Terra Cotta Pot Repair

My Wife and Mother in-law went shopping and came back with a largish palm type of plant. We had a large terra cotta pot to put it in but it had been broken by freeze/thaw last winter...

Cheapness is the mother of all invention, so I decided to fix the pot...

Please note, if you hurt or injure yourself, others or cause damage to your property or any one else's property, I accept no responsibility in any way shape or form, now or in the future, even if the concept, concepts, dangers, unintended and intended consequences or anything else you see here or as a result of seeing this instrucable.

If you don't have common sense or have hands like frozen hams, then go watch TV

Step 1: Check the Fit...

I didn't invent anything for this instructable, but it's a good idea to fit the pieces together for two reasons; to check if it is actually worth while fixing the pot. Secondly you get an idea how to put the pieces together, once you've applied glue. I found that when I had the glue on and put the parts together, I had to fidget them a bit but the crack still showed. Nothing is perfect. These pots always seem to crack from the bottom, where the drain hole is and where the water would collect in the winter freeze and thaw process.

In this picture, at about ten o'clock, you can see one side of the crack. The other is pointing to about the two o'clock position.

Important point: I used scrap bits of wood to prevent the pot from rolling off the table.

Step 2: The Tool and Materials List

A broken clay (terracotta) flower pot that's worth fixing
Glue; I used epoxy
A shop brush or whisk
Twine or something to firmly hold parts together while the glue cures.
Bits O Wood

Make sure the parts that are being glued are clean and dry, but that' common sense, isn't it?

Step 3: The Glueing

Um, forgot to take a picture for this!!!

The basic process is to mix the glue according to the instructions of the manufacturer. I used the liquid epoxy, but the next time I need to get some, I'll get the gel, which would have given me a bit more time to take a picture!!! Read your instructions on the glue.

In any case, you can see the glue oozing from the cracks. I tried to keep the glue on the inside edges in order to keep things neat. Definetley getting the gel epoxy next time.

Perhaps even better would have been to use some PL200.

Step 4: Ta Da!

So, the epoxy cost 5 bucks or so.

A new pot would have been fifteen to twenty bucks... Looking forward to any comments. Now that I've done my first instructable!

Comments

[sanchitsharma420]

Great tutorial to repair broken pot. But I believe that a repaired pot won't last long. Especially for me, due to my children always breaking pots.

Instead I thought to use broken pots in creative way and came across this wonderful post http://balconygardenweb.com/incredible-broken-pot-ideas-recycle-your-garden/

[judy.a.hill.9]

totally appreciated this! I have a favorite terra cotta pot shaped like a bird that I don't put anything in at all, but I just love the shape (unpainted, unglazed, Mexican), and a clumsy person who shall remain nameless bumped into it and broke the tail in half. :tears: luckily, I had JUST bought the epoxy for another repair, so I am ready to repair little bird pot instead of replacing it (impossible) or throwing it away (never!). thank you so much.

[judy.a.hill.9]

totally appreciated this! I have a favorite terra cotta pot shaped like a bird that I don't put anything in at all, but I just love the shape (unpainted, unglazed, Mexican), and a clumsy person who shall remain nameless bumped into it and broke the tail in half. :tears: luckily, I had JUST bought the epoxy for another repair, so I am ready to repair little bird pot instead of replacing it (impossible) or throwing it away (never!). thank you so much.

[AubreeMarie]

Ah, yes, finally! But also, neverunderestimate the benefit of broken terra cotta chips for use of drainage crockery in the bottom of other pots
I can't bring myself to break them so I sometimes hope a little they will break in these tought new england winters, but now I can fix the ones I love!

[tjk1939]

coffee filters work fine

[woomyse]

Thank-you AubreeMarie. My mother would use smaller chips for drainage also. Thanks for dropping by...

[northconnor]

Will JB Weld work too?

[woomyse]

 I'm sure it would, it's an epoxy too...

[Solderguy]

I recommend using a clamp or something like that to keep the pot pieces together when the glue expands and to prevent warping.

[SMU79]

From one tight wad to another--THANKS, I have several pots I'll repair with your advice. I'm glad you mentioned using the gel glue.

[woomyse]

Thanks SMU79, my pleasure.