Use Plastic Flower Pots to Make DIY Cement Planters
Sturdy pots and planters that look beautiful are some of the most expensive items in expanding your houseplant or garden collection. But you don’t have to settle for cheap plastic pots or spend a fortune on fancy planters if you’re willing to put in a little effort to make your own.
Cement planters are relatively easy to make using the plastic pots you already have. Cement is an ideal grouting material because it is porous when wet, heavy and weather resistant, and easy to custom work.
How to make a do-it-yourself cement planter
First, you need to collect some materials:
- plastic flower pot
- Utility knife or circular saw
- Master OK
- tarpaulin
- Sandpaper
- Sand
- concrete mix
- Cooking spray or oil
- Gloves and mask
Note that for your first attempt, it’s best to start with a small houseplant pot rather than a huge patio pot. (In fact, making molds doesn’t even require plastic pots – here’s a demo using plastic bottles .)
Reuse Project for Garden has a helpful video demonstrating the process of making cement pots from plastic molds (and one for plastic baskets ) if you like visual instructions, but here we cover the basics.
Start by spreading the tarp on a flat surface, preferably outside or in a garage with good air circulation. You will need to cut out the bottom of the pot with a utility knife or saw and sand the remaining rough edges with sandpaper or a knife. This is your outer form. You will then create the inner shape by turning the outer shape upside down, filling it with sand, removing the mold, and then carefully trimming about an inch or so of sand around the perimeter.
Coat the inside walls of the pot (outer pan) with cooking spray or oil and place it upside down on the inner pan. Mix the concrete ( follow these instructions and be sure to wear a mask and gloves) and pour it into the mold, using a trowel to smooth the top edge and tapping the sides to avoid blistering. You can also add a drainage hole.
Leave the molds to dry for at least two days. When you’re ready to remove the molds, pour in hot water to soften them and then scoop out any remaining sand.
Your planter is ready to use as it is, or you can stain or paint it to get a different finish. Note that depending on what you are planting, you will need to seal the concrete to avoid too much lime seeping into the soil.