Fake rocks can fool the observer.
Landscape rocks are extremely heavy and can be expensive and difficult to transport. For many home landscaping jobs, fake rocks are far more convenient. You can make a fake rock in any size or shape and easily move it if you would like to try a new location. The light weight, however, can also be a liability, so be sure to bury your fake rock partway underground to keep it in place. Additionally, fake rocks are not nearly as strong as real ones, making them a poor choice for retaining walls, high foot traffic areas and other uses where they might be subject to a lot of force.
Instructions
1. Use pliers and your hands to mold chicken wire into the shape you want your rock to be. Keep in mind the finished rock will be at least a couple of inches wider and taller than the wire.
2. Bring 5 cups of water to a light boil.
3. Stir in bleached flour until it forms a paste with a moderate consistency. Boil it for about 3 minutes, then let it cool. This is your paper mache paste.
4. Rip off a strip of newspaper a few inches wide, dip it in the paste and run your fingers along both sides of it to remove extra liquid.
5. Lay the strip on top of the wire frame.
6. Continue to lay strips on the chicken wire in an overlapping pattern until the frame is completely covered. Leave it in a well-ventilated room to cool.
7. Lay a piece of fiberglass cloth on top of the rock, and use your hands to smooth it over the rock.
8. Coat the rock with a layer of epoxy laminating resin. Use a putty knife to spread the epoxy around. Allow the epoxy to cure.
9. Turn the rock over and coat the rest of it with fiberglass cloth and resin. Let it dry.
10. Paint the rock with exterior latex paint the color of your choice.
