How to Make a Mosaic Flowerpot

Making a mosaic flower pot is an easy way to learn a craft that is as simple, or as complex, as you want it to be.

A mosaic flower pot made of colorful, broken tiles that make a great accent to any garden or potted house plant. The range of colors and patterns available assures you can give full rein to our creativity.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

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

1. Mark the pattern you’d like on the outside of the pot using the 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. Then hit with a heavy hammer. Remove small pieces. They should be less than 2” wide. Continue to cover and hammer pieces until you have reduced tile to small pieces.

3. If you are using the flower pot in the garden, purchase tile cement from the hardware store 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 with putty knife or spreader to one area of pattern. Position tiles using straight edges to line edge of pattern. If needed, use tile nippers to break pieces to fit.

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

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

6. Let pot dry for time recommended on label, usually 24 hours. Pot up plant and enjoy for many years.