How to Make a Concrete Japanese Pagoda Lantern

Smooth a plastic drop cloth across a flat, level workspace.

Pour light-colored vegetable oil onto a paper towel and wipe it across the entire interior of the mold, creating a thin layer of oil that will help release the concrete from the mold after it dries.

Position your concrete mold on your plastic-covered work surface with the mold's fill-hole facing up.

Prep your fast-setting concrete for pouring. Follow the package instructions to mix the concrete. Typically, this involves pouring dry concrete mix into a large bucket, adding water and then mixing the two ingredients with a large trowel or shovel until the entire dry mixture is wet and pourable.

Place the spout of your bucket over the mold fill-hole and carefully pour your fast-setting concrete into the mold.

Level the mix and force air bubbles to the top of the fill-hole by gently lifting and bouncing the mold on your flat work surface two or three times.

Follow package instructions for drying time frames and then carefully remove the mold from around the Japanese pagoda lantern concrete form(s).

Put on a mask and goggles, polish off any seams or rough concrete edges with a rotary tool and concrete engraving attachment, and then place your Japanese-style concrete pagoda lantern in your garden. If your mold formed multiple concrete pieces that stack together to make the lantern, carry the pieces to your garden and then stack from largest to smallest or as directed in the package instructions that came with your mold.