My DIY Aged Outdoor Terracotta Flower Pots is a great way to add character and depth to basic orange terracotta pots.

My method is really simple.

It involves basic garden lime, acrylic paint, stucco patch, and matte sealer.

The end result is amazing. You would think I found these pots at a high end retail store.

Or dug them out of an ancient archeological site.

This post does contain affiliate links.  This means if you click on certain links and purchase a product I recommend, I will receive a small commission.

Supplies

pelletized Lawn Lime

bowls (that will not be used for food again)

cup (to scoop lime out of bag)

water

chip brush or inexpensive paint brush

acrylic paints of your choice (I used green, black, red, brown)

stucco patch

several sets of disposable gloves

drop cloths

terra cotta pots of your choice

Directions

  1. Mix together 1 cup of lime with water until it makes a runny paste.
  2. Paint the mixture onto the pots. Make sure your surface is protected by a drop cloth.
  3. Then, using your gloved hand, scoop the remaining mixture out of the bowl and rub into the pot(s).
  4. Set the pots on a protected surface and allow to dry for a few hours.
  5. Add more lime to the bowl and then add about a tablespoon of the paint color of your choice to the lime.
  6. Then, add enough water to the bowl to make a paste.
  7. Paint this mixture onto the pot using a brush and your gloved hand.
  8. Set the pot to the side and allow to dry overnight.
  9. You can repeat this process using additional colors to add more dimension.
  10. After the pots had dried, using a gloved hand, I wiped stucco patch onto random areas around the pot.
  11. Allow the stucco to set up approximately 3 minutes.
  12. Then, using a gloved hand, press more pelletized lime into the stucco.
  13. Allow the stucco to dry completely.
  14. Following the sealer directions, spray three coats on the inside and three coats on the outside of the pot to seal and protect the pots.

Photos of Aged Outdoor Terracotta Flower Pot Process

3 terracotta pots to be aged - J Dub By Design™
Terracotta pots before aging them.
pelletized lawn lime in a bag - J Dub By Design™
This is the bag of lime I used
pelletized lime in a pot - J Dub By Design™
Place the pelletized lime in a bowl.
the lime slurry in a pot - J Dub By Design™
After adding water, this is what the lime will look like.
painting lime slurry on terracotta pots - J Dub By Design™
Paint the lime onto the pot using a chip brush.
using my gloved hand to apply the slurry to the pot - J Dub By Design™
Using a gloved hand, apply lime more thickly to the entire pot.
an aged terracotta pot using lime only - J Dub By Design™
Let the pot dry. I liked the look so I did not not add any acrylic paint or stucco.
brown acrylic paint in pelletized lime - J Dub By Design™
I tinted this lime with brown and red acrylic paint.
adding red tinted lime to a terracotta pot - J Dub By Design™
Then, I painted it on using a gloved hand.
green acrylic paint to be added into lime and painted on pot - J Dub By Design™
For another pot, I added green acrylic to the lime.
limed terracotta pot with green paint - J Dub By Design™
Allow the green tinted lime to dry.
Stucco patch on glove to apply to pot - J Dub By Design™
After the pots dried, I applied stucco patch.
applying stucco to an limed terracotta pot - J Dub By Design™
Using my gloved hand, I applied it in random places on the pot.
pushing pelletized lime into the stucco - J Dub By Design™
Allow the stucco to set up a few minutes, and then press pelletized lime to the stucco.
matte sealer used to seal aged pots - J Dub By Design™
I used both of these sealers, in matte finish, as these are what I had on hand.
spraying matte sealer on a aged pot - J Dub By Design™
Once the pots were dry (24 hours), I sealed them with 3 coats on the inside and outside of each pot.

Pin For Later!

aged terracotta pot with ferns, mandevilla, and bird of paradise - J Dub By Design™
A terracotta pot that has been limed and then limed again with green acrylic paint and stucco.
aged terracotta pot with bird of paradise - J Dub By Design™
Limed terracotta pot with black acrylic paint added to lime.

Drop me a comment below and tell me what you think of my DIY Aged Outdoor Terracotta Flower Pots. I would love to hear how you plan to use these in your outdoor spaces.

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