How to Repair a Cracked Terra Cotta Pot

Repair cracked terra cotta to extend the life of the pot.

Terra cotta pots add a decorative touch to the home landscape or patio setting, until you have a crack that makes them unusable. Instead of throwing the pot in the garbage, save some money and repair it with a few supplies available at home supply stores. Repairing the pot lets you keep using it for decoration, or for planting with the addition of a plastic insert.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Mild soap
• Clear silicone caulk
• Rope
• Razor blade
• Pencil
• Drill
• 1/16 masonry bit
• 20-gauge copper wire
• Pliers
• Wire clipper
• Thin shim (optional)

Caulk

1. Scrub the outside and inside surface of the terra cotta pot with a mild soap and water. Rinse the pot well and set it in the sun to dry.

2. Pull on the pot to gently to separate the crack, or use a thin shim to pry the crack slightly.

3. Insert the tip of a silicone caulk tube into the crack and apply a thin line along the crack. Apply a second line a caulk to the inside of the crack, if needed. You may need someone to hold the pot, while another person applies the silicone caulk.

4. Pull out the shim, if used, and press the pot together to spread the caulk and seal the crack. Wrap the pot with section of rope or wire, to hold the crack tight while the caulk dries.

5. Place the pot in a sunny area to dry for about 48 hours, before removing the rope wrapping. Scrape excess caulk from the surface of the pot with a razor blade.

Wiring

1. Make a pencil mark on each side of the crack, spaced about 1/2 inch vertically and away edge of the crack. The markings look like shoelace holes.

2. Make a 1/16-inch hole through each marking using a drill fit with a masonry bit. Drill slow and steady to prevent breaking the pot.

3. Pull on the pot to pry the crack open gently, using caution to prevent more cracking. Apply a thin beading of silicone caulk along the outside and inside of the crack.

4. Count the sets of holes in the pot and cut one 3- to 4-inch piece of 20-gauge copper wire for the number of sets. Make a hairpin curve in the center of each wire.

5. Hold a piece of wire at the curve and thread the ends through the set of holes, so the curve is on the outside of the pot. Grab the wire ends with pliers and twist them five to six times to tighten the crack. Clip the wire ends close to the twist and press the twist close to the inside of the pot. Repeat the wire threading on each hole set.

References

• The Artistic Garden: Terra Cotta Repair Techniques
• Garden Wise: Fixing Terra-cotta Pots