solar street lamp How to Make Painted House Numbers from Cement Mix

Trying to find an address on the House can be frustrating, especially when it's dark, or (worse) if they don'texistent!Let new visitors and delivery drivers take a break and boldly tell them where to go with these oversized door signs!They are made from a cement mixture and then painted in any color that suits your needs.You can even give them a decorative design if you want!Not only are these numbers convenient, but they are also great yard decor.Set up some solar lights, spotlights or hanging some string lights around the numbers and no one will try again during the day or night to find your house!You can do this if you want to hand write numbers;But we used a picture.Select the bold font and any font size you choose.Our numbers are about 16 "high, which means the number needs to be printed on two separate 8 1/2x11 pages.To do this, please set the program specification for the canvas that is 11 \ "wide 17 \" high.Type the number you selected and stretch the image into 1/2 \ "of each edge of the canvas.Now cut the canvas half vertically so that it is the same size as normal letterhead, 8-1/2 x 11\".You can only see half of the numbers now.Print this page.Then redo the crop in the opposite direction so you can now see the lower half of your number.Print that page too.Continue this process for all numbers.Cut each number out, then place them on a hard piece of cardboard, align the edges to make the whole number.Track each number on cardboard with a marker pen.Use a utility or X-The Acto knife is cut around each number.Now, cut the cardboard into any thickness depending on your number.We chose to create the number 4 "thick, need 4" cardboard.Trim the strip to the necessary length and attach tape around each number to form the mold.Make sure the seams are completely sealed with adhesive tape to prevent penetration of the cement mixture.In the Mirror, the mold should be formed backwards, so the smoothest side of the cement mixture will be on the front of the finished number.When our numbers are finished, in order to remain upright in the yard, we embed wooden pins at the bottom of the numbers.The pins used here are 7/16 "x 36" and cut in half.Use the Xacto knife to cut an "X" in the middle of the bottom of each mold ".Insert pin rods through these holes and insert them into half of the mold.Now spray the interior of each mold with wd40.This will ensure that the mold does not stick to the cement mixture after drying, and you will thank you for doing this.Be sure to buy a cement mixture or mortar product that contains very fine sand, not a traditional concrete mixture, which includes rough gravel that will not give you the smooth surface you want.Also, do not use pure Portland cement.Pure cement is just an adhesive and should not be used alone.We use fast solidified cement all in one 55-lb.Bag, this is a separate mixture that does not require other ingredients.Pour the cement mixture into a large bowl, then add water, a little at a time.Stir the mixture thoroughly with a spoon or stick.Add more water or more cement mixture as needed to get a viable, foaming consistency but not too runny nose.The final mixture should look like the picture below.Not ghee, but it is easy to stir and pour.Immediately after mixing (this fastPour your cement into each mold.Spread the mixture evenly throughout the mold with a spoon and adjust the pins to make them stick out directly.For larger numbers such as "0", two pins are used.If your mold starts to deform under the pressure of the cement, wait about 10 minutes until the cement starts to solidify and press the mold on the side to make them straight and even again.You can also support stones or blocks of wood on the side of the mold so that they can be fixed in place when the cement mixture is dry.This cement does solidify very quickly, but before removing your number, you'll want to make sure it's dry or they'll break easily.This is ideal if you have a night wait, especially if your numbers are as big as ours.When you're ready, start stripping the mold off the numbers.If you apply WD40 to the inside of the mold before pouring the cement mixture, this should be easy.If you forget about this step, an electric sander with a little tilt can easily remove any cardboard that is still glued to it.Although the unfinished cement surface brings you the digital that may be your ideal industrial look, we decided to put an interesting coating on our paint.We chose a dip-So we first marked the design we wanted with the painter's tape.Then, cover the top of the number with a rag (which will not be painted) and attach tape.Use the spray paint that has been added with the primer (here is the Krylon ballet slippers pink), give each number a few layers of paint to dry between the two.The use of light-colored paint coatings helps to avoid uneven drops or coatings.We also find that the use of a flat or satin finish is the best addition to cement;A smooth or metal finish seems to exacerbate any unevenness.When dry, remove the tape and "plant" your door cards anywhere in the yard.If the pin does not want to sink, you can hit the "pilot hole" with a metal rod first and insert your number.