There’s something mighty satisfying about turning a few humble supplies into porch decor that looks like it came from a boutique in town. These cement lace orb lanterns are made by pulling thick cotton string through a thin cement slurry, then draping it over balloons until you get a sturdy, airy shell. The method is simple, but the result has that old-meets-new charm I always love on a front step or tucked beside a garden bench.
I’m especially fond of projects like this because they feel a little bit like farm-wife ingenuity dressed up for company. If you can tie a knot, mix to a pancake-batter consistency, and give things time to dry, you can make these. They’re best for anyone who wants a decorative outdoor accent without fussing with fancy tools, and I’ll show you the honest way through it, including the little crumbly spots that sometimes happen and how to fix them.
Materials
Instructions
1. Cover your work surface with a plastic drop cloth and put on gloves before handling the wet cement.
2. Inflate 6 balloons to grapefruit- or soccer-ball size, then tie them off securely; don’t go larger, because oversized orbs tend to sag and crack.
3. Spray each balloon lightly with cooking spray all over, which helps the dried cement string release more easily later.
4. In a mixing tub, combine the cement mix with water until it reaches a smooth, thin slurry like pancake batter; if you’re using concrete mix, sift out the gravel first so the string coats evenly.
5. Cut several lengths of cotton string, roughly 3 to 5 feet each, so they’re easier to handle than one long tangled piece.
6. Pull one string length through the slurry and run it between gloved fingers so it is fully coated but not dripping in heavy clumps.
7. Drape the coated string over a balloon in overlapping loops, changing direction as you go and leaving an open area about 3 to 4 inches wide at the bottom for the lantern opening.
8. Keep adding coated strings until the balloon is covered in a sturdy crisscross pattern with small gaps, then set it aside upright to dry.
9. Repeat the dipping and draping for the remaining 5 balloons, checking that each orb has enough overlap to hold its shape once dry.
10. Let the orbs dry undisturbed for 24 to 48 hours, turning them only if a flat wet spot forms on the bottom and needs a little air exposure.
11. Once fully hard, pop each balloon with scissors or a pin and gently pull the balloon pieces out through the bottom opening.
12. Brush away loose crumbs and, if you find a slightly weak or crumbly patch, dab on a second thin coat of slurry and let it dry again until firm.
13. Smooth any sharp little nubs with sandpaper if needed, then place an LED tealight or a short LED string light inside for display.
Variations & Tips
For a softer look: Use slightly more string coverage and make the loops closer together so the lantern reads more like lace and less like an open trellis.
For better strength: Keep the string pattern balanced in every direction; if all the loops run the same way, the orb can feel flimsy on one side.
If the slurry feels wrong: A mix that’s too thick makes lumpy string, and a mix that’s too thin won’t build much strength. Aim for pancake batter, and stir often as you work.
If you only have concrete mix: Sift out the gravel before mixing so the string can soak evenly in the cement portion; those larger bits make draping much harder.
About imperfections: A slightly crumbly patch is normal on a handmade orb. I don’t fuss over every little flaw, because a second slurry coat usually fixes weak areas just fine.
Display idea: I like grouping three on one side of the porch steps and three on the other, with different sizes mixed together for a collected, old-country look.
Important safety note: These are light-duty decorative lanterns only, so use LED tealights or LED string lights and never real candles.