Can You Repair Terracotta Pots

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Terra cotta pots are an asset to many abode gardens, just not when they're croaky and broken. Before you pick up a new pot from your local gardening store, check around your home for a few uncomplicated repair supplies. Inside a solar day or and then, yous might get your favorite terracotta pots back in working gild again!

1. 1

   Movement your pot to a well-ventilated surface area. Epoxy fumes are no joke, and are no fun to breathe in. Notice an open up, well-ventilated space where you can repair your pot and so you lot don't have to inhale any nasty chemicals.^[ane]

   • A room with several open windows tin work, or you tin can repair it outside.

2. 

   2

   Wipe downward the broken shards with a cloth to remove any dirt. Take hold of a clean cloth and brush off any obvious dirt or crud from your terra cotta pot so the pieces fit together snugly. It's okay if your pieces are still a piffling dusty afterwards—you'll probably exist filling your pots with soil, anyway.^[ii]

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3. 

   three

   Stir equal parts of epoxy and hardener together. Pour a blueberry-sized amount of both epoxy resin and hardener on a newspaper plate or dish. Grab a toothpick and mix them both together before you outset reconstructing your pot.^[3]

   • Bank check the instructions on your epoxy packages beforehand. Some glues might come pre-mixed, and so you don't take to worry about stirring them together.
   • Silicone caulk is also a good option for repairing a cleaved terracotta pot. You tin can also buy caulk in a color that best matches your pot!^[iv]

4. 

   4

   Mix colored dirt powder into the epoxy mixture and then it matches your pot. Scoop a small spoonful of powdered clay and mix it in with the epoxy. This helps the epoxy blend in well with your terra cotta pot, creating a more seamless end.^[5]

   • You can observe powdered clay online, or at your local ceramics or craft store.

5. 5

   Spread the epoxy over the cracked edge with a toothpick. Dip a clean toothpick into the epoxy mixture and spread it along the base of operations section of the crevice. Keep dipping and spreading the epoxy in a thin layer along the crack, so your broken shards accept no trouble sticking together.^{[half dozen]}

   • You lot only need to spread epoxy on the bottom portion of your pot.
   • Don't worry if you utilise too much epoxy—you can always wipe off the excess with an acetone-soaked towel or cloth.^[7]

6. 

   6

   Press the cleaved piece into the glue and concord it for several seconds. Grab the cleaved section and eye it exactly over the epoxy, as though you're putting together a puzzle. Agree the shard in place for several seconds with your fingers, or secure it in identify with a metal clamp.^[eight]

7. vii

   Let the epoxy dry overnight so it tin cure completely. Double-cheque the instructions on your epoxy bottle to run into how much fourth dimension it needs to dry and cure. Some products need at to the lowest degree 1 night to cure completely.^[9]

   • Don't use your pot until the epoxy is completely dried and cured.

8. 

   viii

   Sand down the surface with fine sandpaper to make it smooth and flat. Catch a sail of super fine-dust sandpaper and rub forth the glued seam of your pot. Work abroad any imperfections or inconsistencies, and then your pot feels polish and seamless. At this point, y'all'll be ready to employ your pot over again!^[10]

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1. 1

   Grit off the pieces of your pot with a clean cloth. Go over the sides and edges of your terracotta pot with a rag, cleaning away whatsoever leftover dust and grime. Sometimes, clay gets stuck in the broken cracks and makes the pot more tricky to repair.^[11]

2. 

   two

   Fit the broken slice of terra cotta into the right spot. Suit the broken shard carefully, lining upwards the broken edges exactly with the lesser of the pot. Cheque that the piece is steady before removing your mitt.^[12]

   • Depending on the suspension, you may need to hold the broken shard in identify.

3. 

   3

   Pencil in dotted marks on both sides of the terra cotta crack. Marking each dot near ^one⁄₄ to ¹⁄₂  in (0.64 to 1.27 cm) away from the broken seam. Space out these dots about ane in (ii.v cm) or so apart, like you're sketching out a row of eyelets on a pair of shoes.^[13]

   • Essentially, you'll exist threading the wire through these marks to "sew" the pot back together.

4. 

   iv

   Drill into the pencil marks with a ^ane⁄₈  in (0.32 cm) masonry drill bit. Install a thin masonry bit in your drill and drill into each dot. Set your drill to a high setting, so you don't have any difficulty getting through the terra cotta.^[14]

   • Don't use a standard drill bit for this—you don't want to impairment your equipment or pot.

5. 

   5

   Cutting a length of copper wire into several 3 in (7.6 cm) pieces. Lay out a section of copper wire, measuring and marking every 3 in (vii.6 cm). Snip off these short sections of wire with a pair of wire cutters, and set the pieces bated.^[xv]

   • This wire will be the "thread" that sews your pot back together.

6. 

   six

   String the wire through 2 holes higher up and below the crack. Slide 1 cease of the wire through the elevation hole, and the other end into the bottom hole. Keep the wire even while you thread it, and so even pieces of wire are going through the pot. Repeat this process with each set of drilled holes forth the broken seam.^[16]

7. 

   7

   Twist the wires together forth the inside of the pot. Catch a pair of pliers and twist the wires together into a scroll. Do your best to make this as tight as possible, and so the pot stays together.^[17]

8. eight

   Push the twisted wires against the inner edge of the pot. Press along the coiled wires until they're snug against the inner wall of your terracotta pot. This way, your pot is much more probable to stay together!^[18]

   • Once yous've twisted and pushed in all your wires, you tin use your pot again.

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• If your terracotta pot is shattered into many pieces, it might be worth getting a new pot.

• Some people find that gorilla mucilage works well for repairing pots. You tin apply this but similar the epoxy.^[19]

• If your terra cotta pot is only cracked, you can fill up in the cracks with several layers of joint chemical compound. Then, you tin can sand over the dried compound and spray waterproof sealant on top.^[20]

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• Ever wear safety goggles when you lot employ ability tools.^[21]

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Things You'll Need

• Epoxy (resin and hardener) or silicon caulk
• Cloth
• Toothpick
• Powdered clay
• Fine-grit sandpaper

• Make clean cloth
• Pencil
• Electric drill
• Masonry drill bit
• Copper wire
• Wire cutters
• Pliers

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Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Repair-a-Terracotta-Pot

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