Painting Terracotta Pots?

Has anyone got any tips?

I want some nice colourful pots for my herbs but I adamantly refuse to pay £15-£20 for a glazed pot from the GC!

I thought I'd use a white primer all over and then paint the outside in a nice acrylic paint and then use an aerosol clear gloss lacquer to give it a nice finish and also a spray on the inside to stop any water from seeping into the pot and potentially ruining the paint.

Link I originally got the idea from: http://www.practicallyfunctional.com/how-to-seal-painted-flower-pots/

 

I've painted terracotta pots in the past, but only for indoor use. The terracotta is very absorbent, so took the paint quite easily. I used eggshell.

 

Prime the pot first with a mixture of water and PVA glue (think the ratio is 10:1)

I will be using exterior paint on mine but won't be stencilling them just using two colours (one for the lip, one for the body).

 

I decided that I didn't like the idea of painting the whole pot in the end so I decided to just paint the lip as an accent

I painted all the pots with a 1:10 PVA mix as you suggested and then after they had dried I went ahead and taped up the pots and put on the first coat, I went with a small pot of Ronseal Garden Paint as it specifically mentioned that it could be used on Terracotta but also because it comes in a lovely range of colours!



also I'm not nuts the tomatoes were holding up one of the pots so it could dry quicker

 

Second coat and time for bed! I'm seriously thinking of making a template and putting my initials on them they look brill!

might do a 3rd coat in the morning if I get time or after I finish work.

 

I have done a low key painting job on some of my terracotta pots, i.e. just with emulsion (direct, no primer). It doesn't last forever but a fair while and fades quite nicely. I don't really like the idea of using spray lacquer (I guess you would use a mask?) or coating the top inside of the pot, i.e. where it comes into contact with the soil.

I have also successfully painted plastic pots with gloss paint (sanding them down a bit first so that the paint can get a better grip). No doubt using a primer first would give a more lasting result (I found my method is apt to chip a bit around the top after a while).

 

I don't see there being an issue with where the paint and laquer comes into contact with the soil after all plants have there own ways to prevent toxins making there way into the plants via the vascular system.

But you paint the inside partially so that when viewed from above there is continuity between the outside of the pot and the inside before the soil covers it up.

anyway on with the photo's and they look very smart I think I'm going to do hot pink and lime green ones next week!

 

They look lovely i love that colour

I have only painted ones for indoors before with left over acylic paint and a clear gloss sealant spray which goes yellow on white in places which was annoying

Let me know how long they last and how they weather :-)

 

Thanks Dips, will do

The spray I used supposedly is UV and yellowing resistant but time will tell...

The paint was a Ronseal outdoor paint I believe "Sky Blue" just under £4 for a small tin from B&Q and I've only used an inch or so of paint and that's after 3 coats!

Sent on the go from my telephone

 

They look brilliant!

 

So was mine UV and not yellowing but in small print said may yellow on whites lol the pots were white and blue so there are only a few patches on the white bits nothing on the blues

 

Nice colour , Mediterranean blue . The question is how long will it last outside . Looks like the plant pots are brand new so hopefully it will last.

 

Well with any luck a couple of years or so I don't mind re-painting every so often after all its nice to change things up a little occasionally

Sent on the go from my telephone

 

And Gold Star of the Week goes to .... @IceColdRum and the Terra Pots

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They look smashing!! And I like how you only painted the lips too. Brilliant job

 

B&Q finally got some more pots in at 5 for £5 so I bought 10 and have just finished painting them with the watered down pva mix.


I've also bought a pot of Ronseal "Lime Green" so I can't wait to see how that looks