Turn Old Terracotta Pots Into A Colorful, One-Of-A-Kind Planter With This DIY

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Do you want to up your planter game? Whether you're looking to repurpose items in your home as planters or use frying pans to make a tiered succulent planter, the options are practically limitless. If you have a variety of plants that need a home, choosing unique and interesting pots is half of the fun. But what if you already have a number of terracotta pots to use for your plants? Rather than submit to a plain and monochromatic planter collection, you can complete a simple project to add a little personality to your terracotta pots. Easily marble your terracotta pots by dipping them in a water solution with a variety of acrylic paint colors.

Obviously, a key item for this project is a terracotta pot or two. Beyond that, you'll need a large bucket (a five-gallon bucket is a good option) along with water and carrageenan (like this carrageenan from Jacquard). Carrageenan helps to thicken the water, allowing the paint to stay on the surface. Speaking of paint, you'll need a variety of colors of acrylic paint like white, black, tan, and brown (try this Acrylic Paint Set from Caliart). Finally, you'll need a skewer to mix the paint, as well as gloves. With all those materials in hand, you're ready to transform a simple terracotta pot into a statement planter.

In order for the paint to stick to the terracotta pot, it's a good idea to wash it first. This is fairly simple, just mix some water and dishwasher soap and scrub. Let it dry completely, and then prepare your water, carrageenan, and paint mixture. Mix your water and carrageenan together in a bucket (consider using around 3.5 gallons of water and seven tablespoons of carrageenan) and thoroughly blend it (you could use a blender for easier mixing). If you want the best result, consider leaving this mixture overnight to get rid of bubbles. The next step is to place drops of your paint on the surface. Use the variety of colors in a random pattern, and then gently mix with a skewer. Holding the inside of your pot (wearing gloves) carefully submerge the pot into the mixture until it is completely covered with the paint. After it dries, you'll have created a colorful, unique pot for your plants.

If you want to protect your masterpiece from weather or wear, consider using a sealant after marbling it. You could try this Clay Pot Sealer Spray from Mod Podge, or this Paint Sealer from Rain Guard Water Sealers. Mix up the marbling by choosing different paint colors, or mixing the drops less. If your terracotta pots also have plant saucers, consider marbling those too to match. These planters don't just have to be filled with plants, try using these clay pots to make a stunning, one-of-a-kind water feature in your backyard instead. Or, use your pot to hold utensils in your kitchen, and smaller marbled clay pots for pens and pencils. Now that you're a pro at marbling planters, what DIY will you tackle next?