How to Make a Mosaic Flowerpot

Mosaic artwork is limited only by your imagination.

A flowerpot covered with colorful, broken tiles makes a great accent to any garden or potted houseplant, and making a mosaic flowerpot is an easy way to learn a craft that is as simple, or as complex, as you want it to be. The range of colors and patterns available assures you can give full rein to your creativity.

Things You'll Need

• 12-inch terra-cotta flowerpot
• Ruler and marker
• Broken tiles
• Tile cement or grout
• Rubber gloves
• Tile nippers

Instructions

1. Mark the pattern you'd like on the outside of the pot using a ruler as a guide. Large geometric patterns are easiest: triangles, squares, etc.

2. Gather broken tile, or break your own by placing tiles or plates (make sure they are the same thickness) inside a thick piece of cloth. Old towels work well. Hit the covered tiles with a heavy hammer, then remove the small pieces. They should be less than 2 inches wide. Continue to cover and hammer pieces until you have reduced all the tile to small pieces.

3. If you plan to use the flowerpot in the garden, purchase tile cement that is made for outdoor use. If you are using the pot indoors, you can get away with using grout.

   Turn pot upside down. If you are using tile cement, put on rubber gloves. Next, apply cement or grout with a putty knife or spreader to one area of the pattern. Position tiles, using straight edges to outline the pattern. If needed, use tile nippers to break pieces to fit.

4. Once about half the pot is covered, use a spreader to cover the tile with cement or grout, filling gaps. Use a wet sponge to remove excess. Make sure gaps are filled so that no rough edges remain.

5. Continue to cover the pot. Make sure no pieces are sticking out past the bottom edge of the pot or it won't sit evenly. Go over the entire pot with a wet sponge to be sure excess cement is removed; it is impossible to remove once hardened.

6. Let the pot dry for the time recommended on the cement or grout label, usually 24 hours.

References

• Mosaic Tile Guide: How to Make Mosaics