How to paint Terra Cotta pottery

For generations, terra cotta pottery has been used widely as outside and indoors planters for growing houseplant or young herb. Low-cost pottery with their boring looking will turn great with style when you add some attractive colors.

Maybe it sounds easy, but you have to know how to paint terra cotta pot properly if you want your decorative painting efforts to last. Here are a few simple instructions that guarantee your painted technique will maintain to look attractive for years.

To paint a terra cotta pottery, you will need:

1) Terra cotta pot
Choose any size of terra cotta pot of your preference.

2) Pottery sealant spray
For pot that will be used for planting, use oil or water based polyurethane. Both of them will work great but oil based polyurethane will last longer.
For pot that will not be used for planting, use water-based polyurethane or craft acrylic sealant.

3) Acrylic or latex paint
Choose two or three colors of your preference. Most hardware stores able to scan just about any color you may bring to make a color match, therefore you do not have to try and mix yourself.

4) 2 inch wide foam brush

5) Masking tape

6) Clear acrylic coat spray

7) Sheet of self-adhesive laminating sheets and scissors (optional)

8) Fine grit sandpaper


Instructions:

Wash and rinse the terra cotta pot with warm water and let it dry completely. Next, sand the pot with fine grit sandpaper to remove any rough spots or loose clay particles.

Spray inside of the pot with pottery sealant as recommended above. Let the pot dry thoroughly. Once it dried out, spray inside the pot with pottery sealant again and let it dry thoroughly for about 24 hours. This process is necessary to ovoid the outside finished from peeling and bubbling consequence of moisture that coming through the pot's interior.

Paint outside of the pot with your first preference color with foam brush. Allow the pot dry thoroughly for several hours.

Once the pot is dried out, wrap masking tape around the center of the pot. Apply your second color and allow it to dry thoroughly for about several hours.

If you want the pot finished in variation with circle or square design, draw circles or squares on a laminating sheet, and then cut out the stencils carefully. Once the pot is dried out, peel off the laminating sheet and set the stencils on the pot where you want it. Apply your third color and allow it to dry thoroughly for about several hours.

Remove the stencils. Spray the whole pot with clear acrylic coat. Allow the pot to dry the thoroughly.

Once the pot dried out for several days, plant any houseplant or young herb with a sufficient amount of soil.

Now you have spent a good amount of time and effort painting your terra cotta pot. It is great for making a stylish look of indoor or outdoor, and also great for gift.