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DIY for Homeowners

Workshop Wednesday: Faux Concrete Finish & More!

3/27/2019

3 Comments

 
Picture
text by Vicki     Sign up here to join our weekly email newsletter! 
Just in time for spring is the Fast DIY shared on Workshop Wednesday. This technique is perfect for transforming terra-cotta pots and old vintage ceramic planters. I'm updating some pots and planters with a faux concrete finish. 

Materials:


  • Dremel 4300 Series Rotary Tool (Home Depot)

  • DecoArt Chalky Gesso, white (Online)

  • DecoArt Satin Enamel, Charcoal grey (Online)

  • Terracotta Pot Clay Pots (Amazon)

  • Faux Succulent (Amazon)

  • Sheet Moss (Amazon)

  • Floral Foam (Amazon)

Planters painted with DecoArt Chalky gesso
My samples were a vintage ceramic planter (originally yellow) and a terra-cotta pot. Both were given a faux concrete finish. The planters in front are a couple examples of vintage planters you may find at yard sales and thrift stores. Often the colors did not work in today's home decor. They are perfect for a little painting makeover.
How to give a terra-cotta pot a faux concrete finish.
I'm going to free hand a simple pattern on the pot to give the sides a little texture and interest. To help with spacing, I'm drawing lines to divide the pots into fourths.
Dremel 4300 with sanding attachment.
I'm using a Dremel rotary tool with a sanding disk set on low speed to create the pattern. Be sure to wear a mask, safety glasses, and hearing protection.
Dremel rotary tool with sanding attachment.
I'm making a simple pattern to create some texture on the pot. The lines help to keep the pattern somewhat on track!
Painting with DecoArt gesso in white.
Be sure to wipe the pot free of dust prior to painting. Shake or stir the gesso and pour a small amount into a separate container. Tip: Do not use the gesso directly from the bottle to keep it free from anything the brush might pick up. The gesso in my separate container actually took on a bit of orange color from the pot.
DecoArt satin enamel in charcoal grey
I am using the gesso as a primer. Once the gesso is dry, paint with the gray color. The painting does not have to fully cover as this will help with the finished look.
Sanding with Diablo SandNet in 320 grit
Once the grey is dry, add a light coat of gesso. You can water the gesso down to help get a light coat. It's better to do a couple of lights coats. Once this is dry, lightly sand to bring out the sanded texture areas.
I'm adding a faux succulent into styrofoam and then filling in with sheet moss.
I'm adding a faux succulent into styrofoam and then filling in with sheet moss.
Creating a faux concrete finish on a tera cotta pot.
As you can see, the sanded texture and faux concrete finish add a lot of interest to what was a boring orange pot.
Picture
I love how the two pots/planters looks together. This is such an easy way to update the look of planters and pots you may have already in your home. You could even experiment with another color other than grey. Create a look that works for you and your home decor!
3 Comments
sandy link
6/14/2019 01:08:54 pm

I have a plastic strawberry pot w/12 holes and I was wondering if this could be used on it just sanding. Also I wanted to use faux cactus what could I use to hold them in and it would be used inside so not too much sand/dirt

Reply
Vicki
6/14/2019 09:09:49 pm

Hi Sandy, I saw your question on Hometalk. I'm going to try the finish on a plastic pot and I'll let you know how it goes. ~Vicki

Reply
vicki
6/22/2019 07:29:12 pm

Hi Sandy, I realized I had tried this method on plastic. I tried it on a plastic pail which has been outside in the harsh Florida elements for a couple of months. The painting is still in good condition. I first cleaned the pot really well, sanded lightly, added a coat of gesso and then finished with a DecoArt enamel paint. Let me know if you try it and how it goes.

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