DIY SODA CAN CONCRETE PLANTER
If you have a tendency to drink a lot of soda, chances are, you have a lot of soda cans in your home. Even if you usually recycle these cans for cash, there are things you can do with empty soda cans that are even better than getting cash from them at the recycling center. So here I'm going to show you how to make a concrete planter with soda can. The best part is, Projects like these are so much fun to do. I hope you like the process.

Step 1: MATERIALS REQUIRED

Materials Required for Planter

Step 2: SETUP - CONCRETE MIXTURE

To make concrete mix there are three basic materials you need: white cement, fine grain of sand and water. The ratio of sand to cement is an important factor in determining the strength of the concrete mixture. Here I'm using 1½ Part of White Cement and 2 Part of Sand, also make sure concrete can't be too dry or too watery, get the best result by adding small amount of water and mix quickly, it helps you good mix as well as strongest mix.

If you learn more about concrete, here is the link you can check :- Concrete Class

Step 3: CASTING MATERIAL (MOLD)

First choose your mold. You will need an outer mold and an inner mold of same shape but different size. Here I'm using a soda can and a disposable cup where soda can go inside a disposable cup.

Step 4: OPTIONAL - OIL

Apply oil inside of your molds with edible oil or spray lubricant. This will help you remove it later. If you use a cup mold, if you coat the cup in lubricant you may not have to break the cup when you remove the molds from the planter. But in my case the story goes wrong, after curing concrete my disposable cup not stay longer because it absorbs water and loose its reusable capability.

Step 5: REMOVE THE HEAD

Can opener is the ideal tool for quickly and easily removing the top of a soda can, and making it into a improvised mold vessel, but its not easy as it looks. I have tussle around with the pliers and remove bit by bit and later in this project I shrink down its edges.

Step 6: POURING CONCRETE

Pour the concrete mixture evenly into the bottom of the outer mold and create a base by pressing the inner mold onto the concrete mix until the desired thickness is achieved. The base and walls should have a similar thickness, although the base may be thicker than the walls (usually not the other way round), Also, put some tape on the top of the can and make a small cut, add some water and let it cure for at least 48 hours.

Step 7: REMOVAL OF CONCRETE MOLD

Get rid of water and slowly remove the outer mold, you should be able to pull it off, though oil coating or lubricant may not allow you to save disposable cup for its reuse.

Step 8: SANDING = SMOOTH SURFACE

Smooth out the planter's surface with a sand paper.

Step 9: MAKE a DRAINAGE HOLE

After curing for at least two days, drain holes in the base. Here I use a smaller drill and then a larger drill
because concrete is very hard to penetrate.

Step 10: ADD:- SOIL + PLANT

Set the planter anywhere in the house, pour regular potting soil and add any succulent plants!

Step 11: FINAL STEP :- ADD H2O

Spray some heavily Water (H2O),(Mine was Aloe Vera Plant), The good thing about this plant is that it uses very little water, so I'm not worried about health and growth of this plant.

I hope you enjoyed it and you found cool stuff that you can do yourself and if you want to see more great projects you can subscribe to my YouTube Channel Thanks !