Architecture Adrenaline
Promoting Freedom for Creative Architecture
For centuries, terra cotta, which translates to "baked earth", has been a staple in craft and gardening projects. Its porous nature allows for excellent drainage, making it ideal for plant pots. However, it is this same quality that can lead to damage to surrounding surfaces due to water seepage. This article will guide you through sealing and painting terra cotta pots, and the benefits of doing so.
Terracotta saucers can protect surfaces and help maintain moisture levels for your plants. The porous nature of terracotta allows water to seep through, which can cause damage to wooden furniture or decks. Most terracotta saucers are raw without any sealant, but you can easily remedy this by applying a clay pot sealer. Recommended use is an aerosol spray that can be applied after ensuring the saucer is clean and dry. With multiple even, thin coats, you can achieve a shiny finish that prevents water damage and enhances the longevity of your saucer! Just remember, the freshly coated saucers need to dry for at least 24 hours before you use them.
Before diving into painting, it is crucial to thoroughly clean your terra cotta pot. This includes scrubbing away dirt and salt residue that may exist on your used pot. You may even consider soaking the pot in a bleach solution to disinfect it. After it's been cleaned, seal the pot with two coatings of a preferred sealer to prepare its surface for painting.
It's crucial to select the appropriate paint for your project, especially if the pot will be placed outdoors. Recommended paint options for use on terra cotta pots include FolkArt Outdoor, Apple Barrel Acrylics, FolkArt Acrylics, or multi-surface paints. These paints adhere well to terra cotta and offer great durability!
Pre-glazed terracotta saucers are not commonly found online, which means you might have to glaze them yourself. Fortunately, there are multiple sealants available for doing so! Popular choices include Rust-Oleum sealer, Mod Podge hard coat, spar urethane, Flex Seal, and Olympic Water Guard. After multiple coats of sealant and a good curing time, any of these options proves effective in preventing water seepage. Among these, Rust-Oleum is highly recommended due to its shiny finish and excellent water resistance.
For further personalization of your terracotta items, consider tools such as Plaid’s Engraver and Hot Foil Pen. The Engraver is a lightweight, battery-operated tool that allows intricate designs, monograms, words, or phrases on a variety of surfaces. The Hot Foil Pen adds metallic foil accents to your projects, perfect for personalization and freehand designs!
Gardening enthusiasts will find incredible advantages in using clay pot sealant. It maintains consistent moisture levels in the soil and reduces the likelihood of plant root rot, benefiting plants requiring high levels of humidity. And while sealing is crucial for outdoor plants, indoor houseplants also benefit from this practice. Using clay pot sealant is a simple gardening trick that can enhance both the lifespan and health of your plants and pots.
From preventing water seepage on surfaces to maintaining an ideal humidity level for plants, sealing your terracotta items can present many benefits. Pair these skills with the use of advanced crafting tools, and you can create personalized works of art to brighten up your home. While it might seem like a cumbersome process, the resulting benefits make it well worth your efforts. Happy crafting!
