The best paint for outdoor ceramic pots

Terracotta pots in your garden may be traditional, but having a number of them can look a bit monotonous and boring. So if you're looking to spruce up your garden or give some of those older ceramic pots a new lease of life, why not decorate them with a lick of paint?

Choose bright snazzy colours, pretty pastels to compliment your floral borders, or even play around with abstract and artistic designs. The possibilities are endless and it's a great activity the whole family can get involved in (and might be a fun way of getting the kids into gardening).

With the right paint for the outdoors, the pots will retain their colour for years with minimal fading, no matter what the British weather throws their way.

We've found the best paints for your outdoor ceramic pots, the best way to paint your pots to make them last as long as possible, and included some cool inspiration to get the creative juices flowing.

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Jump to the best paint for outdoor ceramic pots

What is the best paint to use for outdoor ceramic pots?

The best paint to use for outdoor ceramic pots is acrylic paint. Acrylic paint can be applied to almost any surface, including your plant pots, and the liquid paint is easy to apply by hand. Looking for little mess and intricate detailing; acrylic pens are a great shout for hand-drawing your designs like you would a picture.

However, if you're looking to just paint your pot a set colour, spray acrylic is a great option too and even easier to apply so long as you do it outside or in a ventilated space.

If you're looking for a more glossy finish, and don't mind splashing a little extra cash, epoxy paint can be used instead as an even longer-lasting alternative that'll provide your pot with more of a 'glazed' finish.

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If you really want your paint to go the distance without weathering, we'd also recommend using a sealer under your paint coats, and a clear spray acrylic on top.

Most ceramic pots in your garden are unglazed and aren't waterproof. Leaving your pots unsealed may result in your paint design blistering caused by the terracotta drawing moisture away from your plant's soil, so using a sealer will help improve the life of your pot and plant too! Using a clear acrylic spray as an overcoat will help give that added protection to your coloured paint.

The best paint for outdoor ceramic pots

The best acrylic paints for terracotta

This top-rated acrylics set on Amazon includes 60ml snap-on cap bottles with 20 different colours ranging through the whole spectrum. These paints are matte and quick-drying which'll blend smoothly for optimal coverage on your pot

This acrylic paint set doesn't only include a range of paint colours, but three brushes too to get started on your detailing and designs. This kit includes 12 colourful acrylic paints in 75ml tubes.

The best spray paints for easy coverage

With 42 colours to choose from, get your plant pots thoroughly coated and covered with ease and a smooth, durable finish. These paints are high-quality, fast-drying and guaranteed to coat your pots quick, especially helpful if you're looking to brighten your garden with matching coloured pots.

Wilko's own multi-surface spray paint is quick-drying, easy to use and comes in a range of colours with 17 available online. Tough and durable, you can use this paint on most interior and exterior surfaces so your pots don't need to be alone and can coordinate with other garden ornaments with this one can of paint.

The best sealers for paint longevity

This clear sealer from Plasti-Kote can be used as a base or top coat to help protect your paint from the weather and fading. With an easy-spray technology, you can get even coverage on your pot to seal out moisture and keep the long-lasting colour.

This water-based sealer, glue and finish is perfect for outdoor use and easy to apply with a brush for a basecoat for your pot. You can use it as a top coat finish too with several thin layers to help preserve your custom designs.

The best acrylic pens for detailing

This set of 18 colourful marker pens are easy to control, quick-drying and waterproof and can be used on everything from plant pots and pebbles to clothes and coffee mugs. They're also non-toxic, safe and kid-friendly, great for getting the whole family involved with crafting without the mess.

This set of 20 acrylic pens come in bright colours including 3 metallics if you want to give your plant pots that extra pizzazz. Quick-drying, the ink is UV-resistant and has a low-odour so you won't be put off by the fumes.

The best clear spray acrylics to seal

This clear spray paint is tough, hard-wearing, resistant to scratches and fast-drying in 30-50 minutes. It's also very UV absorbent, water-resistant and won't fade to yellow so your decorative pot can survive in its desired finish outside without trouble.

The perfect top coat to help your creative project last, this acrylic spray is quick-drying, durable, non-yellowing and will protect and enhance your design with a lasting, gloss finish.

The best epoxy for a glossy finish

You can use epoxy as a coloured coating on your terracotta pot to create a brilliantly glossy finish. Epoxy (or in full, Epoxy resin) is a two-component mix made up of a resin and a hardener. By simply mixing the two together, a chemical reaction causes the liquid resin to gradually harden into a solid plastic that'll form around the outside of your pot.

If you're painting terracotta pots with coloured epoxy resin for outdoor use, then using a sealer before painting them will help the epoxy last even longer.

You can also use a non-coloured epoxy resin over your acrylic painted ceramic to seal, strengthen and give your pot the same beautifully glossy look.

When using, make sure to cover any surrounding surfaces with plastic sheeting to avoid spillages, work in a ventilated space and wear PPE equipment including gloves, goggles and a mask.

This is definitely one for keen DIY-ers or those looking for a professional finish.

The easy-mix epoxy kit has everything you need to make your coating including instructions, disposable gloves, mixing stickers, measuring cups as well as the resin and hardener. Give it the full 24 hours to cure and you'll be left with a hard protective coating that's anti-scratch, anti-yellowing and high-shine.

This pack of 16 stunning colours will go a long way as the colours are concentrated and highly pigmented. These will give a more translucent appearance so we'd recommend a white base coat of acrylic to make the colours pop.

For a more opaque finish, we'd recommend using powders to create a solid colour to coat your ceramic pots. This pack of 25 skin safe powders can be used not just for epoxy colouring but for colouring soaps, candles, cosmetics and plastics too.

How to hand-paint outdoor ceramic pots

1. Soak your pot in warm water and scrub with a stiff brush to remove any dirt or residue before leaving to dry.

2. Next paint a base coat, thinned with a small amount of water or your sealer to help keep out moisture.

3. Once dry, apply additional coats until the desired colour has been achieved – the pot will absorb paint so a number of coats may be needed.

4. Make sure to paint a little into the inside of the pot for the illusion of a fully coloured pot, but don’t paint or cover the bottom as this will affect the drainage.

5. If you’re adding a design, make sure the undercoats are completely dry first before applying.

6. Once you’ve finished and the pot is completely dry, apply two coats of a clear, water-based spray acrylic or a sealant to seal the paint and protect your pot from the elements.

Want to paint a design that's relatively easy to achieve? There are 3 ways here that are super simple to follow for an effective finish:

Ceramic pot design inspiration

From looking online we found loads of inspiration on Instagram that'll help you decorate your existing pots, or new ones picked up from your local Garden Centre.

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Eleanor Weaver is a Commercial Content Writer for titles such as Yours, What’s The Best and Mother&Baby.

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