Concrete Angels

Using Rubber Moulds to Make Concrete Angels

Concrete angels, statues, and ornaments are created using rubber molds. These moulds are an effective way of creating many things, but are especially effective when pouring concrete.

Rubber or latex moulds are used because they reproduce details in an object to a very high standard. They have proved to be more flexible than any other casting material, such as plaster because they are easier to remove from the object you have cast.
       
In terms of production, they are very popular because the mould can be used many times, in a production cycle.

When it comes to making concrete Angels, there are three methods of making a rubber mould. Pouring, spraying or brushing on with liquid rubber.

With Polyurethane rubbers, they can be brushed, poured or sprayed on a model. These are idea for concrete angels, as they are easy to use, have a good resistance to abrasion, and are fairly cheap. But they can be more adhesive than other rubber types of mould, so they can be difficult to remove from the model.

The model is placed in a containment field, and made secure. It is then covered with a releasing agent, which allows it to be more easily removed from the finished mould. The rubber is poured into the containment field, then allowed to harden. Finally the finished mould is pulled away from the model.        

Another technique is brushing. Here the model can be coated with several layers of rubber by brushing it on. Letting each dry before applying the next. The same is true when it comes to using a sprayer to do the same job. These are often used when it comes to dealing with very large objects. Often used on churches, where the concrete Angels cannot be easily moved or may crumble. The good thing here, is that the workers can have access to the model they are to copy, without having to take it away. What is more, spraying the coating on, can ensure a more even surface than using a brush. The only down side, is the expense of the sprayer, which might be costly.