How to Customize Your Pots & Planters

You don’t need to spend a fortune on expensive flower pots and planters. Decorating a plain pot and turning it into a custom piece is simple and inexpensive and can really make a difference in your plant collection’s aesthetic. No matter your style, terracotta pots make the perfect starting point for this project. Here are some tips you can use to create your very own custom terracotta pots.

Recommended Materials

Terracotta flower pot
Paint brush
Foam brush
Craft Paint
Painter’s tape
Rubber bands
Pencil
Plants or flowers

Painting Tips

Plan Your Design

When you begin any sort of creative project, it’s helpful to have an idea before you begin. Starting your pot painting project with a design or at least part of a design already planned will help you save time and materials. While you can paint over any mistakes with enough coats, it’s better to avoid them entirely by planning your design.

One thing that can help is drawing on the pot with a pencil before you paint. This is especially useful for more complicated designs, motifs or even lettering. If you plant to use a stencil, try different placements on the surface of the pot to get the best look.

Use Shortcuts

It’s not cheating to use your resources wisely. With art, any tools that can save you time or make tough parts easier will reward you with a better finished product with less frustration. Use painter’s tape to block out areas you don’t want to paint. Just like when used on walls, painter’s tape will give you a perfectly straight line without the hassle.

Another great shortcut for painting flower pots is to use rubber bands for horizontal lines. Fit a rubber band around the pot and adjust so that it’s even all the way around. Not only does the rubber band make a barrier for paint but it will stay in place, giving you a perfectly even horizontal line every time.

Make Your Pots Versatile

To get the most use out of your newly painted pots, treat them for outdoor use. You can do this by adding a coat of spray sealant after the paint is dry. There are different finishes you can use as well, so it provides an opportunity to enhance your artwork with a glossy sheen or a cool matte finish.

Terracotta is a porous material, so if you want it to avoid absorbing water meant for your plants, use sealant on the inside too. This can also make cleaning the pots easier in the future as it makes a smoother surface in contact with the soil.

Terracotta pots are incredibly versatile whether or not you customize them. The variety of shapes and sizes available on the market makes this project not only simple but budget-friendly. Try these tips if you want to give your container garden or houseplants an aesthetic boost.