DIY garden sculptures made from polyurethane foam. Garden figures made of polyurethane foam. Necessary materials for crafts made from polyurethane foam

There are many craftsmen in Rus' - what modern Kulibins can’t come up with! Owners of a private farmstead, country house, have a natural desire to beautifully arrange the surrounding space. Of course, you can buy any sculptures in a store or on the market, but hand-made jewelry not only pleases the eye, but gives great scope to creativity and imagination.

You just need a little patience, spatial imagination and original crafts from polyurethane foam will take their rightful place in the landscape design of your garden plot.

Properties of the material used

For information: ready-made figures are not afraid of snow, rain, or wind, but from direct sun rays It's better to hide them.

Polyurethane foam found wide application in many areas. IN lately It has become very fashionable to make beautiful sculptures and figurines from it.

In terms of their decorative value, they are much superior, for example, to tires, plastic containers, garden decorations of which, clearly emphasize the use of these recycled materials. Foam crafts look presentable.

Let us note some properties of this material:

Processing is not particularly difficult; even a child can easily cope with this process;
The extra fragment can be easily removed in the same way as the missing part can be added;
In the process of working on a figure, waste foam material can pollute the surrounding space, so work should be organized in an open area;
The sculpture should be sculpted only when this polyurethane foam sealant is completely dry.

Attention: if you do not have sculptural experience, then immediately creating a complex craft will be problematic. Start with something simple: a bun on a stump, ladybug on a sheet. This will be a great training start. Examples of easy-to-make works in the photo below:

Operating rules

Getting started creative activity, be sure to carefully read the rules that any master needs to know:

Cover your workplace with old wallpaper, newspapers, cellophane;
Read the manufacturer's instructions on the cylinder;
You should only work outside when the air temperature is above zero;
This product household chemicals in aerosol packaging is toxic: work with rubber gloves;
Often a frame is used to make crafts. And since foam is very lightweight material To prevent the sculptures from being blown around the garden by the wind, weigh them down with sand, crushed stone, gravel;
Immediately prepare a solvent, acetone or a means to wash off this sticky material - it may be very necessary;
We use only paint for painting that is intended for outdoor use;
The finished product must be coated with colorless varnish; this is necessary not only to improve the appearance, but also to ensure resistance to adverse weather conditions.

Please note: the hardening time depends on the brand of polyurethane foam sealant. On average, a thin layer hardens within half an hour.

What materials will you need?

Depending on what you decide to sculpt, the selection of the necessary available materials depends.

We present to your attention a constant set of items that you will need when you make products from polyurethane foam with your own hands:

It is much more convenient to use pistol foam;
A stationery knife with additional blades (you have to change them often when working - they quickly become dull);
Latex gloves to protect your hands (fabric ones quickly become unusable);
To “sand” the surface of products during work, you need coarse sandpaper, and to polish and bring the work to perfection, use fine sandpaper;
PF paints and brushes for exterior work (aerosol paint adheres worse, if you decide to use it, you will have to do two or three layers);
Color for paint (to achieve the desired shade);
A set of artistic brushes of different sizes;
Furniture colorless protective varnish (especially if you use acrylic paint);
A rag for cleaning the barrel of a gun;
To make the frame of the intended craft, you will need various plastic or unnecessary plastic containers, planks, fittings, wire, pieces of old linoleum and other waste material;
Weighting agents (foam has little weight, crafts need to be weighted with some available material). Small stones, gravel, crushed stone, and sand are usually used as weighting materials;
Putty: very convenient for adjusting some details during the revision process.

Idea: on the eve of the New Year, disposable plastic masks of various animals and fairy-tale heroes. Their price is pennies. And you can successfully use it either as a mold for decorating the face or muzzle of your hero, or simply by attaching it to the right place.

A unified algorithm of actions when creating any craft

It is better to engage in this type of creativity outdoors in the warm season. If you have to work indoors, make sure that the room is well ventilated. Cover the work area with polyethylene; the foam will not stick to it.

After reading the instructions on the cylinder, we begin to work step by step:

Shake the can vigorously several times. At the same time, you need to hold it with the cap down;
Initially, the foam “sets” within an hour, and finally dries, depending on the thickness of the applied layer, within 10 hours;
Do not apply a lot of foam at one time; it tends to fall off under its own weight;
Place the product frame horizontally. Initially, a layer of no more than 5 cm is applied;
An hour later, after drying, the craft must be turned over, its surface moistened and the same steps repeated;
After drying, fill unnecessary voids with foam, and remove excess fragments with a stationery knife;
Bring to smooth surface sandpaper. It’s better to fix it on a wooden block;
Start decorating after complete hardening;
We have already talked about colors above. As for additional decor, buttons, balls, colored glass, wire of various textures and cross-sections and other improvised, natural or waste materials do a good job of this role;

For your information: if you want the fruits of your creativity to please your household longer, use putty for additional leveling: it is completely unaffected by ultraviolet radiation.

And, of course, strict adherence to safety precautions during work comes first (pictured below).

Jack of all trades

When all the necessary material is prepared, we get to work. There is no need to hold in your imagination an artistic image of what you have decided to breathe life into. There should be a picture or photograph before your eyes, you should see clearly what you want to get in the end.

The frame can be made not only, as mentioned above, from plastic containers. The product will be more durable if it is welded from thin reinforcement or twisted from thick wire. According to the sculptors, the manufacturing process is simple.

But if you are doing this work for the first time, you need to start from the simple to the complex:

Try making flat images first: apply a solid spot on cellophane, and after drying, you can cut out the desired figure;
Then try to make voluminous, small, simple figures;
The next stage: make larger figures, based on a circle, an oval;
Next, you can try your strength and talent in making medium-sized frame crafts;
After all the stages have been completed, consider that you are already a master, proceed to perform more complex work, you have already acquired the necessary skills.

Well, now, to the point.

Craft No. 1

We offer you several step-by-step instructions for making crafts. We will go, again, from the simple to the complex.

Let's take a step-by-step look at how to make a Christmas tree from polyurethane foam with your own hands:

	From a regular cardboard box we cut out three isosceles triangles (you can cut out four or five, if desired). Their size doesn't matter. If the base is wide, then the Christmas tree will be wide, and if the base is high, then the Christmas tree will be taller
It doesn’t matter how you glue it, as long as it sticks	All these triangles are first from the inside out, folded as in the photo and glued together with tape.
	We collect triangular pyramid-layout and align it. We also fix it on top in several places with tape.
	A rectangle is cut out of the same cardboard, which will serve as a base and at the same time a stand.
	We install a triangular pyramid on the base so that, firstly, the finished product has a bottom, and secondly, when blowing in the polyurethane foam sealant, our base would protect the surrounding surface from unwanted contamination.
	We begin to blow out the pyramid, going slightly beyond the boundaries of one triangle, and immediately hide the joints. If something remains not under the foam, don’t worry, it’s easy to fix later.
	The foam pressure should not be large. All sides foam in 2-3 minutes. The Christmas tree is almost ready.
	Let the foam harden. We look to see if there are any empty holes - if there are, carefully fill them and leave them until they harden completely.
	We decorate our Christmas tree with rain or homemade toys. It looks very nice.

Craft No. 2: snowman

Advice: if you need to foam very small space, but a standard tube does not fit there, try using a match to carefully heat this same tube and pull it out. Just do it carefully, it breaks easily.

Let's continue the winter theme. Now let's look at how to make a snowman out of polyurethane foam step by step.

	Place an ordinary balloon on the tube of a spray foam gun and tie it tightly with twine.
	We need two hot air balloon. We pump polyurethane foam sealant into both, one by one, let it harden and cut off the ones we no longer need. balloons with frozen foam, knife. The top ball should be one and a half times smaller than the bottom one. We leave the scraps, they will be useful to us later.
	The bottom ball is on top, and the top ball from below needs to be slightly trimmed, so the workpieces will better overlap each other and hold steady. These trimmings will also be used. Sandpaper or fine kitchen grater sand both parts, remove all the irregularities that remained after cutting with a knife.
	Cut off the trimmings from the upper and lower balls (these will be the legs) slightly at a bevel so that the lower ball can be installed in these recesses.
	We make the legs in a mirror image. We install the lower ball into the recesses made. He becomes more stable.
	Again, from scraps, we cut out the arms so that they fit against the body (pictured).
	Let's take it glue gun and using hot glue we securely fix all the parts and coat the joints between them.
	Next, we make a carrot nose out of the same foam. Carefully glue it to the desired place.
	Paint the workpiece in two layers with acrylic paint. It is difficult to paint on a porous surface. You need to fill every pore, and to get into it you need soft, thick brushes. After the first painting, let the workpiece dry completely, then lightly sand the surface and apply a second coat.
	We paint the nose with nail polish, and blue buttons work well for the eyes. We give our snowman a bucket (a cap from an unnecessary bottle of medicine) in one hand, and a broom (a small, worn-out watercolor brush) in the other hand. We tie a scarf from any fabric that we have at home, and dress our miracle in a hat. The final touch: draw a joyful smile with a marker.

Craft No. 3: decorative tree

Apartment interior designers have recently picked up the idea of decorating walls with trees. This decoration can be found not only in children's institutions, but also in offices and even in apartments.

A tree is a symbol of well-being. We invite you to familiarize yourself with step by step instructions making this decor.

	We take old wallpaper, and on its reverse side we draw a silhouette of a tree in full height. If you want to make a spreading tree, glue two or even three strips of wallpaper. This drawing should be placed on a flat surface under a canopy or in a well-ventilated room.
	We begin to draw the first layer of foam, gradually filling the entire silhouette. If you have a hollow in the tree, select it separately.
	Gradually increase the volume. If necessary, after drying, apply a second or even a third layer. Is the tree supposed to be in volume? Then stick branches where necessary, the length and thickness of which corresponds to your plans.
	Let the workpiece dry completely. Then we mix the paint with the color and begin to paint the bark of our tree. If necessary, we remove unnecessary things or add the necessary details.
	Waiting until completely dry.
	Carefully, using a stationery knife, we trim our tree along the contour. Turn it over to the reverse side and carefully apply glue to the entire area with a brush.
	Using strong adhesive, glue the piece to the wall.
	We finalize the details: grind, sand, add or remove fragments. Finally paint and coat with clear varnish
	We decorate at our discretion. The version in the photo has been modified according to the author's plans: some details have been added, and once again the work is carefully coated with white acrylic paint and colorless varnish. The craft located in the hall is interesting decoration interior of a child care facility.
Wood in the interior is fashionable	Another option: wood, modified to perfection, is a stylish and trendy decoration for any home or cottage.

Craft No. 4: Three Little Pigs

Now let's discuss the fairy tale theme. When creating your next masterpiece, you can slightly adjust the product as you work.

In order not to get dirty, it is better not to touch the raw foam, and when it is covered with a thin film, you need to cover the product again layer by layer. This way you can achieve the desired contour.

	We make a preparation from a five-liter plastic bottle and a mayonnaise bucket. Instead of legs there are four sticks. If necessary, add weighting agent to the containers. Everything is secured with tape. The workpiece should become stable.
	Apply foam at the top and let it dry.
	Turn over and cover the entire piece with foam.
	We cut out ears from cardboard and attach them to the head while the foam is still damp, then we “foam” them too. Do not touch until completely dry.
	After drying, we begin to work with a stationery knife. Cut out the desired image: remove the excess parts. If you have removed what is unnecessary, foam it again, let it dry and achieve the desired result.
	We process it with sandpaper, it can be primed and prepared for painting.
	Thus, we prepare three figures and decorate either the garden or vegetable garden.

Conclusion

Making figures from polyurethane foam is a fascinating business. As you understand, from this building material You can make absolutely any shape. Think over the frame, design, image of your hero - and get to work.

We recommend watching the video in this article, which will help you clearly look again at some aspects of the execution technique. Don’t hold back the flight of your imagination, create for the joy of yourself, your friends and loved ones.

A summer cottage, a favorite garden is not only usable area For various landings and buildings. Here owners can fully realize their creative ideas. Some will decorate the area with an original fence, others will install bright and funny garden figures. Available material for creating crafts - polyurethane foam. This familiar sealant can be found in every household.

Preparation, tools and operating rules

Foam does not require much physical effort. Crafts are easy to correct - cut off excess, add missing volume. At the same time, there are certain requirements for working with this material.

The figures are made outdoors (but should not be used in sub-zero weather). The finished product is not afraid of temperature changes or moisture, but it is better to avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight.

Transparent varnish will provide additional protection against weather conditions. More often used furniture varnish, but shipboard is also used.

It is more convenient to take polyurethane foam for winter work - it holds its shape better during the manufacture of crafts, and is also more suitable for outdoor conditions.

Polyurethane foam for winter conditions it will keep its shape better

The material gets dirty, so you should take care of gloves (2-3 pairs) and work clothes, as well as about film or other protection for the site.

The foam is sticky, which means you need a solvent to clean your hands and surfaces.

The sealant is applied in layers, allowing each layer to dry thoroughly (at least 15 minutes). On average, complete drying time is 10–12 hours (figure large size will take up to a week). After drying, you can process the product - cut it, prime it, paint it. For “sculpting” you need a sharp knife (a stationery knife will do), and for making a frame you need wire, plastic bottles, old unnecessary dishes (pots, etc.), nails, fishing line, etc.

To decorate the craft and protect it from external weather conditions, you will need putty and acrylic paint. If the product will be placed outdoors, then the paint must be appropriate for the external conditions of use. A layer of putty will level the surface of the figure. For work, take care of a suitable brush, rags, sandpaper for sanding, and a spray bottle of water.

Making figures from polyurethane foam

Working with complex shapes requires certain skills, so it is better to start with simple spherical or oval figures (gingerbread man, mushroom, decorative boulder).

Decorative boulders can not only decorate a site, but also cover up unsightly household details

Kolobok

For production you will need:

foam;
cement mortar;
paints;
gypsum putty;
polyurethane foam;
knife or cutter.

So let's get started:

You can create a ball only from sealant, but it is more economical to take something round for the base, for example, a plastic ball. It is covered with foam, and when it dries, the muzzle is cut out, handles are made from foam and inserted with wire.
The ball becomes like a bun - a muzzle and arms appear
The bow is also cut out of foam plastic.
A foam bow will decorate the top of the bun
The arms and bow are covered with foam, and the legs are made from it.
We create the semblance of legs with the volume of foam
After the sealant has dried, the craft is puttied, the muzzle is corrected, then covered with cement mortar and the bun’s smile is finally formed. Apply a layer of putty again.
After puttying, we rub it with cement mortar and putty again
Now the figure needs to be painted. It is important to wait until it dries completely, otherwise the paint will not adhere well.
The bun becomes bright
To make the craft shine and better preserve the brightness of the color, coat the bun with varnish.
This is such a funny and bright character

Foam mushrooms

It’s just as easy to make foam mushrooms. Homemade mushrooms will enliven the area and add mood. You can install one figurine, or you can “plant” an entire mushroom meadow.

The mushroom meadow pleases the eyes of both hosts and guests

Borovik

For production you will need:

plastic bottles and carton(frames for the stem and cap of the mushroom);
wallpaper glue;
putty;
acrylic paint and primer.

Manufacturing process:

Video: how to make a mushroom from foam

Having mastered simple shapes, you can take on more complex and interesting tasks. There are many examples - from decorative flowerpots and realistic animal figurines to fairy-tale characters. Everyone will choose a sample to their taste, or you can try to create something unique.

Photo gallery: examples of other crafts made from polyurethane foam

A giraffe and a donkey are suitable for decorating a playground. A flowerpot made of foam plastic will add severity to the area. A bear is a more difficult figure to make.

Processing and decorating foam figures

Crafts made from polyurethane foam are not only painted, but also covered with various decors.

Decorated balls

The base for the ball can be made in the same way as the kolobok - apply sealant to the plastic ball. In this case, the craft will have its own texture, which can only be emphasized. Seashells glued on top, beautiful river pebbles, etc. work well.

Another option is to use an inflatable balloon, which is filled with foam from the inside. This solution will allow you to achieve a smooth outer surface. Glue on the finished glass decor - and the craft will turn out spectacular and even glamorous.

Smooth surface and exquisite decor make the ball especially elegant

Such balls look very attractive when placed on a flower bed, lawn or at the entrance to the house. Another option is to place them on a raised platform, like in the video below.

Video: garden ball made of polyurethane foam

Foam animal figures

Animal figures can be processed to create a smooth surface or, conversely, emphasize the texture to convey the fluffiness of the animal’s skin.

The texture of the foam perfectly conveys the fluffiness of the animal’s skin.

When coloring a craft, try to use different shades, make smooth color transitions to achieve a natural effect.

Additionally used various materials- branches, wire, stones.

Roe

First you need to assemble a frame from scrap materials - plastic bottles various sizes, sticks and tubes.

Large garden sculptures look unusually beautiful and status-bearing. And everyone understands: in order to furnish the garden with even a few sculptures you needed a lot of money... What can we say when your garden is densely “populated” with various figures, wild animals and fairy-tale characters. And it’s good that many people don’t know: these figures are crafts made from polyurethane foam and made by your with my own hands...and they are very inexpensive!

Absolutely accessible to everyone, both financially and creatively. For this you will need very little.

Necessary materials for crafts made from polyurethane foam

thin household gloves
spray foam gun
actual polyurethane foam in a cylinder
sharp utility knife
oil paint
thick brushes
foam cleaner
putty
gauze bandages

After you buy everything you need and prepare workplace, you just have to decide what you will make. You can start yours not with sculptures, but with decoration. This is a little easier, since you don’t need to create a frame for the sculpture and make calculations.

The most obvious thing is to decorate flower pot or a large vase. This way you will not only learn how to dose polyurethane foam correctly, but also try to make various curly elements and patterns.

However, you can start simply with simple crafts. For example, Kolobok made of polyurethane foam or Mushrooms.

How to make a figurine from polyurethane foam with your own hands

The basis for the figures can be found in any home: an old ball or a ball for Kolobok and plastic bottle for the mushroom. The main thing is to follow certain rules for working with polyurethane foam.

It's better not to skimp on foam. As practice shows, the cheaper the sample, the worse it holds its shape.
Polyurethane foam is not toxic, but, nevertheless, you can only work in a well-ventilated area or outside in dry weather. You need to work with gloves, because... The polyurethane foam sticks to your hands and is very difficult to clean off. True, in some cases, when you need to correct the shape of a figure, you will have to work with your hands, after wetting them with water. But you can “tweak” the foam only when it has already dried slightly and a thin “crust” has formed on it.
For work, use a special gun. If you just apply foam from a can, polyurethane foam figures will not work, because Only a professional gun allows you to regulate the volume of foam squeezed out.
The basis for polyurethane foam sculptures It is absolutely necessary to weigh it down, otherwise the product will turn out to be light and will not stand. It is best to use ordinary sand as a weighting agent.
If your future sculpture should have “paws” or a “tail”, you must first make a wire frame for them. And apply it to the wire required quantity foam.
Polyurethane foam for crafts should be applied gradually, building up layer by layer. In this case, each layer must be allowed to dry. It takes no more than 10-15 minutes.

You can cut shapes or their elements from polyurethane foam. To do this, you only need a sharp stationery knife - it copes well with foam. However, you can edit the figures only after they have completely dried.
After drying, be sure to putty the finished and dried figure. Can this be done tile adhesive. But then there is a risk that the sculpture will soon crack. Craftsmen advise using acrylic Supermastic paste with dry mortar or just acrylic putty. You can also cover the figure with gauze bandages soaked in a cement solution - they will perfectly protect the product from cracking.
Before painting, you need to let your foam sculpture dry for 3-4 days. After this, paint with acrylic or oil paint in several layers, allowing each layer to dry thoroughly. Spray paint for painting crafts made from polyurethane foam it is impossible, because it destroys the structure of the foam, as if “eating” it. For durability and shine, you can cover the figure polyurethane varnish(for concrete floors).

You can safely place your crafts made from polyurethane foam outside. If everything is done according to the rules, they are not afraid of either rain or sun. However, for the winter it is better to put them somewhere indoors. Before the start of the summer season, the sculptures should be inspected and restored, if necessary: repair cracks (if they do appear), refresh the paint.

Reading time: 6 minutes

Landscape designer with 4 years experience

The garden plot should be well-groomed and beautiful. Garden decorations are now at the height of fashion and have entered mass production. You can make them yourself using sealant for construction work. What are the properties of this material, and what kind of garden figures do craftsmen make from polyurethane foam with their own hands?

Pros and cons of working with polyurethane foam

Like any material, foam sealant has its advantages and disadvantages. Advantages:

Easy.
Can be applied to any surface.
Can be adjusted.
You can make small and large crafts.
The products are wear-resistant and moisture-resistant.

Foam figures

Flaws:

Sunlight and precipitation negatively affect the material, it darkens and cracks. On finished product paint coating is applied.
The cylinder cannot be heated; it is under pressure. Otherwise there will be an explosion.
The sealant is porous; plaster and gypsum are applied to finished crafts.
Foam cannot be washed off the skin with water, only with acetone, kerosene or another solvent until the composition has hardened.

What can be made from polyurethane foam

Using this material, various decorative figures are made to make the garden plot or cottage look original. What DIY crafts are made from construction foam:

With a smooth surface - mushrooms, frogs, gnomes, storks, buns, Christmas tree toys.
With a textured relief that replicates the skin of animals - fox, donkey, dog, fish, horse, hedgehog.
In the form of household items - a decorated ball, vases, flowerpots, country lanterns, a volcano.

Polyurethane foam bun

Tools and materials for work

Home conditions will not interfere with making high-quality, beautiful decorative ornaments For garden plot. To work with polyurethane foam, you need simple materials at hand. Basic list of tools for making crafts:

Foam for installation. In cans with a tube or a gun. The pistol is more convenient.
A sharp painting or stationery knife - trim off excess.
Protective gloves. It is better to take latex ones, they are more durable than fabric ones.
Sandpaper for sanding products.
Paints and brush for decoration.
Cleaner.

Tools for working with polyurethane foam
For the frame of garden figures use:

plastic bottles;
tin cans;
hard wire;
wooden planks;
rubber hoses of different diameters;
adhesive tape;
if the frame is slatted, then you will need a nail to connect the planks to each other.

How to make figurines for the garden with your own hands

Before starting work, carefully read the instructions for use printed on the package with the substance. It is liquid inside, and as soon as it comes into contact with the air flow, it hardens, forming a dense foam. It hardens completely within twelve hours. Simple rules for making figurines:

You cannot work outside in sub-zero temperatures.
Be sure to wear gloves, the foam is toxic.
The working surface is prepared in advance by covering it with paper or oilcloth.
Shake the foam before use.
When working, hold the can downwards. This prevents gas from escaping and uses more material.
First, a layer is applied, after hardening - the next one. Otherwise the structure will collapse. Each freezes for 15 minutes.
To weight the frame, sand, earth, pebbles or pebbles are taken.
The surface of the polyurethane foam is sticky and takes up to 12 hours to harden. Therefore, be careful if the material gets on your skin, use acetone.

Foam lizard
Defines appearance crafts from polyurethane foam frame. Before starting work, find an image of the figure, a diagram. The product is decorated after installation, strengthening and weighting of the base. The foam is evenly distributed, giving the product the desired shape with your own hands.

After the sealant has completely hardened, use a sharp knife to cut off excess parts and irregularities and foam where necessary. Putty is applied to prevent the product from falling apart. Sand with sandpaper, leaving the surface without roughness.

Donkey made of polyurethane foam

Cover the figure with a thin layer of transparent varnish. One or more are applied to the dried layer as needed. This increases the wear resistance of the polyurethane foam sculpture. For decoration finished design artificial flowers, beads, and LED bulbs are used.

Mushroom

If you have never made crafts for your garden plot from construction foam with your own hands, then it is best to start with common mushroom, and only then develop creativity. The design is based on a simple plastic bottle. A primer will also be required.

Foam mushroom

How to make a mushroom from foam sealant:

Pour sand and pebbles into the container to weigh it down. This is the future leg.
Cover the workpiece with a layer of foam, and make a thickening at the bottom for stability.
Cut out a mushroom cap from foam plastic. The lid does not have to be perfect; asymmetry will add naturalness.
Apply sealant on it in the shape of a cone or hemisphere.
Then connect both parts using copper wire and glue.
After drying, carefully cut off the protruding parts and prime to remove pores.
After the primer has dried, the figurine is sanded and coated with varnish in two or three layers.

Dwarf

Garden gnomes are classic figurines for decoration. personal plot. To make fairy-tale characters, in addition to foam, you will need:

large plastic bottle;
pieces of wire;
building gypsum;
acrylic paints;
newspaper.

Garden gnome made of polyurethane foam

After preparing the workplace and tools, start working. What to do:

First, fill the bottle with weights to make the figurine stable.
Apply a layer of foam.
Mark with wire the place where the arms and legs and the gnome's cap will be.
Wrap newspaper around the wire.
Foam the details.
After drying, cut out the parts with a sharp knife, removing excess pieces.
Eyes are inserted (available at a decor store).
Sand the figure with sandpaper until completely smooth.
Cover the person's face and arms with a bandage soaked in plaster solution.
Apply a thin layer of plaster.
Leave to dry for 24 hours.
Paint the finished gnome with acrylic to your liking and apply protective agent. Insert a flashlight into your hand, then the figure will decorate and illuminate the area.

Frog

It is easy to make a garden frog from foam for installation. The main thing is to follow the instructions.

Making a foam frog

How to do:

Apply a layer of foam to the pan and tin can and leave for an hour and a half to set. A saucepan is a preparation for the body, and a jar is used for the head.
It is good to glue both parts together.
Apply a thick layer of foam to the structure, and while it is sticky, use your hands to form the outline of an amphibian.
Twist the wire and insert it where the frog's upper and lower legs are.
Cover with foam.
The eyes are made from twisted wire and drawn on.
After drying, sand the product and paint it acrylic paints and apply varnish.
A frog is an ideal decoration for a garden plot. You can install it next to the pool.

Video

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It is not at all necessary to spend money on purchasing ready-made garden figures to decorate your site. Original crafts made of polyurethane foam will become a worthy element landscape design. The main thing is to show imagination and a little perseverance.

Properties of polyurethane foam

The scope of application of polyurethane foam is quite extensive. Now it has spread to the landscape design of the site. Garden figures, created with your own hands from polyurethane foam, are no worse than copies made on a production scale, and are often superior in decorativeness to crafts made from tires or plastic containers.

The special properties of polyurethane foam allow you to create crafts complex shape. Ease of processing makes creative activity accessible to weak women's or children's hands. In the process of forming a garden figure with your own hands, removing an extra fragment or adding a missing part will not be difficult. With proper decoration, the craft looks very presentable and does not show traces of recycled materials, as is the case with plastic containers.

Attention! Garden figurines made of polyurethane foam are resistant to precipitation, but require protection from ultraviolet radiation.

An obstacle to creating crafts with complex configurations may be a lack of experience working with three-dimensional figures. Creating something new from scratch, focusing only on a flat image, is a problem for some. Therefore, it is initially recommended to practice on simple garden figures. A mushroom, turtle or ladybug will be an excellent start for demonstrating the abilities of a sculptor.

Depending on the volume of foam used in the manufacture of the craft, it may take considerable time for it to dry completely. Usually the process lasts for a week. You should be prepared that polyurethane foam in the process of forming a garden figure can pollute the surrounding area, so it is recommended to organize work in an open area.

Colorful examples of do-it-yourself polyurethane foam figures are presented in the photo:

Available materials

The list of available materials varies depending on the garden figure chosen for making, but the constant set consists of the following items:

Polyurethane foam. It is better to replace a regular can with a tube with a pistol, which is much more convenient to work with.
A stationery knife for trimming unnecessary elements.
Latex gloves to protect your hands. Fabric products will quickly become unusable.
Sandpaper for sanding the surface.
Brush with paints intended for external use.

To create the frame of a craft, they usually use plastic containers and tin cans, rigid wire, planks, hoses and double sided tape. If foam gets on your skin during work, a special cleaner or kerosene will help get rid of the dirt.

Advice! A garden figure made using polyurethane foam is lightweight, so at the formation stage measures are taken to make it heavier. Plastic containers can be partially filled with sand or small pebbles. The wire protruding from the paws of the animals will help to fix the craft on the ground.

General algorithm

Preliminary familiarization with the instructions for using polyurethane foam will reduce the likelihood of undesirable situations developing. Crafts should be made outdoors at above-zero temperatures. If work is carried out indoors, it is worth taking care of quality ventilation. Polyethylene film will prevent contamination of the surface, the mounting foam will not stick to it.

Shake the can before use and keep the cap down when working. Otherwise, the gas will escape and the material will not be completely consumed. The polyurethane foam gains initial strength within an hour and completely dries in 10 hours. It all depends on the applied layer.

Apply in one go large number material is not recommended, the liquid substance may fall off. The optimal way to organize the work of forming a garden figure is as follows:

position the frame of the craft horizontally;
apply a small layer of foam;
give the material time to dry;
turn the craft over and repeat the steps.

When foam once again Once it dries, the voids and missing fragments are filled in accordance with the selected outlines of the garden figure. Excess fragments are removed with a sharp stationery knife. To achieve a smooth surface of the craft, it is sanded with sandpaper attached to a block.

Advice! Putty can protect a garden figure from rapid destruction under the influence of sunlight. This technique will provide additional leveling of the surface.

After the composition has completely hardened, the decorating stage begins. Usually it consists of painting a figure from polyurethane foam. Paints on acrylic base, which are applied in 2 layers. Additional decorations include buttons, cords, mustache wire, and pieces of glass to create a mosaic.

Typical crafts made from polyurethane foam for the garden

Studying a wide range of garden objects made using polyurethane foam, we can roughly distinguish two groups of crafts. In one case, the surface of the figures is smooth, in the other it is lumpy and often imitates the skin of an animal.

Leveled areas are often additionally covered with putty. This creates protective layer from UV rays. This technique is not used with rough garden figures.

It is unlikely that it will be possible to achieve the identity of an animal skin immediately after applying the foam; this will require additional manipulations. But the result of painstaking work is always impressive. The only exception may be the lamb, whose curls are so similar to the lumpy surface obtained from a liquid construction substance. Vivid examples of DIY crafts made from polyurethane foam are shown in the photo:

Representatives of the animal world are the most popular solution when creating garden figures. Less often they create objects of inanimate origin - all kinds of flowerpots, shoes and other objects, mainly intended as decorative stands under the flowers.

Simple crafts

If you have no or insufficient experience in creating crafts, it is better to start the experiment with a light garden figure, for example a mushroom, the base of which is a plastic bottle. You will need to add a primer to the previously listed available materials and you can begin to get creative.

Main stages:

A plastic bottle, which acts as a stem, is filled with sand or pebbles to give the mushroom stability.
The mounting foam is distributed in a thin layer, the process takes place in several stages. A thickening is formed in the lower part.
The garden craft hat is cut out of polystyrene foam. Strive for perfect circle not worth it, slight asymmetry is quite acceptable.
You should try to form a cone-shaped figure or hemisphere from the polyurethane foam applied to the foam.
Strong wire is used to connect two parts of a garden figure. Gluing the parts will help strengthen the fixation.
Trimming of unnecessary protruding parts is carried out carefully so as not to damage the assembled craft.

Comment! The porosity of the polyurethane foam causes moisture absorption, so it is recommended to treat the garden figure with a primer.

The absence of a primer layer will lead to the putty absorbing moisture from the polyurethane foam, this process will provoke cracking of the surface of the craft. After priming, the garden figure is covered with a layer of putty and left to dry. To make the mushroom smooth, the surface of the garden figure is treated with sandpaper, first medium-grit, then fine. To reduce paint consumption, the putty surface also needs to be coated with a primer layer. The color of the craft is chosen at your discretion, whether it will be cute porcini mushroom or bright fly agaric, depends on the wishes of the master. Varnish can add additional shine to the figure.

Large figures

When simple do-it-yourself polyurethane foam figures turn out quite well, the task of creating garden crafts you can complicate it and move on to larger objects.

Donkey

To form popular element landscape design you will need:

A 10 liter water container will serve as the body of a garden figure.
A 5 liter tin can or eggplant will act as a muzzle.
Wooden planks for feet.
The glazing bead or wire will become the basis of the tail of the garden figure.
A familiar set of tools that are used when making crafts from polyurethane foam.

When everything is prepared, begin the creative process:

First, connect two containers together; wire or tape will do the job.
A glue gun will help you secure the legs to the body of the garden figure.
The tail is inserted into a pre-prepared hole.
The eggplant is filled with sand to give the craft heaviness and stability.
When the frame of the garden figure is completely prepared, it is gradually covered with polyurethane foam. Take a break of 15-20 minutes between applying the next layer.
The ears of a garden figure will turn out great from flexible wire, which, after fixation, is also covered with polyurethane foam.
After drying, unnecessary protruding fragments are cut off with a sharp knife.
Applying further layers is identical to the algorithm for creating a mushroom. First, the craft is primed, then the surface is treated with putty, then sanded, primed again and painted. The final layer will be waterproof varnish.

Naturally, between each action, the polyurethane foam craft is given time to dry out the next applied layer.

Symbol of family happiness - stork

A stork looks incredibly cute on the site, the manufacture of which will also require polyurethane foam. The algorithm of actions includes the following steps:

A plastic 5-liter container serves as the body of a garden figure.
The stork's head will be on the bottom side, the tail will be in place of the neck.
A thick wire will serve as the base of the neck, onto which the foam head is fixed.
At the discretion of the master, the long nose of a garden figure can be made from a small piece of wire or wood chips.
Long legs for crafts can be made from electrodes or plastic pipes. Both materials are subsequently buried in the ground, thanks to which the garden figure made of polyurethane foam becomes stable. Therefore, it is not necessary to fill the eggplant with sand to weigh it down.
You can make wings from pieces of foam plastic. They are screwed to the sides of the craft with wire.
Give extra strength Wrapping the head with the body will help to connect it with tape.
When the frame of the garden figure is completely assembled, they begin to cover it with polyurethane foam.
After complete hardening, excess fragments are removed with a stationery knife with a sharp blade.

When the mounting foam is completely dry, proceed to decoration. As a primer for a garden figure, you can use an aqueous solution of PVA glue, diluted in a ratio of 1:2. The body and head of the craft are covered with white paint, the tail and edging of the wings are made black, and the legs of the stork are painted red. For the stork's tail, you can use real feathers from poultry, be it a goose or a rooster. When the garden figure is completely ready, the legs of the stork are buried from electrodes into the ground.

Review of original ideas

The choice of garden figures that you can create with your own hands using polyurethane foam is unlimited. Here is a modest list of original ideas:

A small artificial pond or waterfall will be perfectly decorated with a funny frog or turtle. Someone might want to become the owner of a crocodile or a monitor lizard - it all depends on preferences.
If children are relaxing on the site, they will like the presence of a craft in the form of a cheerful SpongeBob.
Bright ladybugs always attract attention.
Polyurethane foam will not require sanding if a lamb is chosen as a garden figure.
Sometimes the wire used to braid a frame with a complex configuration helps to create a frame with a complex configuration. plastic containers, and then gradually filled with foam.
The craft does not need to be coated with paint. Some masters of working with polyurethane foam offer to create a real mosaic on a garden figure from small pieces of mirrors or tiles.

In the process of creating any craft, it is important to let each applied layer dry thoroughly. This applies not only to polyurethane foam, but also to primer, putty and paint. If technology is violated, a garden figure can quickly become unusable.

As can be seen from the presented master classes, the steps for decorating garden figures from polyurethane foam are identical. The main thing is to try to maintain proportions when assembling the frame, the rest is a matter of technique.

2018-09-21