DIY Concrete Planter with Fiber-Reinforced Concrete

A 5-gallon bucket and a few pounds of SureCrete’s XS or D-FRC concrete mixes are used to create a brilliantly simple planter. The fiber-reinforced concrete mix is pressed into a bucket at 1/2″ – 3/4″ thickness and allowed to cure overnight before demolding.

What You’ll Need

Paddle Mixer
17- or 25-Gallon Mixing Bucket
Alpha VSP-120 Concrete Polisher
SureCrete XS Casting Blend or D-FRC Casting Blend
SureCrete Modifier
CX SmartColor Pigment

Step 1 – Hand-Pack

Begin by placing handfuls of properly mixed XS or D-FRC fiber-reinforced concrete at the bottom of the bucket.
A drain hole can be created using a cork or a rubber knockout as shown in this example.
Pack handfuls of material up the side walls, about 1/4″ in thickness.
Carefully build up the side walls. Adding too much concrete at one time will cause the walls to slump down.
When the concrete has reached the desired thickness and height, smooth the inside with your hands.

Step 2 – Demold

After the concrete has cured, it can be removed from the bucket.
Pry the walls of the bucket away from the concrete to break the seal. Turn the bucket over and the weight of the piece should let it drop out easily.

Step 3 – Grind and Polish

The rim of the planter can be smoothed using diamond hand sanding pads or an orbital polisher.
Draw a line evenly around the rim and use it as a guide to polish down to.

Step 4 – Finished Planter

The finished planter can be used indoors or outdoors.