I’ve spent most of my life making do with what I have, and if there’s one thing country living teaches you, it’s how to see possibility in the oddest pile of materials. This project turns a flock of plain plastic flamingos into a set of dramatic faux-stone front yard gargoyles using gray cement, and the result is the sort of thing that makes folks slow down at the road and ask how on earth you made them. It’s part yard art, part conversation piece, and part good old-fashioned creative mischief.

This is a project for anyone who enjoys bold outdoor décor and doesn’t mind a little mess in exchange for a big payoff. I like it especially for gardeners, Halloween decorators, and thrifty makers who want the weathered look of carved stone without paying for real masonry statues. The process is straightforward, but it does take patience while the cement cures, so it’s best for a weekend when you can work steadily and let each piece rest properly.

Materials

50 plastic flamingos with metal yard stakes, standard lawn size, about 24 to 30 inches tall

10 bags gray mortar mix or sand-topping cement mix, 60 pounds each

1 roll galvanized hardware cloth or wire mesh, 1/2-inch grid, 36 inches x 25 feet

1 roll galvanized tie wire, 100 feet, 16 gauge

50 rebar stakes, 3/8-inch diameter x 18 inches long

4 heavy-duty plastic mixing tubs, 15 to 20 gallon size

6 five-gallon buckets of clean water, filled as needed during mixing

1 gallon concrete bonding adhesive

1 gallon gray exterior masonry sealer, matte finish

2 rolls painter’s plastic or heavy drop cloth, 9 feet x 12 feet each

1 box disposable nitrile gloves, 50-count

10 dust masks or respirators rated for cement dust

1 small bale straw or packing paper, about 5 pounds, for temporary body stuffing if needed

1 box exterior construction screws, 1 1/4-inch, 100-count, for securing support forms if needed

4 scrap wood boards, about 1 inch x 3 inches x 36 inches, for temporary bracing

1 container black masonry tint or charcoal concrete colorant, 8 ounces, optional for darker stone effect 

Instructions

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