What you do 1. Using the measurements on the opposite page, mark the dimensions on the insulation board. Cut the forms using a jigsaw or utility knife. I used a knife and a metal ruler. 2. The pieces that form the sides of the basin wrap around the base piece. Use sheetrock screws to hold it together and wrap with heavy-duty duct tape. Set aside. 3. In the wheelbarrow, use a hoe to mix the hypertufa. Mix about a third of the ingredients at a time, until all have been added and mixed. Add concrete dye, then begin adding water slowly and continue mixing. Keep checking consistency as you add water. The mix should hold together when you squeeze a handful of it. It should not be soupy; it shouldn’t be crumbly. Being a little on the wet side is better than being on the dry side. 4. Use vegetable oil or nonstick spray to coat the inside of the form for the birdbath. 5. Add the hypertufa mixture a little at a time and tamp it down so there are no air holes. Do not fill to the top; leave an inch or two. 6. Coat the bottom of a shallow bowl with vegetable oil and press it into the mixture, making sure it is snugly pushed into the hypertufa mixture. Add and tamp more of the hypertufa mix around the bowl until you have a smooth, even surface that’s level with the top of the form. You might need to put a rock or brick on it to hold it down. Make sure there is plenty of hypertufa around the sides of the shallow bowl. 7. Cover it with a piece of plastic or a tarp, and leave it to cure for 48 hours. After 48 hours, you can carefully remove the forms, but the birdbath will need to continue to cure for several days or up to three weeks, depending on the weather. Make sure it is in a shady, protected spot. Gently sprinkle it with water every day or two if the weather is dry and hot, less often if the weather is cool. Leave it covered between sprinklings. 8. Once the pieces are hard, use a stiff brush or file to smooth the edges. Finally, apply a coat of masonry sealer to the depression of the basin.
Tips • Keep the water shallow, no deeper than 2 inches. Put rocks or pebbles in the water so the birds have good footing. • If there are cats or other predators in your neighborhood, you may need a birdbath on a pedestal or that you can hang from a tree so the birds can see the area around the birdbath where predators might hide. • Place the birdbath in a mostly shady location. Avoid areas with hot afternoon sun. • Make sure the water is always fresh. One of the spray emitters on my drip irrigation system refills the birdbath every day. • Keep it clean.
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