Aging a terracotta pot

I found a really pretty pot at our local Home Depot.  It has a ruffled edge detail that I really like and isn’t like your standard clay pot the big box hardware stores tend to carry.

The only thing I didn’t care for was the color.  We just aren’t terracotta people.

The pot is some sort of composite that feels like lightweight clay.  It doesn’t feel like plastic or resin – I don’t know what it is made out of but one of the selling points is that it is shatter resistant and can stand up to a freeze.  The blurb on the Home Depot website says “Made using a strong construction of minerals that is ecologically friendly.”  So there is that.

It is 13.5″ tall and has a small drain hole in the bottom.  And the best part (other than the scalloped edge) is it was just $11 and change.

Okay let’s deal with the color.  I have done this exact same method to another terracotta planter with great results.  I apply a base layer of grey paint that is meant to be used outdoors.  It is by FolkArt and I imagine I probably got it at Michael’s or Joann.

I start by painting the inner rim first, down about three or four inches.  The dirt will come up over the edge so you won’t see any terracotta.

Once the inner rim is dry I flip it over and paint the outside.  It looks shiny and you can see the brush strokes when it is wet but it dries very matte and the strokes are barely visable.  It looks a lot like chalk paint, actually.

The next step is a bit scary.  You need to slap on a layer of antique wax and them immediately wipe it off.   The wax is also by FolkArt.  I think to call it wax is a little misleading.  It’s not like the Annie Sloan wax or other finishing waxes I’ve used.  It’s more like a thin paint.

You really need to work fast.  Actually you can apply a layer of their clear wax first and then the antique wax and I think that gives you a little more control.  I had areas that soaked in a little more than I wanted.  After you apply the wax you take a rag and wipe away as much of the product as you can/want.

You would have thought I would take an after picture but I was excited to get it planted so you’ll have to make do with the glamour shots instead.   The combination of the grey and the antiquing make it look like it is an old cement pot that has weathered.

Other than the paint drying time this is a very quick project.  I think all told it took me about 60-90 minutes start to finish.