How Can I Put a Hole in a Clay Pot?

Add a hole to your clay pot.

Gardeners typically use clay pots for planting flowers. These pots can also be used for craft projects. Clay pots are a good choice for people who tend to overwater their plants. Because the clay is porous, any excess moisture can easily drain off or evaporate. Clay pots are constructed with thick walls. This thickness helps protect plants from rapid changes in temperature. However, when you're trying to add a hole to a clay pot, this can pose a challenge. Despite their thickness, clay pots can be easily broken if they are mishandled. Glazed clay is thinner and easier to break.

Things You'll Need

• Safety goggles
• Work gloves
• Marker
• Power drill
• Masonry drill bit
• Masking tape
• Glass-cutting drill bit
• Spray bottle
• Assistant

Instructions

Put a Hole in an Unglazed Clay Pot

1. Put on safety goggles and gloves to protect your eyes from flying debris and your hands from possible sharp edges in case the clay breaks.

2. Mark the exact spot on the pot where you want to put the hole. It may be in the bottom for added drainage, or on the sides to add hangers, for example. Install a masonry bit in a drill.

3. Place the pot on a hard work surface. Hold the pot steady with one hand. Place the point of the masonry drill bit on the mark. Drill slowly, and apply just enough pressure to make the bit dig into the clay. When the clay debris builds up, stop drilling and brush it away from the hole. Next, continue drilling until the drill bit works its way clear through the clay.

Put Hole in a Glazed Clay Pot

1. Put on safety goggles to protect your eyes from flying dust and debris. Wear gloves to protect your hands from possible sharp edges.

2. Mark the place on the pot where you want to make the hole. Tear off strips of masking tape. Place them around the mark to prevent the drill bit from sliding around the slippery glazed surface.

3. Fill a spray bottle with water. Install a glass-cutting bit in the drill. Place the clay pot on a stable work surface, and hold it firmly in place.

4. Place the drill bit point on the mark you made in Step 2, and drill slowly while applying as little pressure as possible to avoid breaking the glazed clay. Hold it steady while the bit makes the hole. Stop and brush the debris away from the hole when it accumulates. Have an assistant spray water on the hole to keep the brittle clay cool.

References

• University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension; Horticulture; Choosing Clay or Plastic Pots; Don Janssen; Mar. 2008
• Optimara: African Violet Care
• Drought Smart Plants: Terracotta Clay Pots