Amazing DIY Concrete Planters from Upcycled Freebies

Do you stop for roadside freebies? You certainly will after you see how to upcycle free resin pots into faux DIY concrete planters. I love old vintage concrete planters and statuaries and I wanted to make these look like aged cement planters. Follow along as I share how to create a vintage faux concrete pot finish using spray paint.

When I first saw the 3 planters by the side of the road, I was sure they were damaged. However, upon closer inspection, they were in excellent condition. I couldn’t believe our luck.

I wanted new planters for the Spring, and with a little work, these would be perfect.

(Posts on The Ponds Farmhouse may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See the full disclosure details here.)

How To Create A Faux Concrete Pot Finish

The roadside planters are made of resin but are of good quality. I knew that I wanted to create a faux concrete pot finish to upcycle the planters. I also wanted the finish to have an aged, vintage cement planter feel.

First, I looked at a few of the authentic vintage concrete pieces I have around the house for inspiration.

So now, to duplicate the look.

How To Prepare The Planters For Upcycling

First, the planters needed a good cleaning both inside and out. It was fairly easy to wash them with a garden hose. I used a brush to loosen the excess dirt from the planter’s detailed pattern.

Once they are clean, they look almost new. However, I still plan to continue with my faux-finishing plan.

Be sure to allow them to dry thoroughly before beginning the faux finish.

Setting Up For Spray Painting Faux Finish

When working with spray paint, it’s important to set up your work area outdoors or in a well-ventilated space.

You also need to consider any overspray that may damage items in the surrounding area. It’s best to spray outdoors on a calm day, as wind can carry the overspray a good distance from the project.

I placed the planters in our drive a good distance from the house.

How To Create Faux Cement Planters

The first step is to make the resin planters look like cement planters.

Begin by painting the entire surface with a Textured Grey Granite Spray Paint.

How To Create Vintage Concrete Planters

Next, it’s time to start making the faux concrete pots look like Vintage concrete planters.

Begin with moss green spray paint. I used one that I had on hand, Olive Oil Green. I recommend using a matte finish; however, the gloss on this paint worked fine.

Start by randomly spraying the paint in areas where you would expect mold or moss to develop on a concrete pot. Do not spray the paint evenly. You want green paint to look as though mold or moss is growing on the cement planters.

Next, I added a small amount of matte gray paint with the same random strokes as I used with the green paint.

While the gray paint is still wet, use a brush to blend and blur the edges. You can also go over some areas of green paint to make it less harsh and more authentic.

Finally, add random sprays of Stone Course Texture Onyx White Spray Paint. Use the paintbrush to smooth some areas of texture to give them an authentic vintage concrete planter appearance.

Faux Concrete Pots

The faux concrete pots are now ready for Spring plants.

The combination of the different paint colors and blending with a paintbrush makes the free planters look like authentic vintage concrete planters.

Resources

The planters were easy to update and well worth the effort of bringing them home. I couldn’t wait to fill one with Spring plants. It’s still a little early to get too excited, but Spring planting is just around the corner.

Let me know how you like this makeover. If you’ve ever found a great find by the roadside, I’d love to hear about it. I look forward to sharing my next adventure with you.

Pin It To Remember It

Did you find some great ideas you’d like to save for future reference? Hover over the images you’d like to save and pin to your favorite Pinterest Boards when you see the PIN button.