Throw Together a DIY Chandelier Planter to Brighten Your Porch
This recycled chandelier planter project is the perfect way to spruce up your porch for spring. Using an old chandelier, some terra cotta pots, and spray paint I created the perfect adornment for my backyard. You can customize this project to fit your home’s exterior, or hang it inside for some creative decor. Change the plants out seasonally to add a pop of color, or use it as a creative herb garden, it’s totally up to you! Follow my step-by-step tutorial to create your own.
Tools and Materials:
- Old chandelier
- Terra cotta pots and saucers
- Bull nose pliers
- Wire cutters
- Spray paint
- Flowers
Seeing as this chandelier is not going to be used for light anymore, there is no need for the wires. You don’t need to completely remove the wires, but you should cut them down. Using bull nose pliers I cut the wiring as close as possible to the top of the chandelier. This is what I did for a thin wire that was in the chandelier.
For a thicker wire I used basic wire cutters to cut it. You might have to make a few cuts to completely cut through it.
Then I repeated the process on all of the lights on the chandelier. I removed the faux candle and cut the wires.
Next I unscrewed the metal part of the faux candle.
Using a vice grip I grabbed the end of the candle, which was the nut, and with another set of pliers bent the candle back and forth until it snapped off.
I cut the wires as flush as possible and screwed the nut back into place. This part doesn’t have to be perfect as we’ll be covering them up later with saucers and pots.
I set the saucer onto the chandelier to check where it was going to sit. Where it would be touching the chandelier is where I would apply glue. I chose to work with Beacon Power-Tac. It’s industrial grade adhesive and is sure to stand up against the elements as I’ll be placing this chandelier planter outside. Make sure to work in a well ventilated area when using products like this.
I applied a line of glue along the lip of the chandelier right where the saucer would sit.
Then I pressed the saucer into place. My chandelier probably isn’t the best quality, but this allowed me to bend the arms so that the planters would be able to sit as flat as possible. I repeated the process with all of the arms of the chandelier and then left the glue to cure for 24 hours.
As I was working with spray paint I chose to work outside. I hung the chandelier outside and got to painting. I got a good coat all over the chandelier, including the chain at the top. Then I left the chandelier to dry and moved on to the terra cotta pots.
Terra cotta is very porous so it may need a few coats of paint. Because the bottom of the pots won’t be shown you can forgo painting them, but do make sure to paint the inner lips of the pots as they will show.
This step is up to you. If you’ll be hanging the chandelier planter out in full sunlights, give the whole thing a nice coat of polyurethane to protect it. Mine will be kept on my porch so I didn’t seal it.
If your chandelier planter is going to live inside, you may not need to glue down the pots as it’s unlikely that it will be moving at all. However, if it’s going to be outside or in a high traffic area you really need to glue them down. Make sure to hold onto the chandelier and counterbalance it if you add the pots while it’s hanging so that it doesn’t tip over.
Step 6: Fill with Flowers
Pick your favorite flower and plant them in the pots. I went for a bright yellow flower to contrast the pink pots.
This project is a great way to brighten up your porch for spring! What flowers would you use for your chandelier planter? Let me know in the comments below!
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Join the conversation
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Beth Kingston on Jun 01, 2021
Thank you so much!!!
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Robyn Garner on May 31, 2021
Terrific upcycle! I especially love the matching flower in your hair lol! 😎
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Beth Kingston on Jun 01, 2021
Thank you so much!! You can never have too many flowers! :)
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Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
Would plastic velcro hold the pots on well enough?
If you seal the saucers to the pots how do they drain for live plants?
Do you use a special type of spray paint to avoid it leeching into the clay pots and killing the plants?