How to Make a Concrete Bowl

Lay everything out before you start, because concrete waits for no one once it's mixed. You need two nesting metal bowls, one large and one small. The dollar store is perfect for these. Grab a bag of concrete mix, a bucket for mixing, a putty knife, gloves, and a household grease for the release layer. A scrap board and a couple of bricks handle the weighting later.

Here's a clever way to figure out how much concrete you need. Fill the large bowl with water, then press the small bowl down into it so the water rises around it. That gap between the two bowls is exactly where your concrete goes. Pour the leftover water into your mixing bucket and mark the line. Now you know how much to mix, no guessing.

Fill the bucket about three-quarters full with concrete mix, then add water and stir. You're aiming for a cake-batter consistency, thick enough to hold its shape but loose enough to pour and settle. Too runny? Toss in more mix. Too stiff? Add a splash of water. Mix it well so there are no dry clumps hiding at the bottom. A thinner mix gives a smoother finish but takes longer to cure.

Coat the inside of the large bowl and the outside of the small bowl with grease. This is your release layer, and it's the difference between a bowl that pops out clean and one that's stuck for good. Vaseline or any household grease works. Get right into the curved bottom, since that's where concrete loves to grab and hold on.

Pour the mixed concrete into the greased large bowl. Even out the top with your putty knife or a trowel so it sits level. Then tap the sides of the bowl firmly with your hand. Those taps bring trapped air bubbles up to the surface, which means fewer little pinholes in your finished bowl. Give it a good minute of tapping before you move on.

Push the small greased bowl straight down into the center of the wet concrete. This is what carves out the hollow of your finished bowl. Push until the concrete rises evenly around the sides. Lay a board across the top and set a couple of bricks on it to keep the inner bowl from floating up. Now walk away and let it cure for 24 to 48 hours.

Once it's cured, pull off the bricks and board and flip the whole thing over. Drape a towel over the bottom and tap it with a rubber mallet. The towel softens the blows so you don't chip anything. Work around the rim of the large bowl too. The concrete loosens and the outer mold lifts away, then a few taps on the small bowl frees the inside.

Lift out your finished concrete bowl. Run sandpaper over the rim and any rough edges to knock them smooth. That's it. You've cast a solid, modern concrete bowl with your own hands. Fill it with moss and dried flowers for a centerpiece, drop it by the front door for keys and coins, or just set it on a shelf for a bit of raw texture.