What you need
Leftover ceramic tile (small colorful mosaic tiles work well) or old plates that you can break up
Terra cotta flower pots (larger flower pots are easier to decorate)
Tile adhesive
Grout
Hammer
Tile cutters or nippers (optional)
Paintbrush
Newspapers
Sponge
Marbles, beads, faux rhinestones or other semi-flat embellishments (optional)
Clear acrylic sealant
Instructions
Although there are plenty of ways to decorate flower pots, using leftover mosaic tile pieces can be a great way to easily and inexpensively create a colorful new look. If you don’t have any leftover mosaic tiles, you could also break up a few old plates or saucers to use instead. These flower pots look great when displayed indoors or outdoors.
Preparing the Mosaic Tile Pieces
Place your ceramic tiles or old plates in between several layers of newspaper. Use a hammer to gently break the tiles or plates into smaller pieces. It’s usually best to create an assortment of different sizes and shapes of broken tiles so that you will have plenty of variety when it comes time to decorate your flower pots. Alternately, you could use tile cutters or nippers to cut your tiles or plates into more uniform shapes and sizes.
Applying the Tile
Once you have a nice assortment of broken ceramic tile or plate pieces, use tile adhesive to adhere them to the outside of a terra cotta flower pot. You can arrange them in a pattern or simply apply them in a random fashion. If desired, you can also use adhesive to add marbles, beads or faux rhinestones to the pot as part of the overall pattern. Allow the tile adhesive to dry for 24 hours.
Applying the Grout
Once the tile adhesive has dried, you’re ready to apply the grout. Mix a batch of grout according to the package instructions. Carefully apply the grout to the outside of the flower pot, taking care to work it down into the spaces between the tiles pieces and other embellishments. Allow the grout to set up for approximately 10 minutes, or the amount of time specified on the package. Rub the flower pot carefully with pieces of old newspaper to remove the excess grout. Once most of the excess grout has been removed, you can use a dampened sponge to carefully remove the remainder of the excess grout. Wipe the surface of the mosaic tile pieces carefully so that you don’t dislodge any of the pieces. Continue rinsing the sponge and wiping the tile surface until you can see the shiny tile surfaces, but be careful not to remove too much of the grout between the pieces. Let the grout dry completely overnight.
After the grout has dried completely, carefully use a soft dry cloth to wipe off any remaining haze that remains on the surface of the tile pieces. Use a brush to apply a clear acrylic sealant to the outside of the flower pot. If you plan on using the flower pot outdoors, make sure the sealant is weather resistant.
This article was written by Alyssa Davis of Metal-Wall-Art.com who specializes in creating stylish interiors with porch metal wall art and door toppers metal wall art.
Photo by mosaic tiles
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