These DIY Concrete Planters Cost Less Than a DOLLAR to Make!
Make pretty DIY concrete planters with a cheap bag of cement mix.
These DIY concrete planters are such a fun and frugal project!
You’ve gotta try making these pretty DIY cement flower pots using a cheap bag of concrete mix. I love it when a project turns out super cute while going easy on the budget! 🙌
If you have some patience and a heart for DIY projects, you’ll love making these concrete planters and will want to experiment with various shapes and sizes. You can even have fun painting them if desired when they’re finished hardening. Some readers have suggested incorporating cement colorant from the hardware store as another option.
I’m obsessed with how these DIY cement planters turned out!
When finished, these cement flower pots look so on-trend and are gorgeous. In my opinion, they would make such a thoughtful gift for a birthday, Mother’s Day, or Teacher Appreciation. They would also be the perfect frugal wedding decor or a gorgeous way to beautify your own space.
And really, these don’t have to be planters exclusively. Other ideas would be to use them as candle holders, to put your jewelry in, or even as a soap tray for the sink. The possibilities are endless!
Grab some inexpensive supplies for your concrete planters.
I bought an entire 94-pound bag of concrete mix for about $15, and I have most of it left over for other projects. I asked the folks at The Home Depot which concrete to use for planters, and they directed me to this Portland cement because it’s a finer texture, without the sand and gravel, which produced the look I was going for.
Just be sure to take someone strong enough to lift it, as I had to put out a mayday call for hubby to onlinee to rescue me and my heavy concrete mix. 😅
Look around the house for containers first.
You’ll need to find an outer container and then a smaller item to fit inside to make a mold for each planter. For the molds, I used old plastic Tupperware and food containers. These are containers I would not use again for food, so make sure to pick molds you won’t miss.
The thrift store or Dollar Tree may be good places to look for molds if you can’t find things around the house. Consider using a milk carton or re-purpose miscellaneous food packages, like sour cream or other food tubs, that you could cut away and recycle after. Just make sure the mold is sturdy enough to hold its shape when the concrete is poured inside.
Amazon.online is one spot to look for a good selection of reusable silicone molds if you plan on making a lot of planters!
More DIY tips for how to make concrete planters:
- The process is pretty simple but kind of messy, so consider doing this outside. This DIY requires you to mix the concrete in a bucket with a shovel, pour the mixture into the outer container, and then press the smaller container into the concrete to make a planter mold.
- Make sure to spray oil or use a paintbrush dipped in cooking oil to grease the molds before pouring the concrete mix. This step is a MUST if you’d like your dried planter to easily onlinee out of the mold. I had one that I must have not oiled, and it did not want to onlinee out at all. 😩
- Once dried (overnight or up to 24 hours, depending on the size) you’ll notice that the top rim will be shiny. I rubbed the top with sandpaper to rough it up a bit so it wasn’t so shiny, but that is my personal preference.
- Consider adding felt pad bumpers to the bottom of your planters to protect against any unwanted scratches on surfaces.
- I’m confident you’d be able to plant living succulents in these planters if desired; however, you may want to use succulent soil and place rocks at the bottom for drainage before adding soil.
- A couple of frugal readers have mentioned buying broken bags of concrete at a discounted rate. If you’re able to score something similar, you can still use the 4:1 concrete mix to water ratio for the same results — just less money and less leftover concrete! 👏
DIY Concrete Planters
PrintSupplies Needed
- Portland concrete mix
- bucket
- water
- shovel or trowel
- molds - 2 plastic food storage containers, one bigger and one smaller
- spray oil, or cooking oil and a paint brush
- rocks, to hold top mold down
- sandpaper
- faux flowers or succulents, as desired
Directions
1
In a bucket, onlinebine concrete mix with water. Start with a 4:1 ratio of concrete mix to water. (I filled a disposable red cup four times with concrete mix, and once with water, then mixed with a shovel).
You may need a bit more water, so add a couple of tablespoons at a time until you get a thick oatmeal-like texture.
2
Find one bigger-size and one smaller-size plastic bowl or container to use together as a mold.
3
Spray the inside of larger container and the outside of smaller container generously with cooking spray oil.
4
Fill the larger container with the prepared concrete. Level it out by gently holding sides of the container, and move it in a back and forth motion a couple of times on the ground or counter.
5
Press the smaller container in the middle and weigh it down with a few heavy rocks. Let the concrete dry overnight for smaller sized concrete pot or up to 24 hours for larger sized vessels.
6
Once dry, remove the molds to reveal your planter. Because you’ve oiled it well, the container should onlinee out rather easily, or you may need to turn over and tap the bottom until the planter releases from the mold.
7
Rub the top rim of the planter with some sandpaper if desired to get rid of the shiny texture. It’s a personal preference, but I like the sanded look.
8
Add any faux flowers or succulents as desired.
Last step: Fill your DIY cement flower pots!
This is the super fun part! I pretty much raided my stash of faux flowers and succulents to put together these examples. You can find inexpensive faux succulents and the rock-shaped moss I’m using (above) at Dollar Tree. They are so affordable, while still looking super stylish!
Don’t want to make your own DIY cement planters and flower pots?
Consider these options to buy:
- Ekirlin Cement Planters with Saucers
- Set of two 4″ Concrete Succulent Planters
- Dahey 3 Pack Small Cement Succulent Planter
