If you’ve been visiting here regularly, by now you know how much I love plants. I have loads and loads of plants, most of them in plastic pots. But, especially when I keep plants indoors, I’d rather display them in something prettier than plain, black and brown plastic pots. I have a few ceramic pots in pretty colours and designs and I could go and buy some more. But I also have so many plastic pots lying around. I thought it would make so much more sense to be able to upgrade them than invest in new ones. This week, I finally got down to it.. painting plastic pots and prettifying them.
I loved the end result, so thought I’d share it with you here.
Painting Plastic Pots:
This is what I used.
- Ordinary black plastic pots
- Oil paints, by Asian paints, in white and gold
- Brushes to apply the paint and a
- Thinner to clean the brushes. Later I also used some
- Lace and
- Mod Podge to stick it.
(1) Paint The Base:
I started out by giving a coat of white paint to the main body of the pot, leaving the top and bottom as is because I wanted those in gold.
Leave the pots to dry for about 6 hours before giving them a second coat of paint. The black tends to shine through the paint if you stop at one coat.
(2) Drip Gold Paint From The Bottom:
After letting it dry for another 6 hours or so, I placed the pots upside down. Dip the tip of the brush in gold paint and squeeze it against the bottom of the pot. The extra paint comes off the brush and drips down the side of the pot.
I repeated it all the way around the pot. Vary the amount of paint you pick up in your brush so that some of the drips go all the way to the bottom and some stop half way down the pot. I also painted the entire bottom gold to match the drips.
(3) Tape The Top Edge:
I wanted to paint the top band in gold and didn’t want the paint to spread on to the white body.
So I used masking tape to make a border where I wanted the gold paint to end.
(4) Paint The Top Band Gold:
I painted the top band of the pot in gold to give it a neat border.
Continue the gold paint over the rim and about an inch or two on the inside too, so that the edge doesn’t show up as black. Again, you will need 2 coats (like the pot on the left) to stop the black from showing through (like the pot on the right).
(5) Use Mod Podge to Stick Lace:
That upper gold band was looking too broad, bare and boring, so I thought I’d add some lace.
Wrap the lace around the pot and cut it to length. Then put a generous amount of Mod Podge on the band and gently wrap the lace on it. Add another coat of Mod Podge to the lace from the top too, to seal it in well and protect it from water.
You’re Done!
Painting plastic pots is that easy. Your pretty pots are ready and you can proudly display them on your living room side tables or wherever you please.
This DIY was really easy. And yet it took some time and patience, because I had to wait between each coat for the paint to dry well. Unlike terracotta pots, these smooth plastic pots don’t hold the paint too easily. So let each coat dry well and use two coats everywhere (except the drip) so it doesn’t scratch off easily.
Painting plastic pots makes even more sense because you can customise your colours to go with your decor. That drip, for instance would look just as pretty in a pastel blue or a bright pink. Or use a different colour for the drip on each pot and you’ll have a set of rainbow pots!
Here’s a short synopsis of the entire process in video form.
Hope you enjoyed that, and let me know what you think in the comments below. Also, is there a particular DIY you are looking to do? Any DIY that you would like me to try out on the blog? Let me know, and I’ll do my best to give it a shot!
Until next time,
For outside pots what kind of paint do I need? Before starting doI need to lightly sand the pots?
Hi Claire. I stay in an apartment in Mumbai, so have only tried these on indoor pots. I didn’t sand before painting.
where can you buy colourants to mix own shades by adding to white paint for garden plastic pots
Not sure Patricia.. have never used those. But should probably get it at the hardware store you get the paint.
I have been looking for ideas to beautify the plastic pots! Thank u!
one Question – Thinner is not openly available in the markets I thought, How and from where did u get it?
Pleasure 🙂
I got the thinner in the same shop that I bought the paint… they keep it for cleaning the paint.
What paint can I use to paint plastic( flower pots )
Hi Joyce. I have used oil paints here.
Can we use acrylic paint instead of oil paint?
Can use acrylic paints on earthen pots. This one was a plastic pot though.. I’m not sure if the acrylic paint will stay on or get scratched off easily. The oil stays stronger.
I usually sand them and then prime. Finally, I paint, add some texture or whatever. This way the paint will stay. I use acrylics.
How well does the paint stay on the pot?
I want to paint some pots for outside gardening, do you think the oil paints will stay on the pots?
If you scrub your pots clean, the paint will come off. Else, it’s been more than a year now and the paint is still there.
Super ideal !! Thanks
Thank you!! 🙂
Nice !! Love your healthy spiders !
Thanks Brindha.. I think they’re looking better because of the planters! 😉
Can u please do an easy diy for decorating the entrance door ?
Will definitely work on that Krishna.. it’s a great idea.. thank you!
This is such a cool Diy …Will definitely try
Thanks Krishna! Yes, please do.. and let me know how it goes!
Thanks for easy peasy DIY tips…
Pleasure Rachel.. so glad you liked it! 🙂
Easy and affordable way to beautify pots.
Thanks for the idea.
Thank you!! 🙂
Great work Rittika, Plants look great.
Thanks Binda! You’re right.. putting them in prettier pots make the plants look better too! 🙂