Concrete Planter - 3D Printing Build

Concrete Planter - 3D Printing Build

Introduction

I wanted to update the planter I had in my office-- it's basic and white and not of my own creation and that was going to change this month. I am really into concrete these days and it looks great on a white desk so I designed the planter to be either 3D printed or made out of concrete using a 3D printed mold. I will cover instructions for both methods below. The planter is specifically for a fake plant, and not intended to keep any real plants alive. 

What You Will Need

Any/all necessary protective equipment.

https://kit.com/adylinn/concrete-planter-3d-printing-build

*Links provided are affiliate links if used to purchase something may provide Adylinn Studio a small commission.

3D Printed Parts (Choose 1)

Concrete Mold (~9 hours @ 60 mm/s) - follow option 1 instructions

• Filament choice not important

• 0.2mm or greater layer height

• 10% infill (I chose fast honeycomb pattern)

• Support not required

3D Printed Planter Only (~11 hours @ 60 mm/s) - follow option 2 instructions

• Filament choice not really important

• 0.2mm layer height

• 20% infill 

• Support optional

Option 2: Creating the Concrete Planter

• Gather some cups of water for the concrete mix, I used slightly less than 2 solo cups of water.

• Start by mixing the water and concrete together in a bucket or container of your choice. I like to mix a full cup of concrete with a quarter cup of water and slowly add more to the mixture. 4 cups or so of concrete should be sufficient. You want the consistency to be a little more liquidy than cake batter so add the water slowly if its starting out too liquid.

• Mix thoroughly.

• Spray inside of mold with cooking spray. 

• Pour concrete into mold. Be sure to fill to the top edge.

• Shake the planter gently or use an orbital sander to vibrate the sides of the mold to release any bubbles in the mold. 

• I sprayed a small piece of scrap wood with cooking spray and set it on top of the hole so the base would be flat. 

• Let the concrete harden over the next 48 hours.

• At this point you should break apart the plastic mold to retrieve the concrete. This can be a little tricky - I used a box cutter blade, and a few other hand tools to break apart the plastic. Try not to put too much force on the concrete as it might chip or break.

• Once your concrete planter is out you can paint or use as-is. 

• Add your fake greenery of choice and enjoy!

Option 1: Finishing 3D Printed Planter

• Remove any support material if it was used.

• Start by sanding down each outer portion of the printed parts – starting with 120 and slowly progressing up to 320 (or higher if desired).

• Using a lightly damp cloth, wipe down sanded parts to remove any dust

• Apply 1-2 coats of primer.

• Lightly sand down dry primed parts with 600+ grit sandpaper

• Using a lightly damp cloth, wipe down sanded parts to remove any dust

• Apply 2-3 coats of paint to the planter.

• Apply 1-2 coats of clear coat.

Thanks for taking the time to explore the project, I hope you try it and if you do I’d love to hear your feedback and see pictures of your build!