Faux Concrete Planters

Clean out the containers

I gave these guys a good wash, but didn't need to pull the stickers off. (You'll see why soon!) They were also really stuck on there.

I laid down some newspaper on the table- which was so important, because this got a little messy.

Spackle time!

Yep, you read that right! I wanted to give the plastic containers a nice bumpy texture, and figured some spackling paste would do the trick. A popsicle stick was the perfect tool for painting on the spackle.

Using the pospsicle stick, begin to lay on layers of the spackle. No need to remove any labels, the spackle will cover them up. Because of the texture of the plastic (it was semi matte), I didn't need to sand it, but if you're using a plastic (or even glass) with a smoother finish, start off by sanding it down so the spackle sticks well to the surface.

I put the spackle on in short strokes going up and down the sides of the jars. You can choose to do larger strokes, and even go in different directions to give it an interesting look.

This is how they looked once they were fully covered. I let them dry for a few hours.

Seal it up

Once they were fully dry, I went on to the next step. Dry spackle has a dusty and flakey texture which can easily crumble and fall apart. To keep it in one piece, I sealed them using some Mod Podge- or watered down craft glue.

Using a paint brush, I painted a generous coat of the Mod Podge over the dry spackle. Then let that dry overnight.

Painting Time!

The next day the containers were fully dry and ready to go. It was now time to give them a real concrete look. (If you want to go in a different direction, you can paint some watercolors over the spackle for a pretty and colorful look.) I grabbed some gray paint that I felt would be the right color, and painted on a nice layer of paint over the spackle.

Let that dry

The containers are fully painted. Let them dry.

Finished Project!

Once the planters were fully dry, I filled them with rocks and these cute plants. (For photo purposes, the seeds were planted after the project was complete)

I think they really pass as concrete, and they look great! I hope you like them too.

Before & After

Just a reminder, this is what they started as! Amazing!