Today I want to show you how I took inexpensive flower pot planters from Wal-Mart and turned them into upscale faux concrete planters, without the hefty price tag!
Supplies needed to make faux concrete planters:
- Resin Planters: I chose a 12-inch and 16-inch (terracotta colored here, white here, or silver here)
- Floor Tile Mortar
- Corded Drill
- Masonry Brush
- Mixing Paddle
- Sealer
Grab your resin planters that you want to use. I chose a 12 inch and 16 inch (terracotta colored here, white here or silver here). You will need a bag of Floor Tile Mortar— this is the same mortar you would use to tile floors— but you will mix it much thinner so it is pourable!
Pour your mortar into a large 5 gallon bucket, grab your corded drill for mixing and attach the mixing paddle to your drill. This will ensure your mortar is mixed as smoothly as possible. You want to add water and mix until it is thinner than pancake batter. (At first mine was too thick, but no big deal, I simply added more water until it was just right.)
I made this drying rack from extra plywood which really comes in handy. No more messy hands! You simply lay the planters upside down on the vertical sticks and this allows for easy pouring and drying. Remember to lay out a tarp or cardboard before you begin, so you can keep the mortar off your grass (as much as possible).
Pour your mortar into a pouring can and start pouring! Pour slowly so you can rotate the planters as you pour. This reduces the amount of mortar that ends up on the ground.
After the first coat is on, let it dry completely before the next step.
After the first coat is dry, you will want to do a second coat. I did a combination of pouring and brushing with the second layer of the mortar. This will ensure it gets into every groove and you get complete coverage with your second coat.
Paint the mortar on the inside of the pot (just the top few inches in case the soil doesn’t hit the top). Time to let it dry!
After the second coat has dried, apply the masonry sealer to protect the planter.
And you’re done!! Once they are fully dry, grab your favorite companion plants and create your container gardens to add to your porch. I personally love to layer my plants— adding a plant with height in the center, some fullness around it and finishing it off with a trailing vine that will flow over the edges to soften the style.
Group your containers to really create a visual impact that you can enjoy all year long!
What do you think? Are you going to turn your resin planters into faux concrete planters to get that high end look? Let me know in the comments!
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2 Responses
Hi~! I am looking to do this with some taller planters. 1) Did you texturize the outside to help the mortar stick to the pot? 2) How do they hold up over time in the outdoors?
They look so cute!
Best,
Linds
Thank you! I think it would help to sand and texturize the pot. If I had stored mine indoors over winter I think they would have held up perfectly, but the freezing and thawing caused some cracking over winter.