Guest Post Written by: Benjamin Drake of PaintCatalogue.com
Everyone loves to decorate their surrounding with Flowers in Clay pots. Flowers add colours to their surroundings, so why should clay pots be any different. This Article We will teach how to paint clay pots and how pots can also add colours to your gardens.
First things first, choosing the type of paint to use on clay pots. The best paint to use on clay pots would be acrylic or spray paint, but there are no specific requirements for clay pots. You can also use any leftover paints you have. Paint for wood crafts can also be used on clay pots. Choosing the colour is easy when it comes to painting clay pots because of endless design possibilities.
Steps to Paint Clay pots.
- Cleaning
If the pot is used, clean the pot thoroughly using water or wet clothing and remove any dirt or salt residues. If it still has some residues, soak the pot in warm water for 20 minutes and scrub it with a cloth or wire brush if necessary. Once the clay pot is clean of dirt, soak the pot in a solution of 1-part bleach and 9-parts water to kill any bacteria. After Soaking, rinse the pot with clean water and make sure to dry it completely (it might take up to a day, depending on the weather conditions).
- Set up Workspace
Lay down old clothing or newspaper to prevent any paint from dripping on the floor and doing your work cleanly. Use newspaper before laying the pot for drying as well.
- Sealing
The next step is to Seal the pot Inside and out. Most clay pots found at stores are not waterproof, meaning they absorb water from soil and plant. So it is important to seal them from the inside as well. Apply one coat of sealer onto the clay pot and let it dry completely before applying the second coating. At least two coats of sealer are recommended.
- Priming
It is better to prime the clay pot with a paint primer. Using a primer will be beneficial in many ways. It will seal the clay pot enough to make it almost waterproof and not affect its breathability. Apply two coatings of primer, second coat after completely drying the first coat. Primer will also help the paint last longer.
- Thinning
This is an optional step. Thinning the paint is recommended as the pot absorbs water. The paint will spread much easier. Add small amounts of water, preferably with a tablespoon, because if it is too thin, it will slip right off the paint and adding water will also change the paint’s colour slightly.
- Painting the pot
Use a foam brush to apply the paint to the clay pot. Apply the base/first coat using the thinned paint. For the second and third coating, use normal paint to get a better finish. The amount of coats depends on the quality of paint and the final preferred looks of the colour. Let one coat dry at least 70% before applying the next coating. The inside and bottom of the pot don’t need to be painted as they will not be visible. Only paint the visible parts to save paint.
- Decoration
Once the pot is painted and dry, decorations can be added to give the clay pot a cleaner and aesthetic look. Threads, fake flowers, words or almost anything can be used to decorate clay pots.
After the pot has been painted, dried and decorated, seal the pot using clear water-based acrylic sprays to seal the clay pot to last longer. Painting clay pots will add ten folds to the beauty of your garden.
