How to Mount Plaster Baby Castings for a Stunning Display

How to Mount Baby Castings

If you are looking for a different way to display your Baby Hand Castings, other than Framing, you may wish to consider Mounting them on a Mount or Plinth.

As we explain on our Baby Hand and Foot Casting Courses, ideally, if your Baby Casts have been created with Casting Plaster, we would recommend that you Frame them, as this will give them extra protection against potential damage.  Plaster Baby Casts are fragile and would shatter if dropped.  This is why we recommend Framing Plaster Baby Hand and Foot Casts.

However, if you have upgraded your 3D Baby Casts to a material more durable than Plaster Casts, such as Cold Cast Metal  or Resin Casts, or you wish to have your Plaster 3D Baby Casts free-standing, it is a lovely idea to Mount them on a Plinth.  There are many different types of Mounts or Plinths to choose from, including Rustic Wood Slices, which look really stunning. 

Here are my tips to mount Baby Castings on a Plinth.

How to Mount Baby Castings on a Plinth

If you know from the start that you are planning to mount your baby hand and feet casts on a plinth, rather than in a Baby Casting Box Frame,  make sure that you cast far enough up the ankle and wrist, when taking the alginate mould, as you will need to cast deeper, when mounting them, than when displaying them in a Box Frame. (See our instructions for How to Frame Baby Hand and Feet Casts).

Once you have cast your baby hands and feet and left them to dry completely, so that there is no moisture remaining in the plaster (this may take several weeks) you can begin the process of repairing any broken hand casting, filling air-bubbles and preparing to Mount your Baby Casts.

First of all, assemble all of the tools, material and equipment that you will need to Mount your Baby Castings:

1. Baby Casting Mount, Plinth or Rustic Wood Slice

2. Your set of 3D Baby Casts

3. Sand Paper 

4. Bosch Multi-tool

5. Hot Glue Gun & Glue Sticks

6. Engraved Name Plaque

Hand Casting Display and Mounting is extremely easy. Simply follow these instructions:

1. Repair any broken hand castings (small air-bubbles in the fingers or toes etc) with white epoxy resin as demonstrated on our 3D Casting Baby Course.

2. Cut the ankles of your baby feet casts down to size, as desired, to accomodate the Mount, using a Hack Saw or an electric multi-tool.

3. Once you are happy with the height and how they will look on your Baby Casting Mount, sand them down to refine the edges and smooth down to a flat surface.
4. Leave a slightly rough surface on the base of the ankles, as this will help the glue bond the cast securely to the Mount or Plinth.

5. Paint and seal your Baby Hand and Foot Casts, as demonstrated on our 3D Baby Casting Training and leave to dry fully.

6. Position your baby hand and foot casts, onto the Mount or Plinth, wherever you want them and bond them using a Hot Glue Gun
7. Don’t forget to leave room for personalising your Mounted Baby Casts with the baby's name and date of birth.  You can either use an Engraving Kit, or you can order personalised name plaques here.

8. Once you are happy with the positioning of everything, apply a small amount of glue to the surface of your Baby Casts, using a hot glue gun.  
9. Important note: Don’t apply too much glue, that it will be visible, once you press the hand and feet casts down onto the Mount.

10. Hold each hand or foot in place for a good 30-60 seconds, until the glue has bonded and the cast is firmly affixed to the Mount.

11. If you are personalising your baby casts with an engraved name plaque, bond this with a small amount of glue from your hot glue gun.

If you would like professional training on how to do Baby Hand and Foot Casting, you can find out more about our series of Life Casting Training Courses and how to start your own Creative Home Business here.

If you are looking for Baby Casting Box Frames, Mounts or Plinths to display your Baby Hand and Foot Casts, you will find a good selection available from our eshop.

How to mount baby casting | How to mount plaster casting | baby hand and foot casting diy| baby hand casting | baby casting tips diy hand casting|  baby foot casting tips | baby hand casting tips | how to do hand casting | casting baby feet | hand casting materials |