How to breathe new life into an old concrete bird bath?

Answer 1

To restore a cement bird bath, the best way is to;

1. wash the birdbath all over, use a scraper to get moss off of it, don't use soap, it will make it harder for the new cement to bite (term used to describe how cement attaches itself onto older cement.

2. completely dry the cement - any moisture will make it harder for new cement to firmly grip the old stuff - by covering it with plastic and use whatever means you deem appropriate to ensure it dries, eventually the cement should turn a shade of grey when its very dry, depending on what mixture of sand/cement you used.

3. make a new batch of cement, enough to cover the whole thing, but use alot of cement and little sand in the mix, use plasticiser to make the cement very easy to work with,

4. get a plasterers trowel, its basically a small sheet of metal with a handle that's parallel to the sheet of metal, a cheap one from B&Q is about 5-7 (£)

5. use the trowel to get a smooth finish with the cement, its never going to be smooth as glass but remember its not plaster. once you have done the pillar and the sides of the basin , use a bowl or object the same size and depth as the basin to push the cement into a mould of it,

6.when all the new cement is dried, rub out any inconsistencies with very rough sandpaper, or metal file, and lastly if the mix you used makes the cement colour look unattractive, use Matt paint for first coat, then waterproof it with a thick coat of oil based paint.

Answer 2

Many overgrown gardens and older homes are littered with old, crumbling cement bird baths, which are long past their prime for aviary bathing. But with just a little effort and a few inexpensive supplies, that old birdbath can have a new life either as a planter or frog pond.

Turn an old bird bath into a planter

Turning a decaying bird bath into a beautiful planter is a relatively easy feat. The shallow bowl of the bath is a perfect home for shallow rooted ground cover type plants. For this purpose, little has to be done to revive the old bath. In fact, for a rustic look, the bath can be left as is and simply planted with soil and ground cover. When placed next to a garden or outside the garden shed, this makes a beautiful planter. For a more polished look, spray a quick coat of paint on the outside of the bath bowl and pedestal; textured rock-look paints work great for this project.

Turn an old bird bath into a frog pond

Turning a bath into a frog pond is a great choice, especially for a bath where the pedestal has been broken or is in really bad shape. This project uses only the bowl, so the pedestal can be discarded (or used for another project, like creating a potted plant stand). Simply paint the outside of the bowl (or just the rim, since much of the bowl will be hidden by dirt and plants); do not paint the inside, as you do not want to put dangerous chemicals into the water for your frogs.

Dig a shallow hole, a few inches deep, and place the bowl in it, so that even smaller frogs can jump up onto the bowl’s edge. Fill the bowl with a few rocks, so that frogs can sun themselves and have help climbing out of the water. Then add water and you have a spot fit for froggies and even tadpoles.

Of course, a bird bath can always have new life as a bath again. Just get some pre-mixed concrete patch and patch any larger holes, then repaint the outside of the bowl (never paint the inside) and the stand, and it can be a beautiful aviary sanctuary all over again.