How to make a pot look aged and stained?

Pam Mahony
by Pam Mahony
Like this one:
I am new to DIY and I do not have a clue what kind of pot to buy, nor what to paint on it
Thank you for your help
  8 answers
  • Lora Lora on Jun 10, 2017

    You would want to start with either a terra-cotta or concrete pot. I saw on Martha Stewart once where she used some moss mixed up with a lot of plain yogurt and slathered it on the pot and let it sit quite a while until the moss actually started growing on it. You could also use a sea sponge and dab paint onto the pot.

  • Pam Mahony Pam Mahony on Jun 10, 2017

    Wow. I never would have thought of moss and yogurt! When you say "quite a while" do you mean days? weeks? Now I just need to find the right pot and my water feature will look great! Thanks

  • Tammy Tammy on Jun 10, 2017

    I would start with a terracotta pot and chalk paint. Paint the entire pot black. Mix white and black for different shades of grey. Cut a sea sponge or loofah into smaller pieces. Start with the darker grey first, dip into the paint and dab onto a piece of cardboard, you want a more dry look before applying on your pot. Putting more on is easier than having to start over, but if you have to that's OK to. Randomly dab your pot, the trick is not to over do it (always my problem area  ), you can always add more later if you want to. Do the greys from dark to light until you are at straight white. When you are happy with that part go in and accent it with a moss green in the same manner. Have fun with it and good luck!

  • Robynne Catheron Robynne Catheron on Jun 10, 2017

    I'm with Lora and the Martha Stewart method. If I remember correctly, she painted the plain yogurt all over the outside of the pot, then rubbed a piece of live moss all over it. Eventually, the moss spores would start growing on the yogurt, making the terra cotta pot look aged. They turned out beautifully!

  • Pam Mahony Pam Mahony on Jun 11, 2017

    Where does one buy moss? (At least I know where to buy yogurt. :) )

  • Pam Mahony Pam Mahony on Jun 11, 2017

    HOLD THE HORSES!!!!! (appropriate because I have a horse farm where this water feature will go). I was looking for interesting pots and came across "Agrisupply" -- which I should have remembered from other purchases I have made there. It has an entire line of cast iron cook pots and tripods and other utensils. Small items from 8" -- 36" pots, with stands or tripods or hangers for everything.

    It will look magnificent! It also has galvanized stock tanks which I can age to match the cast iron pots for my final water catch basin. I am SO excited. Now I can leave my lovely pots in front of the stable. :)


  • Pam Mahony Pam Mahony on Jun 11, 2017

    And I can still use the yogurt and moss idea on the pots!!

  • Debby Debby on Jun 11, 2017

    you can use a black or brown paint wash(paint on, wipe off to desired effect.