How creators wake up
It is human nature, as a rational being, to create. Often, creative qualities are discovered literally out of the blue and where you would not expect them at all. Just one inner push is enough. For example, a blog post with illustrations. And comments: “Oh, what a beauty! Where did you buy it? Did you make it yourself? How? From what?” The last question is usually clarified several times. After a while - joyfully: “Oh, girls, I did it!” And then, embarrassed: “Just don’t tell your husband, otherwise I’ve used up all his mounting foam...”. And others rejoice: “Hurray! Another homemade product has appeared at the dacha!”
Polyurethane foam
Polyurethane foam, also known as polyurethane foam sealant, was invented more than 60 years ago, but began to be actively used in construction only in the 1980s by the Swedes. It is used to install door and window units, “treat” seams and cracks, isolate communications. Compressed in an aerosol can, it takes up very little space. The polyurethane foam released from there quickly increases in volume up to 40 times and hardens (polymerizes) to hard state, acquiring a light yellow color. Can't stand straight lines sun rays: first it darkens and then begins to crack. The ease of decorating with polyurethane foam and its availability have won over people with ingenuity and creativity. At the dachas and suburban areas Homemade garden sculptures began to appear en masse, relatively cheap compared to finished products.
Basic Tools
It is best to release polyurethane foam (and not a cheap one, since it holds its shape less well) from a professional reusable gun with a handle and a metal nozzle - only it can regulate the volume of portions. To prevent the gun from becoming disposable, it must be washed with cleaner after use. polyurethane foam. The foam itself is very sticky, so work with thin household gloves. The exception is when you need to touch up a slightly dried out figure - here you need hands moistened with water. When the mass has completely dried, you can cut out any crafts from the polyurethane foam using a sharp stationery knife.
And we have such a frame
Even the simplest sculpture needs a base on which foam will be applied. That is, the frame. Fantasy itself will tell you what is best to use. For example, for Kolobok the old one suggests itself children's ball, for a hefty boletus mushroom - a plastic bottle (leg) and a round candy box (hat); The frame for the charming donkey can be assembled from a ten-liter bottle, a tin can and wooden scraps. Part of the frame can be bent from wire (for example, a lizard's tail or a swan's neck). To make crafts made from polyurethane foam not only beautiful, but also stable, weigh them down (sand in a PET bottle will be quite enough).
Apply and strengthen
The room where you will create from polyurethane foam should be well ventilated. You can set up a workshop under open air, but only in dry weather. Apply the foam to the frame gradually: do not rush with the next layer until the previous one has dried (this should take no more than a quarter of an hour). Crafts made with your own hands from polyurethane foam must be protected from cracking by using putty. Acrylic putty or dry putty is best suited for this. mortar with pasty acrylic supermastic. Another method is gauze bandages soaked in cement mortar: they need to be used to pave the entire figure.
Brush of a famous master
For painting your garden sculptures use acrylic or oil paints of any color. Before painting, let the product “rest” for several days. Be sure to paint with my own hands, armed with thick brushes. Put one layer of paint - wait until it dries properly and paint again; there should be several layers. To make the sculpture not only bright, but also shiny, varnish it. Polyurethane varnish for concrete floors is excellent for this. At the same time, add strength. All! Your crafts made from polyurethane foam are waiting for their favorite place, where they will calmly stand under the sun and rain. But when winter comes, it is better to put them in a warm and covered room. Just in case.
Materials and tools:
Polyurethane foam (any)
Glue "Titan"
Wood putty.
Acrylic paints.
Liquid nails “Fix All” (Cristal)
Toothpicks
Brush
Acrylic paints
Acrylate wood varnish
Small decorative stones.
Film
Gloves
A stationery (or any convenient) knife.
Plastic covers for notebooks.
I love waterfalls and I love looking at them and trying to draw them, but here I really wanted a home waterfall. But not the one where water flows (for some reason this is annoying...), but the most ordinary one.
I tried to film and describe the process of creating a home waterfall.
Take polyurethane foam (I took the most common one in a can for 100 rubles).
Lay on work surface oilcloth or film. Be sure to wear gloves
(rubber or medical), because the foam sticks very much to your hands and is difficult to wash off. Foam several “slides” on the film, spray the “slides” with a flower spray so that the foam “sets” faster. Wait until the top of the “slide” dries, remove it from the film (the bottom remains wet) and place the slides on top of each other so as you see your big mountain. Since the bottom has not yet dried, the slides “sit” on top of each other and immediately stick together.
Give the foam a day to “set.”
Cut out the base of the mountain from the resulting mass - cut off the excess from the sides using a knife, cut through caves and recesses.
Treat all surfaces and joints with putty. Let it dry for a day.
Paint the slide, walls and “bottom” of the waterfall first with dark brown, then light brown paint. Give the paint time to dry.
Spread the “Titanium” glue on the surface of the “mountain”, sprinkling the glue with small decorative pebbles. Cover by acrylic varnish. Dry overnight.
Paint the “bottom” of the waterfall and the places where the “water” flows with blue and white paints.
To simulate flowing water, the following was tested:
1. Liquid nails “Moment” Installation transparent..
The photo shows “transparency”, yeah. as they were opaque white, they remained so even after two days..
2. Liquid nails “AXTON” transparent. I didn’t like it, first of all, it had a very pungent, poisonous smell (as if a lot of vinegar had been mixed with something). So, the resulting “waterfalls” are a bit cloudy and ugly, a disgrace.
3. Liquid nails “Fix-All soludal, Crystal/ You can try others, but the word Crystal must be present.. Nails are expensive (we cost 370 rubles, but when you have the urge to do it, you can’t bear it..)
Take a napkin and make a “stencil” of the required length.
I bought a regular notebook cover for the imitation water backing. It is transparent with blue and this turned out to be just it.
Having prepared the stencils, place the cover on them.
Take liquid nails and “draw” stripes on the stencil with them, close to each other. Using a toothpick, smooth the surface of the strips with a zigzag line.
Leave to dry. But it’s better to leave it to dry like that. so that the dried nails take the desired shape. Cut the film along the contour of the waterfall, use a toothpick to pierce the film at the beginning of the “waterfall” and attach it to a convenient, convex surface.
After allowing time for the “flowing water” to dry, use the same nails to coat the recesses in the “mountain” and attach the workpieces with a toothpick. Adjust “waterfalls” by adding stripes liquid nails, simulating the effect of flowing water.
Paint the surface of the waterfall with an almost dry white brush and white paint.
Wait for the “waterfalls” to dry completely and check that everything corresponds to what you planned. Place several decorative elements on the bottom, in my case these are white round decorative stones. In “liquid glass”, poured into any container that you don’t mind throwing away, add any blue dye (in in this case I took soap dye) - 3-4 drops
Allow time to dry completely" liquid glass", depending on the thickness of the layer, this will range from two to four days.
Add a couple of strips of “liquid nails” at the base of the “waterfalls”, mix the applied strips with the dried “water”. Using a toothpick or bamboo stick, lift the sealant at the base of the “waterfall” with small sharp “waves”
Allow time to dry and paint the ends of the “waves” at the base of the waterfall with white paint.
That's it, the waterfall is ready...
Polyurethane foam – unique construction material, which is widely used for installation, sealing of structures and increasing their thermal insulation. Lovers of garden decorations have expanded the scope of application of this building material. Garden figures Every owner can easily make it from polyurethane foam with his own hands country house or summer cottage. In this article you can see photos of finished crafts, as well as popular sculptures made from polyurethane foam.
1. Light weight.
2. Ease of use (applied to any surface, easy to cut).
3. The ability to make crafts of any size.
4. The finished product is not affected precipitation and temperature changes.
Conditions for using polyurethane foam for garden sculptures
Conditions for using polyurethane foam for garden sculptures
If you have never worked with polyurethane foam, we recommend that you read the instructions from the manufacturer. Do not forget that the foam inside the container is a liquid mass, and when it comes into contact with air, it begins to harden. Complete hardening occurs after 10-12 hours. When working with foam, use products personal protection. It is not recommended to carry out work when sub-zero temperature air.
Before each use of the foam, shake the container well. While working, keep the can with the cap down so that gas does not escape from it and all the foam can be used. You should not apply many layers at once, as the uncured ones will fall off. Do everything gradually, apply the next layer at least 10-15 minutes after the previous one. For ease of application, use a special gun.
The appearance of a polyurethane foam figure directly depends on the type of frame. You should first find a picture of the figure or make a sketch so that all the nuances are taken into account and the finished product looks like a wooden or plaster sculpture.
To make the frame, you can take different materials, for example, suitable plastic bottles or iron cans. You will also find it useful wooden planks, fittings and wire. To make the sculpture stable, you need to fill it with sand.
Now you can start decorating the craft with foam. Distribute the foam evenly over the frame, taking into account the future reliefs of the craft. When it has completely hardened, you can remove it with a stationery knife. unnecessary details and correct defects. If necessary, add foam to places where you forgot or want to correct something in the craft.
A layer of putty will help protect the mounting foam from destruction. To garden craft turned out smooth, grout sandpaper. Now take acrylic paints and cover the figure. Preferably two layers or more. To extend the service life of the future masterpiece, it is coated with varnish on top.
Garden figures can be additionally decorated with a variety of materials, for example, beads, flowers, or made LED backlight so that the sculpture glows at night.
In order to make a snail for the garden, you will need half a bottle of foam. Cover the table with oilcloth and begin applying foam for the base of the snail. When the first layer has dried a little, apply the second and insert a kefir bottle to make the snail's neck. Cover your neck with foam too and form a head with your hands.
Give the snail horns and a slightly elongated muzzle. After this you can start making the shell. To do this, a round mound of foam is applied to the snail's body. Now insert a bucket, which will be intended for flowers and will turn the garden craft into an original flowerbed.
Use a marker to mark where your snail shell begins and ends, and make curls. When the foam is completely dry, sand the product. All that remains is to decorate the snail and the garden craft is ready.
Materials:
- old saucepan;
- can:
- oil or acrylic paint;
- foam container;
- wire;
- beads.
1. Separately fill the pan and jar with foam and let dry.
2. The jar is the head, and the pan is the body of the frog. Fasten these parts with wire and secure with foam.
3. In the place where the frog’s arms should be, secure the wire and also cover it with foam.
4. Now shape the head and body so that they look like a frog. Make the lower legs as well.
5. Paint the craft with paints and then insert the eyes. The frog is ready, now it can be placed near a pond in the garden or near the pool.
To make a garden fox figurine, you will need a plastic bottle. Fill it with sand or pebbles, then the wind will not be able to turn your product over. Foam the bottle, but not immediately in a thick layer, but gradually, pausing for about 15 minutes for the foam to set.
You can use a rubber tube to make the paws. To make the legs flexible, insert a wire into the tube. The tail can also be made from a tube, which will need to be well foamed. For the neck, use a cardboard cylinder from under toilet paper. Place some kind of round blank for the head on it.
Foam everything well and give it to the sculpture appearance foxes. After that, paint the figure oil paints and varnish. Keep in mind that if the paint is white, the varnish will make it yellow.
You can use a plastic ball as the frame of the kolobok. Place it on some kind of support, such as a jar or bowl. Now apply the foam, waiting for each layer to dry. To make handles, insert wire.
Also form the scarf from foam, and you can make the ears from cardboard. When the foam is completely dry, use a utility knife to cut out the eyes, mouth and nose. Make legs from wooden planks. All that’s left is to color the craft and the bun – it’s ready!
It is interesting that from polyurethane foam you can make not only garden figures, but also an original lantern that will give your garden plot a touch of exclusivity and help decorate your garden in a unique way. Japanese style. To make a lantern stand, take a pipe that needs to be foamed on the bottom side and installed on a level surface. wooden base. For the lantern bowl, you can use a plastic bowl that needs to be secured on top.
Now pour the foam in layers, waiting for each layer to partially dry. Come up with a design to decorate the lantern, draw a diagram and implement the idea using polyurethane foam. You need to make a hole in the center of the bowl so that you can secure the lid with self-tapping screws. Insert the bars into the bowl and foam them.
Attach the lid to the bowl with self-tapping screws. Now cut out a smaller square from the chipboard. Foam it on one side and secure the racks on the other. In the center of the squares you need to make a hole in order to insert a lamp into it later. solar battery. Hide the wires.
After this, a roof is made from a large piece of plywood, which is installed on racks. To make the relief design beautiful, first draw it with a marker on the surface of the lantern, and then carefully cover it with foam.
Garden figures made of polyurethane foam master class
The finished product is completely painted. To install it, you need to dig the pipe a little into the ground or make a small flower bed around the lantern.
DIY polyurethane foam figures will help transform any garden plot. Even without the skills of a sculptor and artist, you can make a beautiful sculpture that will enliven your exterior.
polyurethane foam can also be used to decorate rooms or building facades.
Of course, everyone who often spends time in the garden wants to decorate and diversify the space around them. The easiest way is to purchase professionally made animal figures in a store. However, you have to pay for them, and it’s hard to resist the desire to create something unusual with your own hands. Very interesting option– make a craft yourself from polyurethane foam for the garden.
Crafts made from polyurethane foam: what is good and what is bad?
Foam is a special material. You can make figures of any size from it. The work does not require significant physical activity and subject to female hands. When working with the material, it is easy to remove excess or add missing details, and correct errors. A well-made craft looks professional and does not bear the marks of recycling, such as crafts made from tires or plastic bottles. The foam craft is not afraid of rain and snow, but it will have to be protected from exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation.
It is convenient to make a variety of figures from foamThere is another side to the coin. First of all, you should understand that three-dimensional figures are made from foam, which are not easy to copy without having a sense of proportion. It’s even more difficult to create something new with only a flat picture in front of you.
If you have not yet appreciated your abilities as a sculptor and do not have experience working with construction foam, it is better to start with a simpler craft and create a bun, a mushroom or a ladybug.
The material hardens in air for a long time, so be patient while waiting for the next layer to be ready. It will take a week to build a large craft. Foam gets very dirty, and it is better to carry out work with gloves, in a special place and on outdoors.
The most interesting and characteristic foam figures
Of course, first of all, you need to “get acquainted with the assortment.” By carefully studying samples of existing creations, we can conditionally divide all crafts into two groups. Some have a smooth surface, others have an almost untreated surface.
The surface of these figures is carefully processed Using the leveling of dried foam, you can make the figure of any animal and many other crafts. In this option, your work is well protected from the ultraviolet rays of the sun. At the same time, a lot of time and materials are required.
The fox and the wolf have a “natural fur coat” made of foam Particularly interesting is the imitation of animal fur using raw foam. This type of texture is difficult to produce from any other material. When done carefully, the animals literally come to life. In this option, you do not need to spend a lot of time leveling the surface.
Uneven surface foam suits these characters well Making non-living objects from polyurethane foam is less popular, with the exception of imitation mushrooms. However, as follows from the photo below, using construction foam you can make a flowerpot, garden lantern and flower pots different types.
All items are made of polyurethane foam Using this scheme you can build any craft
Almost any craft from polyurethane foam for the yard and garden can be built using general rules. Below is a set of basic tools. Note that you can use regular cans with a straw or pistol foam. Working with a pistol is much more convenient. When making a complex figure or a large number of products, it is better to purchase a pistol.
The material comes in different qualities, and the cans provide different volumes of foam, which is directly related to the price of the can. The materials you will also need are paint, varnish and putty for external use. A variety of auxiliary materials are suitable for making the frame: plastic bottles, wire, pieces of wood, etc.
When making almost any foam figure, you will need a frame. How more shape the frame corresponds to the type of future craft, the better the final result will be. It is convenient to use tape to mount the frame. Individual frame parts can be added to the structure sequentially as the next layer is applied. In addition to the above material, you can use a roll of paper, fabric or foam rubber wrapped in tape for the frame.
The foam craft weighs very little. To prevent the wind from knocking it over, you can pour sand into plastic bottles. To attach the figurine to the ground, you can also provide thick wires that will protrude from the legs of the animals.
Frames from different materials correspond in shape to future crafts Before starting work, be sure to read the instructions for using the foam on the can. It is highly recommended to purchase a polyurethane foam cleaner to quickly solve “dirty” problems. Work should be carried out at positive temperatures in the open air or in a well-ventilated area. Use gloves. When working, it is convenient to use a bedding made of polyethylene film, to which the foam does not stick.
In the can, the foam is in the form of a liquid. When exposed to air, the material hardens. The container should be shaken before use. During operation, keep the can with the cap down. If this is not done, all the gas will escape and some of the material will not be usable. The foam gains sufficient strength within one hour. The material hardens completely in approximately 10 hours.
Polyurethane foam: regular and pistol You should not try to apply a large amount of material at once, as the foam will fall off. It is better to apply a layer of foam on horizontal surfaces, let it harden for half an hour, and then rotate the workpiece so that when applying the next layer the foam lies horizontally again.
If possible, apply foam evenly to the frame, taking into account the shape of the future craft. For getting good result useful to read the contents of the article
After the material has hardened, you can add foam to those places where it is missing in accordance with the outlines of the craft. Excessively protruding parts should be cut off sharp knife, which will not tear the material. Smooth surfaces can be achieved with sandpaper wrapped around a block.
A layer of putty for external use will improve the protection of the craft from solar radiation and will provide additional alignment. Now you can paint the craft.
Please note that paint can spoil the surface of insufficiently hardened foam!
It is recommended to use paints for external use and paint in two layers. Convenient to work with acrylic paints. For additional protection the figure is coated with varnish, preferably “yacht” varnish. Please note that varnish will give white paint a yellowish tint. The finished craft can be further decorated various elements decor: buttons, glass, cord and other products of rich imagination. Pay attention to the fungus, which is made of polyurethane foam, 
Don't limit your imagination when decorating
Master class: making curly lamb together
The foam lamb seemed to me the most suitable for the first experience of working with the material:
- the figurine is relatively uncomplicated, but not small in size;
- the curls of the lamb look very much like frozen foam;
- I can decorate what I made with my own hands with a new element and make lamb hooves from small brown plastic bottles.
The sequence of actions of the master class coincides with the sequence of the photo:
Concluding the description, I would like to add that the process of making a garden figure for the dacha with my own hands turned out to be very exciting. I wish you the same result! Perhaps a video will help your work.
Making garden figures with your own hands from polyurethane foam is an excellent solution for any good owner. Even the smallest personal plot, not to mention the creations of landscape designers near expensive cottages, will be decorated with figurines for the garden - fairy tale characters, funny little animals, cartoon characters. It doesn’t really matter what material they are made of or how much they cost if these characters turn a piece of your garden into a fairy-tale space to the delight of children and guests.
Having decided to decorate your site with garden figurines, you must first decide how you see them. Make future garden dwellers You can use a variety of materials, but you can’t handle all of them yourself. For example, wood carving, and even more so stone carving, requires considerable professionalism, so it is better to order such garden figures from specialists or buy ready-made ones. The same applies to the production of plaster sculptures. It is clear that this will require additional costs, including delivery of the figurines to a new place of residence. In addition, each of the materials mentioned has its own disadvantages.
Garden figurines made of wood look great - it is beautiful, “warm”, environmentally friendly pure material. However, in natural conditions among grass and bushes, such garden crafts may not last long or will require special protection from dampness and rot.
Stone sculptures fit perfectly into garden reality and are preserved for a long time, however, stone is a heavy material, both literally and figuratively, so the figures will be inactive and not suitable for every style.
Gypsum crafts for the garden are perhaps the most widespread today due to their relative cheapness and ease of manufacture. However, if the manufacturing technology is not fully followed, they may turn out to be fragile and not waterproof enough.
Figures made from polyurethane foam not only lack the listed disadvantages, but also have additional advantages:
- low weight - so much so that during manufacturing it is even recommended to fill the frame elements with sand or pebbles so that the characters made from polyurethane foam with your own hands are sufficiently stable;
- almost unlimited freedom when working with the material - foam allows you to easily and quickly add in one place and subtract in another, since it is perfectly cut and can be applied to any surface, which is, of course, very convenient for a novice sculptor;
- unlimited shapes, sizes and style features, since from foam you can create a cartoon snail on the lawn or a Japanese-style lantern;
- insensitivity to moisture, temperature changes and other natural phenomena.
In other words, polyurethane foam as a material allows you to make a garden figure of any shape and any size.
Preparing for work
It’s relatively easy to create a garden sculpture from polyurethane foam on your own, but you need to think through everything in advance.
First, you need to decide what kind of characters will become residents of your garden or vegetable garden. It is very important that they fit organically into the style of the site. Indeed, it would be strange to see some monumental girl with an oar in a small dacha, or a frog princess or a bun from Russian fairy tales in a Japanese garden. In addition, it must be taken into account that there should not be too many such art objects; they should become a pleasant surprise for visitors, and not be encountered at every turn. If you doubt whether a figure made by yourself from polyurethane foam will look good in a particular place, you can draw it on cardboard and cut out its approximate layout. Place it in the expected place of residence of the future character and imagine how everything will look in reality.
Secondly, prepare in advance not only a foam container, but also what you are going to use to make the frame for the future sculpture. These can be metal buckets and cans, plastic bottles, boards and beams, fittings, strong but bendable wire, thick cardboard, plastic tubes, etc. In fact, anything can become the basis for a future masterpiece - a foam coating will hide everything. Containers intended for the frame must be filled with sand or small pebbles to provide stability finished figure. And the wire, from which it is convenient to make arms, legs, and tails, is better to hide inside a hollow plastic tube, so that the area for covering with foam is larger and there is less internal damage.
Thirdly, before you start sculpting figures from polyurethane foam with your own hands, carefully study the instructions for the foam you purchased, since each manufacturer has its own nuances and requirements. Don't forget to stock up on personalized protective equipment to work with this building material - at least gloves and a respirator.
Step-by-step instructions for creating sculptures
So, are you ready to become a “foamy” Michelangelo? Then get started.
- 1 On the manufactured frame or part of it (in some cases it is better to connect the parts of the figure in almost finished form) apply polyurethane foam in layers. The important thing here is to take your time and have patience. Foam is applied thin layers, which must be allowed to dry for 15-20 minutes, otherwise pieces of your product will begin to fall off. The container should be kept with the cap down to be able to use all the foam, without any residue, and it is best to use a special gun to apply it. It is not recommended to work with this material at sub-zero temperatures, otherwise the result may disappoint you.
- 2 The polyurethane foam completely hardens in about 11-12 hours, so at the stage of layer-by-layer application you can form it with your hands, sculpting necessary forms. When the material has completely hardened, you can, following the example of the great sculptor, cut off the excess using stationery knife. In this case, you can not only cut off, but also add to in the right places material - in this sense, polyurethane foam is unrivaled.
- 3 The finished and dried sculpture, so that it does not collapse in the future and lasts as long as possible, should be covered with a layer of putty. To create an even and smooth surface The product is rubbed with sandpaper.
- 4 It’s better to paint the sculpture with acrylic paints, and there should be at least 2 layers, otherwise it won’t turn out very nice. Simultaneously with painting, all small parts, including eyes, which can be made from beads (by gluing them on the face or muzzle) or from small rubber balls - this way the look will be more expressive. To ensure that your work does not lose its beauty for as long as possible, after painting it is recommended to cover it with a layer of varnish.
- 5 That’s it, your masterpiece is ready, you can install it in its place. However, thanks to the lightness of the sculpture, you can change this place over time.
I would like to note that making figures for the garden with your own hands is especially enjoyable if you do it with your children. In this case, your offspring will not only be able to enjoy meeting the funny inhabitants of your site, but also be proud that they participated in their creation.
