Draped concrete pot

[Joe Dupre']

I’ve been experimenting with concrete soaked cloth over a foam form. Had a few successes and a few failures. Cost is probably less than 25 cents each. Pots end up being lighter than ceramic pots.

 

[Michael P]

Looks good, I would not have guessed. What kind of cloth do you use and how long do these things last? Most of the on line examples use cotton terrycloth, which seems like it would not hold up long.

 

[Joe Dupre']

I normally use old,worn-out cotton towels. I think the cloth acts as a filler to “bulk up” the concrete........making a sort of honeycomb. A pot is normally not subjected to high stresses, so I think they’ll last for a while.

I do have some fiberglass cloth left over from a kayak project and I’ll try that next.

 

[TyroTinker]

Best looking 25¢ pot I’ve ever seen
keep experimenting at that price. If you find a form you like keep making more mass they’ll only get better

 

[Potawatomi13]

One caveat: Lightness of pot not necessarily a virtue. Weight helps keep tree from blowing over/being easily knocked over. Nevertheless good effort. Also could use dye to change color of concrete if desired.

 

[Michael P]

My guess is that the cotton cloth will decompose over time, reducing tensile strength. But I have not tried to make one yet. The fiberglass will not rot, so might make the pot more durable.

 

[BrianBay9]

How did you do the smooth top edge? Is that concrete alone, no cloth?

 

[penumbra]

I think it looks darn good an d I hope you pursue it and see what you can come up with.

 

[Joe Dupre']

Smooth top edge was formed with a high tech tool.... 1/2” x 3” piece of pop can dragged along using the bench top as a guide. ( pot is formed upside down). A little extra mix in that area gave a base for that smooth detail. Texture was made with a stiff brush.
Concrete dye is a definite option. I’ve painted one and will see how that works out.
Next try will be with the fiberglass cloth.
The feet were just balls of the mix flattened with a board.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Nice,

The fiberglass cloth will definitely make a stronger, more durable pot. If you go over 8 inches in any direction, you should probably add wire mesh or other rigid support to keep the pot from flexing.

Did you use "regular concrete"? If yes, the lifespan will probably be short, especially if exposed to freeze-thaw cycles.

There are products for making vertical patches and thin patches for concrete. A thin patch is any use less than 4 inches in any direction. These products are hybrid cementitious and polymer matrix. Some use an acrylic, some a vinyl polymer, and some use other polymers. These are more expensive, but will be much longer lived in use. Cloth or fiberglass cloth soaked in these products will be much more durable.

There is a product called "Shape Crete" - I have never used it, but the videos suggest it is quite flexible after setting up and will resist cracking even in thin applications. Might be worth checking out.

 

[penumbra]

There are products that are made of chopped materials that can be added to concrete that greatly strengthen it. One type is fiberglass and another is nylon. I used it some years ago when I made a lot of hypertuffa planters. I highly recommend it. Some of my hypertuffa pots are over 10 years old. It was originally marketed as fiber-mesh but now it is marketed by several firms. You can get it on Amazon. I little goes a long ways.
The various polymers are also useful.
Best luck.

 

[Joe Dupre']

Lots of options. Thanks guys

 

[bill mccaldon]

Thinkin along the same lines when I saw how expensive the pots are...thinking of using plastic or aluminium catering bowls, trays as the moulds but hadnt thought about concrete crackin with variance in temperatures. I know you can paint clay unglazed pots with PVA to stop them cracking. Do you think that may work with a concrete mix? I was also going to incorporate mesh for strength. Then again seeing as it is cheap as chips to make these pots even if they last long enough till repotting that`s cool.

 

[sorce]

cheap as chips

Pound fer pound chips are one of the most expensive things I know of!

Sorce

 

[Joe Dupre']

Bill, I see no reason not to use cheap plastic containers as the mold AND the structure of a pot. I mean, take a $1.00 plastic bowl, lay it face up on a saturated piece of cloth and wrap the cloth up and over the edge into the inside of the container. Done. Maybe drill a few holes while the cloth is still wet. Even if the concrete soaked cloth cracks, it will have the structure of the plastic container to hold it together. $1.00 Dollar Store bowl and maybe 50 cents of cement and sand. Add another 25 cents for some concrete dye and you have a pot at 5-10% of a store-bought item. After the pot has set up for a few hours, you can turn it over and trowel on a rustic or smooth layer that will bond to the original surface.

 

[Michael P]

Expanding on the above, how about using a cheap plastic colander? It could be cut down to the desired depth, and if you heated it carefully you could change the shape somewhat. The concrete would penetrate all the voids, leaving a great surface to coat with concrete on the other side. Coat the inside, let it set enough to stay in place, then turn it over and do the outside.

 

[bill mccaldon]

Pound fer pound chips are one of the most expensive things I know of!

Sorce

lol UK based...chips here not same as chips your end

 

[bill mccaldon]

Bill, I see no reason not to use cheap plastic containers as the mold AND the structure of a pot. I mean, take a $1.00 plastic bowl, lay it face up on a saturated piece of cloth and wrap the cloth up and over the edge into the inside of the container. Done. Maybe drill a few holes while the cloth is still wet. Even if the concrete soaked cloth cracks, it will have the structure of the plastic container to hold it together. $1.00 Dollar Store bowl and maybe 50 cents of cement and sand. Add another 25 cents for some concrete dye and you have a pot at 5-10% of a store-bought item. After the pot has set up for a few hours, you can turn it over and trowel on a rustic or smooth layer that will bond to the original surface.

thanks for the reply...yes ill give it a go here before the colder weather sets in...im having a go at making a decent bonsai for my grandaughter for Christmas.. we were at a local nursery the other day and she was already tugging at the branches of shrubs to reveal the trunks as potential prospects.... probably use a juniper, although saw a attractive looking grey/blue spruce which may well be the final choice

 

[W3rk]

My guess is that the cotton cloth will decompose over time, reducing tensile strength. But I have not tried to make one yet. The fiberglass will not rot, so might make the pot more durable.

Maybe not though, if the concrete has fully soaked in to the cloth. I know it's common to use some kind of binding/reinforcing agent: rebar, grainy materials, fiberclass. It's also common to use burlap in plaster for similar reasons.