Easy DIY to Age New Clay Pots: Vintage Terra Cotta Pots

Love the look of old Vintage Clay pots? Here is a quick and easy DIY process to make your new pots look like vintage, aged terra cotta pots that have been in your garden for years. This easy DIY idea to age new clay pots will have you running to the store for new pots.

I’ve been setting up my potting bench and dreaming of Spring.

I love clay pots and have quite a collection. Some are old and have the aged look I desire, but others are new and lack character.  

Because I prefer an aged look, I’ve been making my own with some trial and error. 

How to Age New Clay Pots

This is my favorite quick and easy DIY, with step-by-step instructions, that will leave your garden full of vintage-inspired clay pots.

Aging new clay pots is easy; the longer you have them, the better they look.

This DIY project will give you this chippy, mossy look that I love.

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Instructions for Aging New Clay Pots

Step one – Gather Supplies

Supplies:

1. Terra Cotta Pots and Small Pots
2. Black and white paint (any craft paint will do. I used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint on these because I had it on hand, and it dries so fast.
3. Mod Podge Multi-purpose glue 
4. Moss
5. Paintbrush (chip brush works great.
6. toothpicks or popsicle sticks to spread the glue
7. 40-60 grit sandpaper
8. Spray Adhesive optional
9. Clear Matt Sealer optional

Step Two – Add Paint

Apply a small amount of black or brown paint to the clay pot.  

Begin with random swipes of the graphite paint.

I only try to cover an area partially with just a few strokes of the brush. 

Because Chalk paint dries very quickly, you can apply a whitewash to the pots quickly.

So go ahead and mix the white color with equal parts water and add random swipes of the whitewash.

Don’t try to cover the entire pot with paint. You want some of the terra cotta to be revealed.

I like these short pots with saucers.

How To Get A DIY Chippy Look

To get a DIY Chippy look on your new pots, brush the pots with Mod Podge once the paint is dry.

You want to leave the coverage thicker in some areas, and don’t worry about covering the entire pot.  

Allow the Mod Podge to dry.

Break Time

This is what the pots are looking like at this point. 

Because mod podge takes longer to dry, this is an excellent time to break up your moss and prepare your glue for the next step. You can also have lunch, go for a walk, or rest.

You want to be sure to allow drying time before the next step.  

Add More Paint To Age Clay Pots

Now you want to add more white paint. 

This time, the mix is 2 parts paint to 1 part water because you want a slightly thicker mixture than the first.  

Apply random strokes of thicker white paint.

Here, I’ve started adding the thicker white paint.  Once again, don’t cover the whole pot.  

Have I said that before?? LOL!!

Time to Sand

It’s important to allow everything to dry thoroughly because you will be sanding next.

Use your fine-grit sandpaper or sanding block to sand away some of the paint and Mod Podge to create a peeling paint look.  

If you are satisfied with the chippy look, then it’s time to move to the final step.

Add More Texture with preserved moss

Now, you are ready to add moss. 

I use a toothpick to apply Mod Podge glue to the areas where I want moss, and then I apply tiny pieces of the moss to each pot in random places. 

If you only want tiny pieces of moss, you only need a small amount of glue.  If you want heavier coverage, let it dry and add more to what you’ve already done.  This will ensure that the moss doesn’t fall off.  

Option for Heavier Moss Coverage

Here is another way to get much heavier coverage.

Place the moss in a plastic bag to crush it into smaller pieces, and place the crushed moss on a sheet of wax paper. Then, coat the pot with a thick layer of glue or use a spray adhesive.

Roll the glue-covered areas of the pot over the moss until you get the desired coverage.

Optional Step

If you want to ensure that your pots will stay looking like they do right now, you can spray a light coat of clear mat sealer over them. I want mine to continue to age, so I just let nature take over from this point.

This is the look I desire for my pots.

What Can I Use Aged Clay Pots For?

Here are a few ways to use the aged clay pots indoors and out.

• Obviously, the first idea is to fill them with flowers and herbs for container gardens.
• Add them to a black-tiered plant stand or a gold plant stand.
• Hang on a fence or wall with terra cotta pot hangers.
• Add a wall plant shelve to display
• Use the aged pots for DIY projects and centerpiece ideas.
• Display on a bottle drying rack

Here is one of the aged pots with a DIY faux topiary added that I use on my screened porch.
The church painting is available in my store.

I love using the aged pots on pots filling my potting bench and in our DIY Greenhouse.

Display them in large planters or window boxes. Be sure to provide a good water source for window box planters. These cute terra cotta spikes would be great.

See Easy Container Garden Ideas To Spruce Up Your Outdoor Spaces for more details.

Resources

I hope you enjoy aging your clay pots.  This is a really easy DIY, so I hope you’ll try it. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.  Your comments are so appreciated.
Happy Potting!  

It’s time to start planning your spring gardens and my friend Stacy has some great tips. Here is Stacy’s post to help you get started. It’s a Good Time to Start a Garden

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