This is the trickiest part of the project, but it's optional. Gluing a plastic shelf liner inside the tube will give the finished piece a texture. The shelf liner here is just over 18" in width, so it fits perfectly inside the 18" tall form tube.

• Tape the shelf liner in place, working your way around the inside of the tube and making sure that the liner is tight against the inside.

• Make a mark on the liner where it meets the starting point.

• Cut the liner to length with a utility knife, using a ruler as a guide.

• Lay down some contact paper and spray the non-textured side of the shelf liner with spray adhesive. Follow the directions on the adhesive and spray the interior of the tube, then wait 5-10 minutes for the adhesive to get tacky.

• Carefully place the liner inside the tube and press it into place.

• Trim away excess with a utility knife.

Make the base for the form tube using something flat, like a scrap piece of plywood, or in this case, a terracotta tile that was laying around. Tape a piece of plastic (11"x11") to the tile. The plastic will make it easy to remove from the piece later.

• Tape the plastic down on the tile.
• Place the form tube in the center of the tile.

• Run a bead of hot glue around the base of the form tube to hold it in place.

This step is also optional, but it will create a nice round-over on the top edge. If you skip this step, the top will have some sharp edges that need to be sanded down with diamond hand pads.

• Run a bead of caulk around the bottom inside edge of the tube.

• Tool the caulk with a seam shaping tool (an acrylic rod cut at an angle).

• Scrape up the excess silicone with a razor blade.

• Wait for the silicone to cure and then pull up the excess silicone from the sides of the tube.

• After the silicone has fully cured, clean out the form with denatured alcohol.

Now the form is ready to pack.

A project this size will take about 25 lbs. of mix, at about 5/8" - 3/4" thick. It helps to mix this amount in a 5-gallon bucket or a concrete mixing tub.

Mix ShapeCrete to a Clay-Like Consistency.

• Add half the water to the tub.

• Add the dry mix with the dry pigment already blended in (optional).

• Blend thoroughly by hand or with a paddle mixer. The mix should hang vertically when it's the right consistency. Adjust water content as needed.

Always wear a rubber gloves, safety glasses, and a dust mask when mixing.

• Begin by packing the bottom of the form to an even thickness. Press the mix into the edges of the form so you don't leave air bubbles.

• Gradually pack the mix up the walls of the form, turning it as you go along.

• If the mix is slumping down, it may be too wet. Try pressing thinner pads into the form and then coming back with a second layer to thicken it up.

• When you get to the top of the form, smooth the top edge with a trowel or putty knife.

Cover with plastic and let it cure for 24-48 hours before removing it from the form.

Stripping the form is easy.

• Remove the tape from the tile so the plastic is loose.
• Flip the piece over and peel away the plastic.
• Use a utility knife to carefully slice into the tube and gradually peel it away. Be careful not to cut too deep into the piece.
• Sand any jagged edges with diamond hand pads, files, or coarse sandpaper.