Turn to stone

Mark Rayner shows how to transform a plastic planter with a subtle masonry effect.

You will need: A plastic plant pot, paintbrush, sandpaper, clean builders sand and a wooden paint stirrer. Resene Smooth Surface Sealer, Resene Sandtex, Resene Concrete Clear and Resene Lumbersider tinted to Resene Tuna. Resene testpots in the following colours: Resene Shuttle Grey, Resene Waterloo and Resene Greywacke.

To get the look: Mark planted the pot with a cerise cyclamen and finished it off with a grey pebble mulch. The background wall is painted with Resene Lumbersider tinted to Resene Bismark. Other planting ideas for a seasonal splash of colour, you could also pot up with other spring flowering bulbs such as daffodils, tulips or hyacinths.

Step 1 how to decorate a pot with masonry effect

Step one
Lightly sand the outside, rim and inner rim of the pot to provide a key so paint will adhere to the surface.

Step 2 how to decorate a pot with masonry effect

Step two
Apply one coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer to the outside, rim and inner rim of the pot and allow to dry for two hours.

Step 3 how to decorate a pot with masonry effect

Step three
Using a stippling (or dabbing) technique, apply one coat of Resene Sandtex to the outside, rim and inner rim of the pot and allow to dry.

Step 4 how to decorate a pot with masonry effect

Step four
Apply two coats of Resene Tuna to the outside, rim and inner rim of the pot, allowing two hours for each coat to dry.

Step 5 how to decorate a pot with masonry effect

Step five
Create a mottled effect by using a dry brush to dab the outside, rim and inner rim of the pot with Resene Shuttle Grey and Resene Waterloo.

Step 6 how to decorate a pot with masonry effect

Step six
Use the same technique to lightly stipple the outside, rim and inner rim of the pot with Resene Greywacke. Allow to dry for two hours.

Step 7 how to decorate a pot with masonry effect

Step seven
Carefully mix approximately 1 cup of builders sand into the Resene Concrete Clear and stir with the wooden stirrer.

Step 8 how to decorate a pot with masonry effect

Step eight
Apply two coats of the Resene Concrete Clear and sand mix to the pot’s outside, rim and inner rim, lightly dabbing to avoid brush strokes. Allow two hours for each coat to dry.

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Resene Paints Ltd – www.resene.co.nz