How do I restore these outdoor plant pots?

[hayley3]

   

I have inherited these lovely plant lots but as you can see from the pictures they need a bit of tlc. I would love to restore them, any tips on how I can get them back to their former glory and fill in the holes and restore the colour? 

[Jason]

Hi @hayley3,

Many thanks for joining in the discussion on Bunnings Workshop. We're thrilled to have you join the community and are confident you'll get heaps of helpful advice and inspiring ideas from our members. Please feel free to post anytime you need a hand. 

These pots look like they're going to make a great feature. Can you please confirm you are looking to just clean them, not paint them? 

Let me tag some helpful members who might like to share their thoughts on how they would tackle this project: @EricL, @prettyliving, @Remarka6le, @TedBear.   

You might also like to check out some previous advice shared:

• How do you paint concrete pots?

• Painting stone concrete pots

• How to seal concrete pot?

Hope that helps.

Jason

[hayley3]

Thanks for your reply Jason! I would be looking to restore them as close to their natural state as possible. I would like to fill in the crumbling sides and clean them? If this can’t be possible without paint I will also be keen to get some advice on this 😊

[EricL]

Hello @hayley3

Thank you for sharing your question about how to restore your outdoor pots. I suggest using a Sabco Handled Scrub Brush to remove all the loose cement on the pots. If you wish to keep the colour, I recommend getting a small chip no smaller than a 10-cent coin and bringing it to the store for a colour match. 

I recommend using Dulux 4L Vivid White Low Sheen Weathershield Exterior Paint tinted to the original colour of the pot. The general steps are to wash the pots in soap and water to remove all the dirt and debris. Make sure that the pot is totally dry before applying Crommelin 750ml Ornamental Sealer. To repair the chipped areas, I suggest using Parfix 1kg Ready To-Use Multipurpose Filler in conjunction with a Pro Renovator 38mm Plastic Scraper. I propose shaping the patch as flat as possible so that you will not have to sand too much off. 

Once the patch has dried off, I recommend using Flexovit 115mm x 1m 180 Grit Painted Surface Sandpaper Roll to sand down the patched area. Wipe all the excess dust off with a clean rag before you start painting. Please keep in mind that you can use the same Dulux paint in white to highlight the top trim of the pot.

I suggest having a quick look at this discussion - Painting stone concrete pots by @notshyofeffort.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric