There’s nothing like some beautiful decor to enhance your garden — especially in Florida where we spend so much time outdoors. But over time, our garden decor — especially pots and sculptures — starts to look worn. Between sunlight, humidity, and other natural elements, they collect dirt and become discolored, making our gardens look more shabby than chic.
But there is a simple do-it-yourself hack for restoring these pieces that is sure to spruce up your garden in no time — a good, old-fashioned paint job!
What to Paint
Ceramic and terra-cotta pots, and stone garden sculptures, make great candidates for a new paint job. Many people discard these items once they start looking weathered, so if you’re driving around during a bulk pickup day, you may find some hidden treasures that can be easily restored with a simple cleaning and paint job. The Buddha statue (pictured) was a bulk trash find.
Prepping Your Object for Paint
Before you start painting, you’ll want to prepare your pots or sculptures by thoroughly cleaning them, as paint does not adhere well to a dirty surface. Pressure cleaning is a fast and easy way to make sure you knock all the dirt off. If you don’t have a pressure cleaner, use regular soap and water with a scrub brush. Rub the surface clean, making sure you get into every crevice.
Once you’ve washed the pot/sculpture, place it in the sun and let it dry. You do not want to start painting while the surface is still damp. If you’ve chosen a pot with a glaze on it, you’ll want to use sandpaper to roughen up the surface and then wipe it down with a damp cloth. Once dry, place the objects on top of newspaper or a drop cloth to prevent paint from getting on your floor.
Painting
Depending on your preference, you can use latex, acrylic, or spray paint. For rough ceramic surfaces, start with a latex primer. Tip: If you want to clear out your shed at the same time, use leftover paint and paint samples from Lowe’s or Home Depot. The samples are all interior/exterior and adhere well to pots and sculptures. Once you finish, allow 24 hours for the paint to dry.
To embellish your pot, use painter’s tape to create lines and patterns, or purchase a stencil you can paint over. If working with a rounded surface, choose a stencil that is small enough to fit flatly against part of your pot to avoid paint dripping through the stencil and ruining it. For those who are more ambitious, or good at freehand painting, there are unique pattern ideas available on Pinterest.
No matter what you decide to do, make it fun. Whether you take this on yourself or rope the whole family in, painting can be a relaxing way to get outside and de-stress. And once you’re finished, you can show off the fruits of your labor with a garden party.