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Since the development of the internet, different generating methods have also progressed. People designed impressive designs on the internet marketing which were based on the traditional company components. Some of the very popular types of on the internet income were creating sites, PPC promotion and pay per impact promotion but the one that motivated nearly everyone was on the internet promotion. It is a form of promotion where an on the internet online gets compensated for providing a client to the company. There are four significant gamers of an on the internet promotion model: the vendor, the network or a hub, the creator and the client.
Now the very first factor which you have to understand about on the internet promotion is that you don't have to make a item. There are different sites and places available from where you can select the item which you want to market and on each sale you can get some commission payment. A very popular example is Cb but the issue with them is that they have only ebooks. Another significant issue which I found with Cb items is that if a client seems that he doesn't get the benefit for which he paid for than he can apply for the reimbursement. It means that you have to market a item which will actually help the user and he will never ask for the reimbursement.
To help you in selecting the best items which will actually carry income for you a new idea has progressed known as commission payment stores. This program will instantly get the best transforming items from the ClickBank and Amazon. It will include a little general market trends which will be done by yourself but you don't have to buy a item to know if it is reliable. At the same time it becomes very difficult to select a successful item from thousands and maybe thousands of items therefore this program is very useful for picking a item.
The most crucial factor which is needed when you are doing on the internet promotion is material. You cannot persuade someone to buy your item on the internet without a highly effective material. Hence this program will instantly organize the material that is appropriate to your item. You don't even have to create a original material for your item as this step will also be done by this program. The quality and original material is also very essential to generate visitors and inbound links to your website. It also facilitates the inner link-building which can help you in growing your visitors. get your commission shop here
Are you having difficulties to get excellent guests to your web page and create you more cash, or building up your list for promoting more of your products? This is a prevalent problem for a lot of Web promoters who are just starting. This material is then described she specific methods that you can increase your guests at low costs.
Article marketing
Article promotion is the bread-and-butter from most Web promoters.It's gratify to do and provides the best revenue. The quality of members that are incredibly certified that comes from your material and confident hyperlinks are fantastic.
Your material do a great job in examining out not certified consumer's right from the begin. This is because if you don't find appropriate details that material provides there's very little chance that they're going to be simply clicking through to the next stage of the sales process. But if your material provides the appropriate details that they need,you'll be looking at a new customer pretty quickly.
Other methods are expensive and the variety of examining that you have to do is time-consuming. You need to watch your strategies to create sure that you're not spending too much money cash on where it's not making you any.
Article promotion will allow you to test different lead capture webpages, press webpages, and product concepts quickly and at low costs. You don't have to fear about any of the other factors that pay per click or social networking promotion will toss at you.
This strategy has been working over the last several years for Web promoters and will work well into the near future. People need material and the most convenient way to get to them is via text-based records. We are in the world of web 2.0 but when it comes to material nothing surpasses material, weblogs, or anything published.
Guest weblog writing
If you're doing material promotion you can also begin visitor running a blog and increase the overall existenceyou may have online. It's incredibly easy to contact weblog owners and ask for that you create for them for cost-free for only an confident link. Composing for incredibly popular weblogs has lots of guests you can piggyback off of, and get some of that guests to your sites.
There's also different methods of getting guests. However, it's not about the variety of guests that you're getting, but the excellent. We can have several guests that come to our web page and buy nothing, or we can have several guests buy everything. So when determining on guests you need to create sure that it's incredibly appropriate and suits onto what you're promoting.
Affiliate marketing ideas is one of the most popular online business ideas. Find out the benefits of making money online with affiliate marketing programs and why it has become so popular.
There are plenty of small business ideas you can make use of to make money online. Countless of people have turned to the Internet, looking for an opportunity to make money from home. It may seem as tough task at first, but you can succeed online if you are willing to learn, have passion for your idea, and most important, have the determination to just start.
Affiliate marketing ideas first came to use in 1996 when Amazon. com started paying web sites for referring people to their site. Now many years later affiliate marketing programs are a cornerstone in the online business world. Even the big guy companies such as Dell, Walmart and Apple have implemented affiliate marketing.
There are no production costs
It has very low start up costs
You wont need employees
You will have no inventory
No order to process
No shipping
No customer service
Virtually no risks
To be able to unleash your affiliate marketing ideas, you do need a web site
I know that there are some people who declare that it's possible to make affiliate money without a web site. According to those guys, you can use contextual advertising through Yahoo! publisher and Google AdWords. In theory this technique is very sound, but when it comes to reality, you have to master pay per click advertising into the smallest detail. Believe me, that is only for the very best campaign savvy marketers. If you try this model without the right skills you will end up paying more for the ads then you earn from affiliate marketing.
I strongly advice you to choose the safe way, create your own web site. Learn about organic search-engine optimization. Having real estate on the web is much like owning a piece of property, it will mature and increase in value with age.
There are literally thousands of people just like you, making a very good living from selling other peoples products online. No wonder affiliate marketing ideas is the number one money making opportunity online. Be ware though, as we all know, there isn't any working get rich quick programs online or offline. Affiliate marketing is like any business, to make money it takes education, persistence and passion.
Learn how to realize affiliate marketing ideas by this step by step affiliate tutorial!
Why pay for the many Niche Marketing services, products and sites that are springing up everywhere when you can discover your own profitable niche for free?
A Niche market is something with a high demand and a low supply. Luckily, using keyword tracking tools and search engines we can find these relatively easy.
In fact, there is a site that does it for you. It's called Nichebot and can be found athttp://www.nichebot.com and it doesn't cost a cent.
To discover your potential niche just type a search term into Nichebot. It can be anything, but if you're stuck for ideas just look in magazines, newspapers, websites etc for a two or three word term, preferrably something that could potentially lead to someone spending money. For example , objects of any kind or services - e. g. "Carpet Cleaners" or "Engine Tuning" - it can literally be anything!
Now type the term(s) into Nichebot and look for the Ratio. The lower the better. The ratio is the number of searches for your term divided by the number of websites that serve that term.
We'll take one of our examples to illustrate. "Engine Tuning" provides a number of options with a ratio of less than 1 . "model engine tuning" is searched for 264, 000 times and has 4 webpages serving it!
So what do you do with this niche?
The quickest and easiest way is to target your niche keyword(s) with Google AdWords. You first need an affiliate link of some description, or failing that target an Amazon or Ebay link using the niche keyword.
Write your niche keyword into the title of your AdWords Ad (in our example "Model Engine Tuning") and it will show in bold. Write a short description ("Get the most from your Model Engine, tuning secrets revealed. ") and link it to your affiliate link.
Read "Google Cash" for more information on using this method of targeting niches. http://www.googlecash.info
The second, more profitable, method is to build a website around your niche.
Your first step is to register the domain. If "model-engine-tuning. com" doesn't exist then grab it. The dashes help with the search engine ranking by seperating the keywords.
Then you need to put some content at your page. I'll leave the design up to you but it shouldn't be too hard to find pictures, articles and links relating to your subject.
Finally you'll want to make money with your site. The easiest ways are to use content-targeted systems since they'll provide paying content related to your site.
The top three are:
1. Google Adsense
Simple to install once you're approved. You have many formats to choose from and they are proven to pay well.
2. Amazon. Com
Will provide ads for books, videos, software etc related to your search term.
3. Ebay. com
Will provide listings of current eBay auctions related to your search term. You can also get ebay signups that you will make money from for life.
After you have (tastefully! ) installed these you can search for other commissionable links with the likes of:
Commission Junction - http://www.cj.com
or Associate Programs - http://www.associateprograms.com
and countless other Affiliate Directories. Search Google for more opportunities.
If you can source a resellable ebook or software program of interest to your visitors that will net you even more profit. You can also sell products from Drop Shippers (something ebay sellers have done for years) which will get you good profits from little work.
If there is no ebook or report you can sell perhaps you'd like to create your own or even hire a writer to create one for you. Try Elance to find a "ghost writer". http://www.elance.com
Another profitable area on a popular site will come from building a list, selling ad space, and running joint ventures. Capture your visitors address by offering a report. This list can prove very valuable once it grows. You should also utilise PopUnders and Banners which can either promote your own paying services or others. You can even use these banners and popunders from exchange services. These will generate hits for you that you can use on completely unrelated sites.
Niche sites are very easy to find and design and you DON'T need "gurus" or expensive services to do it for you!
Happy Niche Hunting! You are free to use this article in any format without restrictions except the resource-box at the end MUST be included. Please use a live link if possible: -)
Also availaible in HTML at: http://www.netpreneurnow.com/articles/nichedestroyed.html
Available via email at: niche@netpreneurnow. com
More articles at: http://www.netpreneurnow.com/mini.shtml
You might have the most appealing website with the best products in the world. But what is the point if no one is able to find your site from millions of websites on the world wide web?Traffic is all you need for visitors to find your website. If free web traffic is what you are looking for, this article has the answer for you on "how to get website traffic for free? ". This article will share with you 5 tips on how to get website traffic for free.
Tip No . 1 On How To Get Website Traffic For Free
The best way to get targeted web traffic is to write articles with valuable information which is relevant to your niche and post them on other high traffic websites or popular article directories. Just remember to place your website link at the end of the articles to drive free web traffic to your site. Expressly encourage the readers to republish your articles with the entire contents and resource box intact.
Leverage on viral marketing. This approach is common among the viral marketers. Apart from free article, you could also give away free ebook, newsletter or even sample product which is relevant to your website's content. Place links in these "freebies" which says, "click here to share this with your friend" or "click here to email this to a friend". If they click and email it to their friends, isn't it a way to get free traffic. Now, this is a proven way to generate floods of viral traffic by giving away free valuable information.
Tip No . 3 On How To Get Website Traffic For Free
Do not neglect the free classified ad sites. You could definitely get free web traffic by posting online classified ads on free classified ads sites. However , in order to see the real result, you must place on hundreds or even thousands of classified ad sites. If you find this task daunting then get the software that could automatically submit your ads to these sites.
Tip No . 4 On How To Get Website Traffic For Free
Post links on related websites. This is a sure way to get more traffic even targeted web traffic. It will also give you a higher link popularity and will definitely bring traffic to your websites.
Tip No . 5 On How To Get Website Traffic For Free
Promote your website through the online social networking sites. This will help your website to reach out more people. However , do not "hard sell" when using this approach. The promotion should be subtle. Remember to display the link to your website in the social networking profile to drive website traffic for free. Now, you know how to get website traffic for free, do not sit there! Start taking action to generate free web traffic and flood your website with targeted web traffic.
How To Get Traffic To Blog
There are numerous simple and easy to make some extra cash working in affiliate marketing . This article will give you some ideas.
Surveys
One of the best ways to earn some extra cash online is by taking surveys. There are many companies that need consumer opinions on a wide range of topics, and many of them will pay you money or with points you can redeem for cash or prizes. It's easy and free to signup and the more surveys you take, the more money and prizes you will get. It just takes a small investment of your time.
Writing
If you have decent writing skills, there are many publishers and content distributors who need content for their websites. Two such sites are AssociatedContent. com and Helium. com, they will pay you for each article you write. You don't have to be a fantastic writer either, just have a good grasp of English and be able to write something of interest on a given topic.
Blogging
Blogging is fun and easy and, again, you don't need great writing skills. You just need to be able to communicate your thoughts and ideas well. You can get your own customizable blog by getting a domain and hosting package that includes the Fantastico module. This module allows you to install the blogging software, WordPress, with 1 simple click. It's super fast and easy and you'll be blogging in no time. Once you have some visitors, you can add Adsense ads or affiliate ads to leverage your visitors and make money from them. Remember, the more interesting your topic, the more people will be interested, and the more readers you get, the more money you will make from your advertising. Blogs can be about anything, what do you have a passion for? What is your interest? Blog about it!
Affiliate Marketing
Many online companies have affiliate programs. Amazon. com, for instance, has a great affiliate program that allows you to sign up and get a customized URL to any page or area of their site. Then you can send this URL to your friends and family and encourage them to buy gifts from Amazon. com. With every purchase from your affiliate link, you get a commission! There are thousands of other affiliate programs out there, in addition to Amazon's program.
Sell Your Extra Stuff
We all have extra stuff laying around our houses or garages. Why not get rid of it and make some money too? Get your stuff and take a picture, write a description and put it up on eBay. You may find that something you thought that wasn't worth anything, is actually worth something!
Contests, Sweepstakes and Instant Win Games
Everyday there are new contests,sweepstakes and instant win games launching. If you are vigilant and spend an hour or a few a day entering contests and playing these games, you will win something eventually. Playing these games and contests is often fun anyway, so why not take a chance? Check out sweeps. ws for a great list of contests, sweepstakes and instant win games.
Free Lottos
You know how you go to the convenience store every week and spend a few bucks on lottery tickets? Well, there are also online lotteries where you can get tickets and win cash prizes. The difference is, these lotteries are free! Yes, free! You can find a list of free lottos at sweeps. ws.
Online Casinos
There are hundreds of different online casinos on the web. I bet you thought that you needed money to play at them and win? Well, you were wrong. You can signup for free poker tournaments that have cash prizes. There are also slot, roulette and blackjack tournaments that you can play that have real money prizes. All for free! Check out freerolls. net and gambling. com for listings.
There you go, 8 fun and easy ideas to make some extra cash online!
Free Membership, Free Submission, Free eBooks, Free Websites, Free Downloads, Free Classifieds, Free to Join, yes anything Free has an incredible pulling power in both Internet and Affiliate Marketing.
It is simply amazing how this four letter word FREE can capture the imagination of not only the newbies but also the most seasoned and experienced Internet Marketers and Affiliate Marketers.
The Success of your Internet Marketing or Affiliate Marketing Business depends to a great extent on several inputs such as Determination, Dedication and Motivation among others. In spite of possessing these qualities, financial limitations can be a dampening factor in your endeavor to succeed. So an offer of free tools, free eBooks, free classifieds etc . can be just the thing you have been longing for to boost your confidence and help you succeed in your business.
Even if you are not short of funds to operate your Internet or Affiliate Marketing businesses the offer of free items that could be helpful to develop your Internet business is something no sensible entrepreneur wants to ignore. Why pay for something when you can get it for free!
It is important to note that in spite of the prominent display of the word Free, some items are not always Free and some are quite useless; nevertheless the urge and desire to try them out persists.
Capitalizing on this are many scammers who want to make a quick buck. This is where the newbie has to be watchful and not fall prey to scammers.
Many genuine smart Marketers do take advantage of this inherent weakness of both man and woman and offer free items to promote their businesses.
There are of course several great free webmaster tools that are extremely popular with Internet marketers, Affiliate marketers, Internet home based business entrepreneurs and other online entrepreneurs.
Similarly Free eBooks and Articles written sincerely with the sole purpose of educating the audience are also very popular and sought after by webmasters.
There are websites dealing exclusively with Free items that are very popular in the Internet.
Another Free item extremely popular with low budget business entrepreneurs are Free classifieds.
There are also several very much sought after Free to join affiliate programs that are long standing, safe and secure and global in nature, who provide you with free tools, free web sites and a great support systems.
Thus the Internet abounds with all kinds of free items. Some have hidden charges, Some lead you to scams, Some have both free and paid versions, Some are totally free with no strings attached.
Regular visits to the Search Engines such as Google, Yahoo, MSN and Altavista and studying these various free items will help you to weed out the Good from the Bad and the Ugly.
Great people do exist out there in the Internet World who are prepared to share their knowledge and expertise with the rest of the Internet fraternity for Free. Webmasters and Online Entrepreneurs should indeed be grateful to these Individuals and Organizations who are constantly making the Internet experience much easier, cheaper, pleasant and enjoyable for millions of Internet users.
The Incredible Power of the word FREE will without doubt continue to captivate the hearts and minds of the Internet Marketing and Affiliate Marketing world till a a more powerful substitute is discovered.
How to Make Money Online with GVO\'s affiliate program
You have a good website, perhaps about a niche area that you specialize in or about a passionate hobby of yours. Your readers love your articles. Your homepage is widely book marked and your newsletter has membership in thousands. Great!
Have you monetized your traffic? Have you signed up for affiliate programs?
"affiliate programs? Hmm, What are those? " A good friend of mine who is passionate about cameras and has a blog with good readership exclaimed. What a waste of valuable traffic!
What is Affiliate Program? - A Definition
Affiliate program is a partnership between the merchants such as Amazon, eBay, Best Buy, Circuit City etc . and you, the publisher who places links to these merchant sites strategically on your websites and drive additional traffic to the merchant websites.
Terminology
Pay Per Click: Merchant offers money every time a visitor sent from your website visits merchant's website.
Pay Per Sale: Merchant offers money every time a visitor sent from your website actually buys the product offered by the merchant.
Pay Per Lead: Merchant offers money every time a visitor sent from your site provides some information to the merchant like his/her email id or fills a form. Essentially, Merchant is getting leads to sell his stuff.
First and foremost, it is important to understand that the chances of your visitors clicking on your affiliate links, if the topic is relevant to them, which means your website/page and the affiliate links published should be closely related.
Of course they should offer reliable mechanisms to track: the traffic sent by you, your commissions you earned etc .
In addition to payout that is attractive, I would prefer those that offer good support, those who care for their affiliates. I should be able to get in touch with easily and get responses quickly, if situation demands.
A program that offers cookie duration so that even if your visitor visits a merchant today and purchases a month later, you would still get your commission, would be attractive to me.
Multi-tier programs and programs that offer residual income can also be attractive.
If your topic is regional, you have to make sure that the affiliate program(s) chosen cater to that region.
There are tons of affiliate programs out there offering from very attractive to so-so commissions. Which one to pick?
Your time is rather valuable to be checking out each of these merchant websites, making notes etc . I find Affiliate Directories more useful, with their classification of programs, payout details and more importantly review etc ., all available in one place.
You can pick the best affiliate suited for your niche much easily at a directory than on your own. Affiliate Directories help you spend more time concentrating on making your content more useful to your readers.
It is becoming increasingly clear these days that text links are much more successful that banners. A personal endorsement, for a targeted affiliate program with useful informative facts could help tremendously in encouraging the visitors to check out the merchants you promote.
Why do so many affiliates fail in affiliate marketing?
Fundamental and obvious reason for failure is that you are promoting stuff that is not relevant to your visitors.
Lack of conviction: Affiliate program is not just about putting a link. Get involved with a product and try it out if possible. Personal honest reviews help promote the stuff better. Only hard work pays.
If your pages designed with the sole purpose of acting as a commission-earning middleman, beware; search engines can throw your site out. Make sure that you are not a thin affiliate (a website with just affiliate links and banners, but no useful content).
Some fly by night operators take advantage of the minimum payout limits. Be sure to check the credibility of the affiliate program you are joining.
In summary, monetize your website. Let your passion bring in some revenue for yourself. Choose the Right Affiliate Program by browsing Affiliate Directories. Put some effort, get involved with the product you are promoting and increase your revenue.
[How To] Work From Home Online Free - Make Money with Affiliate Programs Free
It is estimated that reported earnings from the internet will be numbered by the trillions in the year 2005. Internet-based businesses such as virtual assistants, web development, retail, consulting and freelance services make up a large percentage of the money earned online, and there is still potential for greater earnings. In fact , more and more people are turning to the internet each day to achieve their dreams of financial freedom and running a home-based business.
Far from being a get rich quick scheme, working online requires a great deal of time, hard work and sacrifice to realize your financial goals. Yes, you can start making money online today like many advertisements claim, but the money you make today will be insignificant and small in comparison with what you can earn running an online business over the course of time.
The beauty of online business is that you can start small with a minimal investment and achieve hugely successful results. Most people already have a computer and an online connection, which is the bulk of the expense in most online businesses. Add to that knowledge and love for a particular field, product or service, and you can have a home-based business that dreams are made of.
When many people first start their online business, the money generated from selling their product or service is usually not enough to enable them to quit their day job. That is why most opt to run their online business part time while maintaining their current, full-time employment. But the simple fact that these people are selling their product or service, even if it is only to a few people, proves that there is a great potential for earnings if they continue to market their product to an even greater number of people.
Did you know that there are programs that you can join that will pay you commissions on the sales that your sub-affiliates have generated?
Best of all, these programs are free to join, simple to set up and can provide multiple earnings in the near future. You can market your affiliate program on your website, blog, forum, email newsletters and more.
Welcome to the world of two-tier programs, other wise known as sub-affiliate commissions, 2-tier affiliate programs, residual commission programs and a host of other names.
A “two-tier” affiliate program is program that offers 2 types of commissions. The first allows you to earn income on the sales of the product or service, and the second, allows you to earn income on referring someone new to the program.
Some programs will pay a flat fee for the referral, such as $1 to $5 per valid lead, while many offer a percentage of the 2nd tier affiliate, or sub-affiliate, earnings.
Simple Example:
Let’s do a simple 2-tier commission example:
Here is the scenario: ‘Company ABC Inc. ’ offers a 30% commission on the sale of any of their products AND also offer a 5% 2-tier affiliate commission.
During the course of the month you have generated 3 sales at $100. 00 and you have 3 sub-affiliates underneath you that have generated 1, 2 and 8 sales respectively. Your income for the month they is:
Sales: 3 sales x $100. 00 = $300. 00 Your commission rate is 30% Commission income: 3 x $30. 00 for a total of $90. 00 Your sub-affiliate #1 generates 1 sale @ $100. 00, your commission is $5. 00 ( 5% of $100. 00) Your sub-affiliate #2 makes 2 sales @ $100. 00, where your commission is $10. 00 on this affiliate publisher ( 5% of $200. 00) Your sub-affiliate #3 produces 8 sales @ $100. 00, for your commission of $40. 00 ( 5% of $800. 00)
Your total commissions are $90. 00, your total sub-affiliate income is $55. 00 For a net income total of $145. 00.
In actuality, you generated 3 sales but still earned $145. 00. Should you have more sub-affiliates signed up underneath your program, you would stand to earn more … as long as they are performing.
Within the AM411 Affiliate Marketing Directory ( http://www.am411.com/) are links to the most profitable high payout 2-tier affiliate programs we have found on the Internet. These free to join affiliate programs provide high commissions for direct sales, leads or clicks. Many popular and highly successful industries offer sub-affiliate commissioning; telecom, online and internet services, web hosting, credit card services and more.
YT - Affiliate Marketing : Best Affiliate Programs: Make Money Online
Mixing concrete - the most important step in artificial rock making
Mixing concrete is no different than baking a cake. If you do not put the right ingredients into the mix it will not turn out properly. In fact , mixing and curing a batch of concrete is virtually identical to mixing and baking a cake. Except that the concrete bakes at room temperature!
There are many different concrete mixes and various additives and substitutions for ingredients. It is true that lightweight concrete can be created by adding vermiculite, perlite, peat moss or saw dust in place or partially in place of sand. The short answer is - yes you can do this with varying degrees of success and with more than a little trail and error. The concrete mix that is detailed below is specifically designed for two reasons:
1) Maximum strength 2) Maximum sculptability
This mix is engineered to produce a final concrete strength of 50-75 mPa. This is STRONG in fact this is VERY STRONG concrete. This will produce concrete that is far stronger than sidewalks and curbs, even stronger than swimming pool concrete and most concrete found in high rise construction.
It is important to note that you can make concrete batches of all sizes using the simple principal that the ingredients are all proportional to one another. For example the ratio of sand to cement is generally 3: 1 or three parts sand to every one part cement. All other measurements in the mix will be based on the 'one part' cement that you are using. For this example the measurements are based on a standard 40kg bag of type ten portland cement being equal to one standard five gallon bucket.
respirator is a MUST as silica, concrete dust and fiberglass are dangerous to breathe!
Dry Ingredients:
-One bag type 10 portland cement -Three buckets fine, clean washed sand -One and 1/4 buckets un-densified silica fume -1/4 bucket Fly Ash -Small handful of glass fibers (like a pinch of salt - not precise, but a small amount)
Wet ingredients:
-800ml of poly-plex or liquid latex (Liquid acrylic can be substituted where liquid latex is not available) -300ml liquid water reducer -Water**
NOTE: The liquid additives can be omitted and replaced with water with acceptable results. The water reducer and liquid latex are needed only where maximum strength and workability is essential.
**In order to make the concrete strong and workable the amount of water is critical and can change depending on a number of given criteria. For example , if the sand you are using is slightly damp you would likely need HALF the amount of water than if your sand was bone dry. If it is hot outside you may find yourself needing more water than on a cool day. Adding the correct amount of water takes practice.
Mixing the concrete ingredients is the most important stage
You can mix concrete in a mixer, a bucket or on a piece of plywood with a square head shovel. This depends on the amount of concrete you need to mix. With all methods A thoroughly mixed, well proportioned cement mix is the secret to easily workable concrete. If you are a beginner you should probably mix the concrete much longer than you would otherwise think- and it can be hard work. The best concrete mix in an entire day of pouring concrete is the one that spins in the mixer throughout a long lunch break!
Mix all dry ingredients thoroughly before getting ready to add water. You will add water in SMALL quantities mixing thoroughly between adding more. You will find that the small amounts of water that you add will get immediately absorbed by the overly dry mix and you will feel compelled to add a big splash of water. DO NOT DO THIS!
The concrete will readily absorb water to a certain point of saturation, after which seemingly a thimbleful more will reduce your fine sculpting concrete to a watery mess. Concrete that has been over watered is completely compromised in terms of strength. You may be able to add ingredients or wait a while to get some sort of useable substance but this seriously weakens the end result in an undetectable fashion to the naked eye.
Have patience with adding water and you can quickly find yourself becoming more familiar with the total amount needed on any given day. If you take the time to measure how much water you need in a mix, the next time you make it you can immediately use half the anticipated amount of water required, and add the second half very slowly to ensure that you do not over water.
Making perfect concrete mixes takes patience and practice
What you are going for with this mix is a relatively firm (not too watery) end result. The concrete should be able to be formed into a ball, but still squished between your fingers without breaking off into clumps. Instead it should almost ooze through your fingers. If you dropped a fist sized ball of concrete onto the ground from the height of your knees you should end up with an almost flat circle of concrete, but not totally flat. Pictures of the desired consistency are included in the sculpting section.
Try taking your point trowel and smoothing out the concrete like spreading icing on a cake. You should be able to get a smooth glossy-like finish by working it back and forth gently. If the concrete just spreads out to nothingness under the gentle weight of your trowel you have too much water. If the concrete tends to break apart instead of spreading smoothly you likely need just a touch more water. A little goes a LONG way at this point.
Once the concrete is mixed - pay attention to the ticking clock
You will have a few hours in most cases to work the concrete into its desired shape before it cures too much to be worked further. Direct sunlight and hot dry weather can considerably increase the curing rate of concrete so it is always better to err on the side of caution with concrete drying times as you certainly do not want a batch of concrete drying in the mixer before you can get to it. This goes for tools as well. Always keep your tools clean or you will quickly find all of your tools rendered useless by dried concrete.
You can work the concrete for a few hours, misting with water if it looks like it is drying too fast (cracking in direct sunlight). After the initial curing begins and the concrete begins to stiffen you should stop working the concrete as further disturbing will weaken the strength of the final product.
Be prepared in case you can not finish your project in a single session
If you find that you are not able to complete the project in one shot, be sure to leave your concrete work finished in an inconspicuous spot. You will always be able to see the joint between where new concrete was added to cured concrete and in most cases this will cause a weak link in the overall structure called a cold joint.
If you need to add new concrete to old concrete you must complete an additional step to ensure that the two sides bond together. You need to make a watery mix of cement, water and concrete adhesive called slurry.
Making slurry for bonding old concrete to new concrete
Prepare your new (regular) mix of concrete, cover and leave in a cool shaded place. Now you are going to make another very small mix, just enough to cover the joint where new concrete and old concrete will overlap.
Mix only water and cement powder until you have something resembling soft butter. Then add a generous dollop of glue to the mix and mix further. This soft butter looking mixture (slurry) must be applied along the entire joint where you wish to add new concrete while the slurry is still wet.
Right before you apply the slurry mix you must spray down the existing concrete piece with water so that it is thoroughly wet.
NOTE- This slurry mix dries FAST. On a hot day the slurry can cure in a matter of minutes so do not waste any time in applying the slurry to the cold joint and getting your fresh waiting concrete mix spread over top.
There are some products as well that can be purchased that will perform the job of this slurry mix. Generally these mixes are designed to set fast for joining surfaces and fixing active leaks. There are concrete mix additives that can cure in 30 seconds or even underwater to patch a leak. Many times dealing with these products you will find yourself distracted for a moment only to find your trowel firmly embedded in the solidified bucket of mixed concrete moments later. The home made slurry mix described above is much more forgiving than these commercial products and produces reliable results just the same.
Concrete curing times
Concrete takes almost a full month to reach maximum strength. All too often with beginners the anticipation gets the better of you and you end up destroying or damaging your creation by moving or working the concrete too soon after sculpting. I recommend waiting a minimum of 3 full days to begin working the concrete and a full 14 days before attempting to lift or move. Be sure to keep the concrete moist with water at least 2-3 times per day for the initial 3 days.
Now that you have a better understanding of how to make concrete that is great for sculpting artificial rocks, we can take a look at how you are going to sculpt it to look exactly like real stone.
