Stained Glass Stepping Stones For Your Garden

Stepping stones can have a functional purpose in your garden. They mark your path so you don’t crush flowers as you walk through it. But stepping stones, especially stained glass stepping stones, can also add style and beauty to your garden. Stained glass stepping stones can be expensive to buy but there is no reason you cannot make your own.

First, decide if you will walk on the stones or if they are only for decoration. If the latter, you can make a three dimensional design. If the former, your design will necessarily be flat.
Before you start to make your own stained glass stepping stones, take a moment to review the materials that you will need. These include stained glass pieces in the shapes and colors of your choice, clear contact paper, grout, a mold, Vaseline, an old bucket, a stick for stirring, chicken wire, and a board that is a little larger than the mold.

After the materials are ready, you need to produce a simple template of your design. Sheet rock will work as well as a board. Glue the template onto the board. Next, put a sheet of contact paper over the template with the sticky side facing up and place the stained glass pieces to match the template, on the sticky side. Then, trim the contact paper to fit the mold and put it aside for the moment.

Now you will cut the chicken wire so that it fits inside the mold. Then take the screen out of the mold and thoroughly coat the entire inside of the mold with Vaseline. Press the contact paper, sticky side up, into the Vaseline, pressing it into place so that the contact paper remains flat. Place the screen in the mold over the stained glass.

Now, it’s time to mix the grout. Be sure to read and follow the instructions. Before you pour the grout, review your project to see that the mold is on the board, with the glass laden contact paper pressed into the Vaseline, and the trimmed chicken wire is on top.  Finally, pour the grout.

It takes about a week for the grout to fully cure. After that, you turn the mold over and gently press out the design. It should come out easily because of the Vaseline. Pull off the contact paper. If there is any grout on the glass, scrape it off using a razor. You now have stained glass stepping stones.