Broken pottery can be repurposed in various creative ways. From mosaic art projects to garden decorations, fragments of shattered pottery can be transformed into beautiful new creations. Consider using them as decorative pieces in your garden, creating mosaic tabletops, or even fashioning unique jewelry items.
27 Things You Can Do With Your Broken Pots and Planters
Broken pots and planters don’t have to go to waste. You can give them a new lease on life with a sprinkle of creativity. Here are 27 ideas to inspire your next DIY project:
- Mosaic Artwork: Use the shards to create colorful mosaics on tabletops, coasters, or wall art.
- Garden Markers: Label your plants using a sharpie on a shard.
- Jagged Fairy Gardens: Use broken pots as layers for magical fairy gardens.
- Candle Holders: Embed larger pieces in cement to create rustic candle holders.
- Jewelry: Craft unique earrings, pendants, or brooches.
- Stepping Stones: Embed pieces in stepping stones for a decorative garden path.
- Decorative Edging: Line flower beds with pottery shards.
- Wall Art: Design intricate wall pieces for outdoor or indoor spaces.
- Photo Frames: Decorate frames with tiny pottery pieces.
- Mirror Accents: Create mosaic patterns around mirrors.
- Keychains: Attach a pottery shard to a chain for a unique key holder.
- Drainage: Use smaller fragments at the bottom of plant pots for improved drainage.
- Garden Path: Mix shards with gravel for a twinkling garden path.
- Wind Chimes: Hang pieces to create a melodic garden wind chime.
- Fridge Magnets: Glue a magnet to the back of a decorated shard.
- Pot Stands: Lay out the shards as a base for other pots.
- Desk Organizers: Embed pieces in clay or cement bases to separate pens and tools.
- Decorative Bowls: Use shards to create a mosaic bowl.
- Paperweights: Embed in clear resin for a chic desk paperweight.
- Garden Totems: Stack several shards to craft a garden totem.
- Ornaments: Paint and hang shards as unique Christmas ornaments.
- Suncatchers: Create stunning suncatchers by hanging translucent pieces.
- Bookends: Embed large pieces in cement to make stylish bookends.
- Garden Sculptures: Assemble shards into abstract or figurative sculptures.
- Pincushions: Embed in small cushions to keep pins in place.
- Centerpieces: Craft a unique centerpiece for your dining table.
- Outdoor Plant Shelves: Use larger broken pieces as shelves for smaller plants.
With inspiration and creativity, broken pots and planters can be the foundation for countless new projects. Don’t toss them; transform them!
Can broken pottery be recycled?
Broken pottery can be recycled but is only widely accepted at some facilities. Some construction recycling or gravel yards may take ceramics, and a recycling locator can help find the most suitable location for recycling broken ceramics. Ceramic is fundamentally recyclable, similar to other household products, and businesses have been known to crush bathroom porcelain into fine particles for reuse.
Are there any creative ways to repurpose broken pottery?
There are several creative ways to repurpose broken pottery, such as making mosaics, upcycling them into something new, creating a tabletop or stepping stones, making a serving tray, or building a fairy garden.
Is there a specific technique to use when repairing broken pottery?
The traditional technique for repairing broken pottery is called Kintsugi, which uses lacquer and gold to join the fragments. Other materials, such as epoxy, clear glue, and cold glaze, can also be used. The Japanese version of this technique uses a special lacquer mixed with gold, silver, or platinum.
Are there any environmental concerns with throwing broken pottery in the trash?
Throwing broken pottery in the trash can pose environmental concerns due to recycling issues and hazards, energy consumption and emissions, toxic chemicals, and lead exposure. Ceramics are made from clay and can take thousands of years to decompose, so throwing them in the trash is not recommended. There is no known safe level of carcinogen exposure, so avoiding throwing ceramics in the garbage or compost heap is best.
Are there any organizations or businesses that specialize in upcycling broken pottery?
Several organizations and businesses, such as Etsy, The East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse, UpCycle Creative Reuse Center, and Japanese social enterprise Rewilder, specialize in upcycling broken pottery.
