Years of hanging out in the yard leaves pots with a mottled finish that’s easy to replicate on new clay containers. To prep pots for all projects, remove debris with a damp cloth.

Speckled effect  (Pot at left in top photo) Mix one cup of garden lime with one cup of water to make a paste; apply a heavy layer using a foam brush. Let dry. Rub with fine sandpaper to take off enough of the resulting grit to achieve desired appearance. Resources Garden lime Mayville pulverized lime. Menards. menards.com [1]

Chipped charm (Pots in middle of top photo) A worn paint job gives pots casual color. Apply a coat of acrylic paint to the outside of a container. When almost dry (sticky to the touch), use coarse sandpaper to partially remove paint and form streaks. Stop there, or repeat the process with a darker shade for a two-tone makeover. Resources Paint colors (Top pot) 6464 Aloe and 6939 Turquish. (Bottom pot) 6464 Aloe and 6964 Pulsating Blue. Sherwin-Williams. (800) 474-3794; sherwin-williams.com [2] 

Tough texture (Pot at right in top photo) A roughed-up surface brings character to plain pots. To start, apply a water-based primer and white acrylic paint to the outside of a pot, drying between coats. Add clear crackle medium with a foam brush. This creates uneven texture. A layer of oil-based dark wood stain (photo at left) highlights bumps and ridges. Resources Crackle medium Delta Creative. Hobby Lobby. (800) 888-0321; hobbylobby.com [3] Stain Wood Classics Charcoal oil stain. Sherwin-Williams. (800) 474-3794; sherwin-williams.com [2]

To protect finishes, spray the outside of pots with a clear enamel topcoat to seal. Also spray the insides to prevent moisture absorption when watering plants. Resources Clear topcoat Painter’s Touch Ultra Cover 2X clear matte. Rust-oleum. (877) 385-8155; rustoleum.com [4]

For detailed instructions on creating these weathered garden pots, watch a how-to video at midwestliving.com/diypots [5].