How to Make a Concrete Basket Planter
Concrete basket planters are attractive additions to home and garden décor. You can make a concrete basket planter to hang on the patio or from a tree limb in the garden with molds made from common household objects. One method of crafting with concrete involves sand casting. To make a basket planter using the sand cast method, look for large and medium sized bowls at yard sales and thrift stores. You can reuse the bowls for other craft projects, but they will never again be suitable for food usage.
Line the bottom of a cardboard box with 2 inches of damp sand. Make sure that the box is large enough to fit the large bowl in the center with space for 6 inches of sand around the sides.
- Concrete basket planters are attractive additions to home and garden décor.
- You can make a concrete basket planter to hang on the patio or from a tree limb in the garden with molds made from common household objects.
Place the large bowl in the center of the box on top of the sand. Fill the sand in around the sides of the bowl to the sides of the cardboard box. Pack the sand in well around the bowl. Twist the bowl and remove it from the sand. You have made a mold for the concrete basket planter. Pat the sand to make a smooth cavity for the concrete.
Cover the sand with plastic wrap.
- Place the large bowl in the center of the box on top of the sand.
- Pack the sand in well around the bowl.
Cut a 1/4-inch dowel into three 2-inch sections. Oil the sections of the dowel and set them aside. The dowels will create the drain holes for the concrete basket planter. The oil acts as a release agent to make removing the dowels from the concrete easier.
Follow the package directions and mix the concrete. Pour a 2-inch layer of concrete into the bottom of the sand mold.
Insert the three dowels into the center of the concrete, spaced between 3 and 4 inches apart. Make sure that the top of each dowel is flush with the top of the concrete mix.
- Cut a 1/4-inch dowel into three 2-inch sections.
- Pour a 2-inch layer of concrete into the bottom of the sand mold.
Cover the outside of the medium bowl with oil. Place the medium bowl on top of the concrete mix. Fill in the space between the sides of the medium bowl and the damp sand with concrete mix. Tamp the concrete down as you go. Let the concrete basket planter to wet-cure in the sand mold for four days.
Remove the medium bowl. Remove the concrete basket planter. Remove the dowels. Allow the concrete to cure for an additional seven days before planting.
- Cover the outside of the medium bowl with oil.
- Let the concrete basket planter to wet-cure in the sand mold for four days.
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Writer Bio
Katherine Kally is a freelance writer specializing in eco-friendly home-improvement projects, practical craft ideas and cost-effective decorating solutions. Kally's work has been featured on sites across the Web. She holds a Bachelor of Science in psychology from the University of South Carolina and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.
