How Do You Make Terracotta Pots Look Vintage?

Terracotta pottery has been around for thousands of years, with evidence of clay being shaped into containers dating back to ancient Mesopotamia. The reddish-orange color of terracotta comes from the natural iron oxide content in the clay. Terracotta pots have an earthy, rustic beauty that evokes nostalgia for simpler times.

Many gardeners and plant enthusiasts today still love the vintage look of aged, weathered terracotta pots. The patina of an antique terracotta pot adds old-world charm and character to indoor and outdoor spaces. Making new terracotta pots look aged and vintage allows you to capture that nostalgic aesthetic for a fraction of the cost of true antique pots.

Gather Materials

The main items you’ll need to create vintage-looking terracotta pots are the pots themselves, paint brushes, acrylic paints, sandpaper, and sealer. Here are some specifics on what to gather:

• Terracotta pots – You can use new or used terracotta pots. Make sure to clean used pots thoroughly before starting. Opt for a range of smaller and larger pots to create an eclectic look.

• Paint brushes – Gather a selection of paint brushes in various sizes. Opt for soft bristle brushes made for acrylic paint.

• Acrylic paints – You’ll want a variety of acrylic paint colors like white, cream, brown, black, blue, and green. Pick matte or flat paints which work best for distressing.

• Sandpaper – Medium grit sandpaper (around 120) works well for distressing the pots.

• Sealer – Choose a matte acrylic sealer spray to protect your finished pots.

Clean and Sand Pots

Before painting your terracotta pots, it’s important to thoroughly clean them to remove any dirt or debris. Start by giving the pots a wash with warm soapy water using a sponge or scrub brush. Pay close attention to removing any caked-on dirt or stains.

Once the pots have been cleaned, lightly sand them to smooth out the surface. Terracotta has a naturally porous texture, so sanding helps level it out and creates a better base for painting. Use fine grit sandpaper and sand in a circular motion until the surface feels smooth to the touch. Make sure to sand all surfaces of the pot, including the rims and bottom.

After sanding, wipe away any dust with a clean cloth. Proper cleaning and sanding of the terracotta ensures better paint adhesion and a smooth finished look.

Base Coat

After cleaning and sanding your terracotta pots, the next step is to apply a neutral base coat of paint. This base coat will allow the antiquing wash and other details to show through evenly. Acrylic craft paints work well for the base coat since they adhere to the porous terracotta material and dry quickly.

When choosing a base coat color, opt for an off-white, light tan, light grey or other neutral shade. Make sure the paint is opaque enough to fully cover the original terracotta color. Apply two coats of the base paint using a brush or foam applicator, allowing each coat to dry completely before adding the next. Applying thin coats prevents drips and uneven coverage.

Once the base coat is fully dry, you’ll have a blank canvas ready for applying the antiquing wash and other aging effects. The neutral base will let the details pop rather than competing with a colorful base coat. Take your time applying the base evenly to ensure your finished pot has a cohesive aged look.

Add Antiquing Wash

An antiquing wash is used to accentuate the texture and give an aged, weathered look to the terracotta pots. This involves brushing on a dark acrylic paint diluted with water over the base-coated pots.

The wash settles into crevices and highlights the natural roughness of the clay. A black, dark brown, dark grey, or other deep tone works well. Water down the paint significantly so it flows smoothly and penetrates into crevices.

Use a large brush to liberally apply the antiquing wash over the entire pot. Let it pool in indentations and soak into the clay. Avoid wiping or brushing too much as you want the wash to remain heavy in cracks and grooves.

This dark wash brings out beautiful texture and gives the pot an instant aged vibe. Let the antiquing wash dry thoroughly before moving onto the next step.

Dry Brushing

Dry brushing is a technique that will help make your terracotta pots look aged and weathered. After the antiquing wash has dried, take a dry bristle brush and dip it into some off-white paint. Remove most of the paint from the brush by wiping it on a paper towel – you want very little paint left on the brush.

Then, using light, wispy brush strokes, sweep the brush over the raised areas and edges of the pot. The idea is to just lightly catch the edges to highlight them. Don’t apply too much pressure or paint here. The off-white paint will help make the edges and impressions on the pot look worn down over time.

Focus your brush strokes on the natural ridges, curves, and raised areas on the pot. The random, light brush strokes will make the pot look authentically aged and weathered. If you accidentally apply too much paint, go back over it lightly with a clean dry brush to remove some of the paint.

Continue making feather-light, random strokes with the dry brush over the surface of the pot until you build up the weathered, antique look you desire. Step back periodically to see the effect taking place. The dry brushing should make your pot look like it has been naturally aged and exposed to the elements.

Shading

After the details have been added, it’s time to add some final shading to give the pot more depth. This involves going over the pot with a slightly darker paint color and focusing on crevices and recessed areas like the lip of the pot, indented decorative elements, the space between coils if it’s a coil built pot, etc. Use a dry brush and lightly drag it over these areas to deposit a small amount of darker paint.

You don’t need to cover the entire area, just hit the edges and undersides of ridges. The dark paint will settle into the textured areas and help them recede, while leaving the top surfaces their original lighter antiqued color. This adds shadows and gives the illusion of a 3D form.

Work your way all around the pot, paying special attention to the inside rim of the lip, between decorative elements like ribs or lines, undersides of handles and spouts, etc. Take your time with this step and observe where shadows naturally occur. The end result should be subtle, but it makes a big difference in making your pot look aged and weathered.

Add Details

After your pots have dried from the shading stage, it’s time to make them truly unique by adding freehanded details. Here are some ideas for designs to paint or draw on:

• Floral motifs like vines, leaves, flowers
• Geometric patterns
• Words like “herbs” or “spices” for kitchen pots
• Animal shapes like birds, butterflies, lizards
• Rustic images like farmhouses, tractors, chickens

Use acrylic craft paint in contrasting colors and paintbrushes or markers to add your details. Make sure the paint is fully dry before moving on to sealing. Get creative with patterns, doodles, landscapes, words, or anything else that comes to mind! The detailing stage is a chance to imbue each pot with its own personality.

Seal

The final step when antiquing terracotta pots is to seal them. This will help protect and preserve the painted finish you created. An acrylic sealer works best for sealing terracotta pots.

Look for a water-based, matte finish acrylic sealer. This type of sealer will help protect the paint while allowing the antique patina to show through. Satin or gloss finishes tend to create more of a plastic-looking finish, so matte is ideal.

Before sealing, make sure your pots are completely dry from the antiquing steps. Work in a well-ventilated area and carefully follow the directions on the sealer product.

Apply 2-3 thin, even coats of sealer using a foam brush or soft rag. Allow each coat to fully dry before adding another. The sealer helps protect against chipping, fading, and makes the finish more durable.

Once fully sealed, your antiqued pots will have a protective finish that helps lock in the vintage, weathered look you created!

Display Your Vintage Pots

Once your terracotta pots have been transformed with paints, washes, and other finishing techniques into works of vintage art, it’s time to show them off! Carefully style your pots by filling them with potting soil and live plants or cut blooms. Group pots together on plant stands, shelves, or tabletops to create an eclectic collected look. Vintage terracotta pots add effortless charm to kitchen windowsills filled with herbs, cafe tables topped with succulents, or patio side tables overflowing with petunias.

For indoors, match your pot’s vintage vibe to your decor. Faded, chippy whitewashed pots look right at home against rustic farmhouse backdrops with distressed wood accents. Earthy terracotta pots in warm Southwestern colors complement Native American-style blankets and tiles. Go modern vintage with sleek pots in grayish taupes and pale blues against midcentury furniture. The options are endless! With the right styling, your hand-painted vintage pots will enhance any space.