Steampunk Stepping Stones

We love finding old coins and keys at the flea market. We'd been keeping them in jars, until we had the idea to turn them into Steampunk Stepping Stones! Now we get to see our collections on display in the garden!
The project turned out to be so easy, we gathered some sea glass and marbles and made more! Here's how we did it.
The first thing we did was collect keys! We actually have been collecting them for years. They are easy to find at garage sales, flea markets, and even your own junk drawer! (Just make sure you don't still need it them!)
To make the stepping stones, we got some concrete mix at the hardware store. You just mix it with water! Easy! (To see the amounts we used, check out the complete instructions on our blog at http://runningwithsisters.com/steampunk-stepping-stone.)
We picked up some molds at the craft store. They came in circles and squares, and they were so cheap we got one of each! Once the concrete was mixed, we just spread the mix into the mold.
Our Steampunk Stepping Stones turned out so cool, we made another batch with colorful flat marbles from the dollar store!


To see the complete how-to, including how to mix the concrete and how to reinforce the stepping stones for heavy traffic, come over to our blog at RunningWithSisters.com. We have loads of flea market projects, and we are always available if you have any questions. Just leave us a comment and we'll reply!


Cheers,


Jennifer & Kitty, The O'Neil Sisters
Jennifer & Kitty O'Neil
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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Frequently asked questions
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3 of 6 questions
  • Char J Char J on Mar 13, 2016
    Did you leave the keys embedded in the cement, or just their impressions? How do you clean any cement off if you want to re-use the keys? Great job!
  • They look a little rough to walk on. Is there any way they can be smoothed out?
  • Glo49599295 Glo49599295 on Jun 11, 2023

    What type of cement do you use, the one w/ gravel or w/o?

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  • Sandy Langley Sandy Langley on Dec 19, 2018

    I Love it. Thank you so much. Collecting keys , washers, etc. Great idea !!!❤️

  • Kelly Kelly on Jul 17, 2020

    People do this a lot in Hawaii, but we can't seem to get the cement to contain the tiles, etc. that we put on top of the cement. Is it because of the humidity or is there a secret to getting stuff to stay on top of the cement. Yes, we press it in very firmly. Thanks!

    • Pennyswift Pennyswift on Feb 22, 2024

      Kelly, you need to make a concrete mix. Cement is only one ingredient! You make concrete by mixing cement with building sand and crushed stone and water. Mix 1 part of cement with four parts each of sand and stone and enough water to make a workable mix. You can make a stronger mix with a 1:3:3 ratio. Then all you do is push the keys into the concrete before it has fully set. You don't want the mix to be too stoney or it will be very rough. So, rather use finely crushed stone or gravel.

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