Rejuvenating old terracotta pots: 8 creative, DIY ideas

Although today they are often replaced by other materials such as plastic, terracotta pots remain the most popular way to contain our plants and give character to our terraces, balconies and gardens. The changing of the seasons and the action of atmospheric pollutants can ruin and discolor terracotta over time, making the whole environment look dull.

Before throwing them away, however, you can try to rejuvenate them using DIY tips and a little creativity; a coat of paint, a design or a decoration can restore an old, dull vase. Rejuvenating terracotta pots is very simple and allows you to create a new look for your terrace or garden. Let's find out how to do this:

Preparation of the pots

Whatever decoration you choose for your pots, there are some preliminary steps to take:

• Empty the pots and wash them thoroughly to make sure there is no residue and let them dry out for at least one day, preferably in the sun;
• If there is mold on the pot, you can use a laundry brush with bleach to clean this, scrubbing the surface thoroughly;
• Pass over the surface with sandpaper to smooth out any imperfections;
• The humidity absorbed by the earth internally and by the air externally could ruin any decorations you use in the long run: to prevent this from happening, first apply a coat of waterproofing both inside and on the outside of the pot.

1. Solid colors

To create single-colored pots, you can use acrylic paints, tempera (in this case, protection with fixatives becomes essential), paints for ceramics or chalk paint; this is the simplest and quickest method to rejuvenate your terracotta pots.

2. Geometric patterns

If you want to paint your pot like a rainbow or with alternating colors that have geometric shapes, you can use masking tape to mask off the portions of the areas you want to paint. Remove the tape after a few minutes and wait for the paint to dry completely before continuing to apply the next coat of paint.

3. Découpage

The découpage technique allows you to decorate the pots with napkins, clippings from newspapers and magazines, or the special sheets that you can buy. You can put the decorations directly on the pots, or after having first applied a varnish base. Apply the design and glue it down with plenty of vinyl glue, spread with a brush. When the pot is dry, you can admire your wonderful creation.

4. Transfers

If you do not the skills to do découpage, you can buy labels which, with a little water to loosen them, can be put directly on the pot. Decorated in a flash!

5. Permanent markers

Using paint-based, permanent markers you can create simple drawings, script or geometric shapes on your terracotta pots that will also be water resistant. You can also make cardboard templates to help tracing on the pots.

6. Paint and twine

You can also choose to mix different techniques together to create a more artistic-looking pot. For example, you can choose to paint a solid color for the base, then embellish it with script and decorate the top of the pot with twine wound around it.

7. Wave effect

To make these pots with a beautiful wave effect, start by applying a base of white paint. When it is dry, dip the pot into a colored paint. Each time the paint dries, you can re-immerse the pot (in a different color), stopping at a lower level each time, creating this pattern.

8. Marbling effect

If, on the other hand, you want to create a marbling effect on your pots, get some paint, water and enamels of different colors. Prepare the pot with varnish and let it dry. Then put the water in a tray and pour in a few drops of the enamel paints you prefer. At this point, immerse the pot into the water and you will see that it emerge beautifully marbled.

Which project will you choose to rejuvenate your pots?