If you didn’t already know, fall is my absolute favorite (and I LOVE DIY Halloween projects!). I love all the pumpkins, colored leaves, and sunflowers. Can I tell you a secret? I don’t enjoy CARVING pumpkins!
So, instead of buying fresh pumpkins year after year, I add a few more non-perishable pumpkins to my collection. (Side story: one year my youngest daughter helped put away the decor and tossed in a REAL pumpkin…that sat. In a tote. ALL YEAR LONG. Ew! Actually, while it was pretty gross, finding a year old pumpkin stashed in a basement wasn’t as bad as I would’ve imagined.)
Anyway, I have been wanting to make a cement pumpkin for years. YEARS, I tell ya! But it ended up being my mother in law who was more motivated to actually MAKE them, so on her last visit we did.
Now that I realized how EASY it is to make a cement pumpkin, I want to make MORE, and I’ll share how we did it so you can make some too!
What You Will Need
Some of the items below are affiliate links for your convenience. (We were able to get 2 pumpkins out of one 50lb bag of Quikrete with some left over)
- 50lb Bag Fast Setting Quikrete* (Home Depot $4.00)
- 5 Gallon Bucket
- Cordless Drill + Paint Mixer/Auger (optional, but well worth it!)
- 2 Plastic Trick-or-Trick Pumpkins (Walmart, $1.00)
- 2 Quart Size Plastic Paint Mixing Cups (Home Depot $2.00)
- Water/Hose
- Disposable Gloves
- Utility Knife or a Dremmel with cutting wheel (this worked much better than the knife!)
- Shop Rags/Old Towels
- Hammer (optional)
- Pliers (optional)
- Wooden Board + Heavy Object
How to Make a Cement Pumpkin For your Fall Decor
(You can download the free printable with supply list and step by step instructions!)
Make sure you have everything ready, and you’re wearing old clothes along with your disposable gloves. The Quikrete sets up fast so you won’t have a lot of time to mess around. It helps to have two people on this project. *You can use the regular kind of Quikrete if you don’t mind added dry time.
Dump the Quikrete into the 5 gallon bucket. Add enough water and mix to make it like runny mashed potatoes.
Pour into the plastic pumpkin molds, leaving an inch or two at the top. The second helper can use the hose to spray off the mixing tools and bucket.
Place the plastic paint mixing cup inside…this will get messy! Place a wooden board and/or heavy object(s) on top to keep the cup submerged in the concrete.
Set the pumpkins aside while you clean up your area. Let the plastic molds sit for about 45 minutes to an hour.
When you’re ready to remove the mold use your utility knife or dremmel to cut away sections. You might find it helpful to pull pieces away with pliers and a hammer.
I would really like to find a way to make a reusable mold…I hate the idea of throwing away all this plastic, but for now this is what we have found to work.
Would you paint them? I’ve been thinking about it, but they are pretty cute as is, don’t you think? Have you made concrete pumpkins? I’d love to see photos!
If you like these, you might also be interested in these super cute mini cement pumpkin candle holders I found at Oleander + Palm. I might have to try making some little ones next!
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THESE DIY CEMENT PUMPKINS?
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