How to make an upcycled plant holder
Repurpose an old wooden chair into a nifty plant stand with this simple-to-make project that can be completed in a day.
You will need
Materials:
- 31cm Mezzi Vasi terracotta pot (ours came from Mitre 10)
- Good-quality potting mix
- Gravel
- Nail
- Old wooden chair
- Potted colour (we used a red pelargonium)
- Resene Lustacryl tinted to Resene Thistle
- Resene Quick Dry
- Resene Aquapel & Terracotta Sealer
Tools:
- Clean cloth
- Drill, with 6mm and 10mm drill bits
- Hammer
- Jigsaw
- Marker pen
- Masking tape
- Paintbrushes
- Resene paint stirrer
- Sandpaper
- Saw
- Tape measure
- Trowel
How to calculate the diameter: If you have a differently sized terracotta pot, simply measure the circumference of the pot (where you want it to sit in the hole) and then divide this by 3.14 to get a close approximation of the required diameter of the cut hole.
Instructions
Step one
Apply a generous coat of Resene Aquapel & Terracotta Sealer to the inside and outside of the terracotta pot and allow to dry.
Step two
Cut the Resene paint stirrer to 180mm long and drill a second 6mm hole 140mm from the original hole, as shown.
Step three
Hammer a nail into the centre of the chair seat and use the Resene paint stirrer and a marker pen to draw a circle with a 280mm diameter, as shown.
Step four
Drill a 10mm hole at the edge of the circle as shown – this will be the starting point for your jigsaw.
Step five
Cover the circle with masking tape to prevent the wood from splintering when it’s cut. If you’re unable to see the circle mark through the tape, then redraw the circle over the tape with the marker pen. Carefully cut out the circle with the jigsaw.
Step six
Remove the masking tape and sand smooth any rough edges around the cut hole.
Step seven
Sand the rest of the chair to remove any old varnish and then wipe off any sanding residue with a clean cloth.
Step eight
Apply one coat of Resene Quick Dry to the entire chair and allow to dry. Ensure that any cut edges are especially well sealed.
Step nine
Apply two coats of Resene Lustacryl tinted to Resene Thistle to the outside and inner top rim of the terracotta pot, allowing two hours for each coat to dry.
Step ten
Apply two coats of Resene Lustacryl tinted to Resene Thistle to the entire chair, allowing two hours for each coat to dry.
Step eleven
Plant up the pot with potted colour, using good-quality potting mix, and finish off with a gravel mulch. Carefully place the pot in the circular hole on the seat of the chair.
Here's another idea
If you have a sound wooden kitchen chair, you can always paint it and use it as an extra seat on a deck or patio – this chair was painted with Resene Lustacryl tinted to Resene Relax.