PAINTED POTS
The trick to getting gorgeous, affordable large indoor pots for a fraction of the price.
A step by step guide and beginner-level-easy DIY paint hack for quality large indoor pots on the cheap. Make your indoor plants some happy in their fancy new homes!
THINGS WE USED
Terracotta Outdoor Pots - Any the size you need, ours were from Bunnings
Pot Saucer/Tray - to match each pot size
Plant - See note in step 4 on nursery pots
Exterior Paint - Most of ours are Tint Paint colour ‘So Fresh and So Clean’ (using leftover paint is fine, how much you need depends on the size of your pot size and the paint method chosen)
NOTE: use a paint approved for use on brick/masonry as terracotta needs to breathe, this reduces chipping and flaking over time. All paint brands list approved applications on the tin.
Your choice of paint applicator - A roller + tray / large brush + paint pot / paint sprayer of choice (more on what we used below)
Drop sheet/plastic sheet
Access to clean water for washing up
DISCOUNT CODE MARIKAKNOWSTHINGS FOR $30 OFF TINT PAINT ORDERS OVER $300
Our favourite paint supplier gave us a discount to share with you, so this part of the post is an ad. We ONLY recommend and promote products we have used ourselves and would buy again. We earn a small commission on sales using this code.
We paid for all the paint in this project ourselves after discovering Australian paint brand Tint Paint during the kids bedroom makeovers. Tint makes low VOC, vegan paint with really, really fantastic coverage and quality, plus, they have the most amazing customer service. It was an easy choice and has held up brilliantly everywhere we’ve used it.
KNOW-HOW
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KNOW-HOW •
METHOD
STEP 1
Buy cheap, large outdoor terracotta pots from your local hardware or nursery. I purchased Northcote Pottery ‘Terracotta Egg Shaped Pots’ of various sizes from Bunnings.
These range from $11 to $46.10 AUD depending on the size*
Wipe them down with a dry rag to remove any dirt but they should be good to go.
*Price at the time we did the project.
STEP 2
Using a paint application method of your choice, i.e. a sprayer, roller, or even a brush, paint the pots with an exterior paint that is rated for use on masonry/brick (which means it breathes).
I have used both Dulux Weathershield (formerly Dulux Masonry Matt) in ‘Vivid White’ colour and Tint Paint Exterior in colour ‘So Fresh and So Clean’. Both have been extremely durable, Tint has better consistency when spraying without the need to water down, creates less clogs and has better coverage, in my opinion.
Most times these pots only need 1 good coat, but when dry double check you may need a touch up here or there.
STEP 3
Insert a pot saucer/tray if you plan to use this pot indoors, or leave that out if you want to use it outdoors or on a balcony that drains.
I used these from Bunnings in various sizes to fit my pots.
NOTE For my really large pots, I’ve also had great success using this wet area sealant to fill the drainage hole instead of using pot saucers, but make sure you test it’s water-tight before bringing the pot inside to use, if you don’t apply it perfectly it may leak.
STEP 4
Pop a plant in, keeping it in a nursery pot so you can remove easily if you need to bottom water, check for pests or treat any related issues. If you buy your plant already in a nursery pot, now is a good time to size up that pot by repotting to the correct size (many plants have already outgrown their pots on arrival home from the store).
A few things to consider…
TO SPRAY OR NOT TO SPRAY
If you are unsure on spraying vs brush or rolling these, check out our blog post from when we painted our bagged brick home, I’ve included a lot of pros and cons on using a sprayer. I tend to spray smaller projects or tricky objects, but it totally depends on my mood, there are no wrong answers here!
HOT TIP 1
I use my own soil mix (click here to see my soil mix on the blog) and give them a good neem oil spray first over both the foliage and soil, then allow to dry off under cover outdoors prior to bringing them inside. I give them a diluted power feed watering after repotting too, which reduces shock.
HOT TIP 2
You may also like to quarantine your plant(s) for 2 weeks after purchasing to ensure you do not bring any pests into your home from the store. Especially important if you have multiple plants. Store them in a spot that still gets enough light, but is away from your other plants.
