yikes. 

I have now built a bench form system which makes things a bit easier, but still a major hassle. I am looking for ways to lighten up these posts yet still allowing them to be very strong. I will probably have to look into either different fillers or fill the center of the post with something lightweight and pour around it. I would also probably use PolyPlex polymer and fibers in the mix, vibrate it to density the mix to allow them to be very strong.

Actually one major flaw I noticed when I made this one below was it was very weak. After 7 days I lightly tap with my fist on the very end of the mailbox rock and the whole rock broke off like a dead twig. After examining the issue, I found that the probable cause is due to the trapped air bubbles. I now vibrate my post with a concrete vibrator which is to big.









Anyone want to buy a concrete vibrator I only used about 5 times? I'll get the information on it.


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## CJKarl (Nov 21, 2006)

What about just solid granite. Comes in all shapes, just dig a hole, plant it and be gone.
http://www.landscapedepotsupply.com/Granite.htm


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## jgray152 (Oct 4, 2009)

You can get more creative with concrete than real granite  Not only that, you can get concrete stronger than granite 

Basically, if you looking for a stacked stone "granite" post, you can't get that with a solid granite post. 

Creativity is where I am going with it. Still in the process....


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## jgray152 (Oct 4, 2009)

I forgot I had a video of one of the posts on youtube. 

http://www.youtube.com/user/StoneCreteTekniques#p/a/u/1/JHIkC1vSr-Q


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## Dan_Watson (Mar 1, 2008)

Search for some new concrete mixes to use . PVC pipe in the center pull out when you remove the forms. Or just use foam. 

What are you sealing them with?


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## jgray152 (Oct 4, 2009)

Well for mixes I have been thinking of using cement and ground walnut shells to help with weight. Of coarse any aggregate short of sand will reduce its strength since the aggregate will be the week point. 

If I continue to use sand, the strength will be acceptable even if I hollow out the middle.

If I hollow it out to much, when I grind the stone, there will be very little concrete holding it all together. I would like to pour into a mold some some type so I can do this. 

I have been using some home depot penetrating behr sealer which seems to work great.


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

jgray152 said:


> After 7 days I lightly tap with my fist on the very end of the mailbox rock and the whole rock broke off like a dead twig.


That's the first thing I thought of when I saw that design. Around here, that would be a prime target for baseball bat-wielding teenagers. I think I'd feel better if it had some steel reinforcement inside.


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## jgray152 (Oct 4, 2009)

all my other posts do have steel reinforcement inside. That particular one I built quickly as a demonstration piece. Although, it did not work out as well.


I can tell you that they seem to be stronger after vibration too. That in combination of steel should be great. 

For a mix I was also thinking of using pumice.


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