Stepping stones are a charming way to add character to a yard, plus there’s no shortage of styles you can buy or create. For instance, if you’re craving coastal cool, making your own DIY whimsical stepping stones will transform your garden with elements of the ocean. This project involves using pieces of beautiful sea glass to create a one-of-a-kind piece of garden decor. When you’re done, you’ll have a handmade reminder of those sunny days spent on the beach.
Like its name references, sea glass is literally pieces of glass found in seas, lakes, and other bodies of natural water. It comes from glass bottles and items that were either washed away or thrown into the water. Once the glass fragments, the water shapes the individual pieces, tumbling them in the waves until they’re smoothed and refined. Eventually, they may end up washed up in the sand, having traveled from far-flung destinations with a frosted appearance left by the fine grazing of sand particles. Sometimes you’ll even see embellished lettering and other marks from the original glass, which adds to its appeal.
Part of sea glass’s beauty lies in its varied shades of blue, green, brown, white, pink, and more. Every piece of sea glass is unique, which is why many people collect it — though today, it’s harder to come by as more manufacturers use single-use plastic over glass. If you want to inject a little coastal-inspired chic into your garden, try making your own budget-friendly DIY stepping stones with these treasures of the sea. You’ll need sea glass, concrete, a mold, and varnish to get started.
Making your sea glass garden stepping stones
@lovely.greens
DIY Seaglass Stepping Stones 🌿 Seaglass is broken glass that has been softened and colored by the sea. I’ve collected it for years and use the pieces in projects like these stepping stones. I made one of the stones in this Reel back in 2014 and another in 2018. The other three I made this week. So, not only do they last, but they look beautiful and are practical for creating garden walkways. If you don’t live by the beach, you can make stepping stones with other materials, such as aquarium glass, shells, pebbles, or broken crockery. It’s a fun project to do on your own or with children! #diygarden #lovegardening #cottagegarden #gardenproject #seaglass #isleofman
♬ Pieces (Solo Piano Version) – Danilo Stankovic
If you don’t already have a sea glass collection, you can buy it instead. It won’t be “true” sea glass, since it’s made using a tumbler or acid etching, but it will offer the same beautiful effect in the end. One option is Jetec Sea Glass For Crafts; however, you will find many options with frosty colors and different shapes, so look for what strikes you most. You’ll also need a bag of concrete, such as a Quikrete 10 LB Bag. If you’d prefer a white surface over the gray of concrete, look for an option like Jennifer’s Mosaics Outdoor Cement.
Lay out your pieces of sea glass, and spray paint the backs white, which will give each glass piece more definition against the stone background. Prepare your concrete or cement mix according to the directions, and then pour it into your mold — using either a pre-bought mold or simply a shallow planter dish. Set your sea glass into the mixture, pressing each one in. After the mixture dries, apply a coat of varnish across the entire surface. Then, ease the stone out of its mold or dish once safe to do so, and place it in your garden. Now, you can enjoy the majesty of the sea every time you step outside with this ultimate piece of coastal decor. For variety, mix in bits of pebbles or other rocks among the glass pieces.
