Cement Pots For Beginners?

[Kullas]

One thing about the Asian pot makers on Youtube. They make it look easy. It ain't easy! You don't appreciate the subtle angle adjustments of the smoothing tools until you have one in your hand trying to get a smooth, even finish on wet concrete. The easiest rustic pot technique is the draping method. Soak a towel in a slurry of cement and sand and lay it over ( or inside) a suitable vessel. You can make 10 a day. The most detailed and custom shaped pots use damp sand as the inside form. Concrete is applied to the outside and shaped with different tools. It's by far the hardest technique, requiring skill achieved after quite a few fails. Ask me how I know.

It is definitely a steep learning curve. The way my first ones turned out they can only get better. Dont think it can get any worse and have an acceptable pot.

 

[ShadyStump]

Once again @Leo in N E Illinois makes my brain melt.
I picked up an 80lb bag of quickcrete and a couple trowels yesterday. No dyes I liked for the added cost on a first attempt. Keeping an eye out for something fibrous but colorful to pull double duty as a reinforcement and adding some character. I imagine this won't work out great, but it'll be fun.

 

[BonjourBonsai]

Once again @Leo in N E Illinois makes my brain melt.
I picked up an 80lb bag of quickcrete and a couple trowels yesterday. No dyes I liked for the added cost on a first attempt. Keeping an eye out for something fibrous but colorful to pull double duty as a reinforcement and adding some character. I imagine this won't work out great, but it'll be fun.

What about unwaxed dental floss? Good tensile strength but probably not that colorful.

 

[Kullas]

here is my feeble attempt. It will take me lots of practice. Ya can see the how the form got off center in the bottom pic.
For color im going to try cement coloring mixed with some portland cement and water thin enough to paint on. We will see how that works.

 

[Crazy Diamond]

You can also tint the cement mix, I guess it could be more convenient if you make a lot of pots

 

[Joe Dupre']

View attachment 441346View attachment 441347here is my feeble attempt. It will take me lots of practice. Ya can see the how the form got off center in the bottom pic.
For color im going to try cement coloring mixed with some portland cement and water thin enough to paint on. We will see how that works.

Very nice! Here's a tip. If you go for an "almost perfect" pot and you miss it, it starts to look tacky. I go for a blatantly rustic pot. The "faults" become character instead of mistakes............at least that's what I tell myself. LOL.

 

[BonjourBonsai]

View attachment 441346View attachment 441347here is my feeble attempt. It will take me lots of practice. Ya can see the how the form got off center in the bottom pic.
For color im going to try cement coloring mixed with some portland cement and water thin enough to paint on. We will see how that works.

I think that looks awesome!

 

[Kullas]

For sure next time I will be wearing gloves. I knew better and still didnt.

 

[Kullas]

Very nice! Here's a tip. If you go for an "almost perfect" pot and you miss it, it starts to look tacky. I go for a blatantly rustic pot. The "faults" become character instead of mistakes............at least that's what I tell myself. LOL.

Like this one

 

[Joe Dupre']

Like this one View attachment 441389

Yep. You got the idea.

 

[ShadyStump]

What about unwaxed dental floss? Good tensile strength but probably not that colorful.

Hadn't considered that. Not a bad idea for strength at least.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Dental floss? Laying down individual strands strikes me as rather tedious.

Fiberglass mesh or wire mesh, or plastic mesh sound a lot simpler, though a little more difficult to source.

Your Home Despot likely sells bags of plastic ties (little inch long bow ties) for adding fibers to concrete. Mix these into your mix. Use sand paper by hand or an electric sander to grind down any nubs that stick up after the concrete has cured.

@BonjourBonsai - great pots, and I forgot, I have seen the product "ShapeCrete" and thought it was a great product for artistic projects in concrete. The company I retired from, Master Builders, used to sponsor Concrete Canoe Races, and Shapecrete was a favorite choice for entrants. Keep making pots.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I also meant to mention @Kullas , your pots are good attempts. As you said, rustic. I'd be happy enough to use them, if my efforts came out like that.

 

[Kullas]

I also meant to mention @Kullas , your pots are good attempts. As you said, rustic. I'd be happy enough to use them, if my efforts came out like that.

Thanks. That means alot. I do need some more pract well alot. If the 100 degree weather slacks off i hope to get some more practice in.
For some reason I see my azaleas in a round pot I want to make some rounds. I'm going to need several.

 

[Calnicky]

Peter Chan - making cement pots!

. He's a little slap-dash with it but I liked the textures he achieves.

 

[ShadyStump]

Peter Chan - making cement pots!

. He's a little slap-dash with it but I liked the textures he achieves.

Just watched this one the other day.
I'd say "a little" is an understatement, but he's only doing a quick and dirty demo, so whatever.

I need to hit the deli or bakery at the supermarket for some plastic boxes. They tend to have nice shapes.

 

[Beanwagon]

Here are some recent pictures of my concrete pot from a thread I posted earlier.

 

[ShadyStump]

Here are some recent pictures of my concrete pot from a thread I posted earlier.

View attachment 441969View attachment 441970View attachment 441971

How did you make that one? Sand or mold?

Right now my big issue is where do I put them to leach out the lye?
Not allot of places at my house safe from the kids and tampering.

 

[Beanwagon]

How did you make that one? Sand or mold?

Essentially playsand Into a pot/container.
Empty onto board and coat with sand/cement. I then put wire inside. Then more sand/cement. To get the shape you have to cut out a piece of wood/plastic/metal as a template

Jumping on the cement pot bandwagon.

Currently locked down/imprisoned in sydney and need some pots also to keep busy so im jumping on the bandwagon Attempt number 1 I used cement oxide to colour this https://youtube.com/shorts/o5mIKeYyhjE?feature=share Attempt number 2 Instead of oxide i used brown spraypaint, no reason why...

www.bonsainut.com

 

[BonjourBonsai]

where do I put them to leach out the lye?

I us this. It's also great for repotting to contain the dirt and for mixing soil.

Medium Mixing Tub A-41 - The Home Depot

This Medium 10 Gal. 28 in. D x 20 in. W x 6 in. H mixing tub is made of heavy-duty resin yet flexible. With a variety of options this multi-purpose tub offers endless uses. Great for Aquatics, Concrete,

www.homedepot.com