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Turn a Woven Basket Into a Pretty Planter
You’ve seen it on all your favorite design sites and in catalogs: a wicker basket as a planter. But water + natural woven fibers = leaks and a rotten mess in short order. Learn how to protect your pricey basket while still achieving a trendy look with our waterproofing tips.
Photo by: Sarah Busby; Styling by H. Camille Smith
Sarah Busby; Styling by H. Camille Smith
Materials Needed
- large natural woven basket
- multi-surface waterproofing spray (we used Thompson's WaterSeal)
- drop cloth, newspaper or old shipping cardboard to protect work surface
- heavy-duty outdoor trash bag
- hot glue gun and glue sticks
- plastic plant liner tray a bit smaller than your chosen basket
- potted plant
The key to keeping your basket looking its best for many seasons to come is to protect the natural fibers (which are essentially dried grass) from moisture, both when you’re watering your plant and from the elements. Follow our steps, below, to seal the basket, both inside and out, so it can keep its good looks longer.
Photo by: Sarah Busby; Styling by H. Camille Smith
Sarah Busby; Styling by H. Camille Smith
Spray Basket
Thoroughly spray the basket’s exterior with the waterproofing spray (Image 1), then give the basket’s interior a through coat of spray (Image 2). Allow to dry, following manufacturer’s recommended cure time.
Sarah Busby
Sarah Busby
Line Basket
When exposed to water, natural woven materials break down quickly so to further protect the basket — especially from puddles due to overwatering, line the interior with a heavy-duty outdoor trash bag. First, add a circle of hot glue to the bottom of the basket (Image 1), then press the bag's bottom into the glue. Pull the remainder of the trash bag up and cut off most of the excess to make fitting it easier (Image 2). Add an inner ring of hot glue just a bit below the basket's top (Image 3), then push the bag into the glue and cut off the excess (Image 4). Voila: a perfectly lined basket (Image 5).
Sarah Busby
Sarah Busby
Sarah Busby
Sarah Busby
Sarah Busby
Add Plant
For a final layer of protection, drop a plastic plant tray into the basket's bottom (Image 1), then add your potted plant (Image 2). Note: Using the basket as a cachepot, or overpot, instead of planting directly into the basket itself will both further protect the woven material while making it easy to swap out plants at will.
Sarah Busby
Sarah Busby
Display With Pride
Display your weatherproofed basket-style planter on your front porch, patio or any interior space. Plants that spill over the basket's sides, like the calibrachoa and petunias we chose, are particularly attractive and draw attention to the basket's woven texture.
Photo by: Sarah Busby; Styling by H. Camille Smith
Sarah Busby; Styling by H. Camille Smith
