How to Cut a Terracotta Pot

Terracotta plant pots are quite sturdy, but they can unexpectedly break when you attempt to drill or cut them for projects like making a tandoor oven, crafting a garden lantern, building a home for frogs, or creating a magical fairy garden, among many other creative ideas. Before you start cutting your terracotta pot, read through the answers to the main questions below to increase your chances of a successful result rather than ending up with a pile of broken terracotta pieces!

Use a rotary saw (such as a Dremel) to cut small pots. While it's not as easy as cutting through butter, this method works effectively! You'll get the best results if you attach a diamond-cutting disc to your Dremel (or a similar rotary tool). Here are some important tips to keep in mind:

• Wear work gloves, safety glasses, and a dust mask.
• Soak the pot in water for 20 minutes to reduce dust while cutting. However, the cutting process will still create dust, so it’s best to do this outside.
• Use pliers to securely hold the pot (tight, but not too tight to avoid cracking!).
• Turn on the saw and gently touch the rotating blade to the pot. Apply even pressure instead of forcing the blade through the terracotta. Slowly cut into the surface and gradually move the saw along the cutting line.
• Occasionally water or spray the pot to prevent it from overheating.
• Use a 80-grit sanding block to carefully smooth any jagged edges along the cut line.

Avoid using electric saws or hand saws with serrated blades. The larger the teeth, the more likely they are to grip into the clay, potentially causing cracks or chips in the pot. Always choose cutting tools designed for grinding rather than those meant for gripping the material.

• Whether using a rotary saw, an angle grinder, or a hand saw, ensure you select a blade (such as a diamond blade or carbide saw blade) designed to grind through materials like concrete or glass.

Slowly guide the rotary saw blade or angle grinder around the pot. You can mark the cut line beforehand or cut freely, but make sure to cut at least 2.5 cm above the pot's base to reduce the risk of cracking. Score a shallow groove into the clay with the saw or grinder, rotate the pot slightly, score again, and continue cutting around the pot until the bottom separates.

• You may need to pass the saw blade 1-2 times around the pot if using an angle grinder, and 2-3 times if using a rotary saw.
• Secure the pot in a clamp for more precise cutting, or simply lay it on the ground if accuracy is not a major concern.

Yes – use a saw or angle grinder to score a cutting line and carefully split it apart. Draw a line to mark where you want to divide the pot, and secure the pot in a clamp with the base facing up. Gently press along the cutting line, applying consistent pressure. Cut into the terracotta to about half to two-thirds of the pot's thickness. The pot may naturally split once you've made the score, but if not, you can gently tap along the cut line with a rubber mallet or similar tool.

• If you cut the terracotta pot with a rotary saw or angle grinder, there’s a risk it may crack or break.
• The cut will not be perfectly clean, so be cautious of jagged edges.

Yes, you can carve designs using a rotary carving tool. Clean and soak the pot, then use a stencil or sketch your design by hand. Be sure to wear protective gear – gloves, safety goggles, and a mask – and turn on the rotary tool. Use a pencil-like carving bit to etch your design to your desired depth. Wipe off any dust with a clean cloth.

• Dremel is a well-known brand, but you can use other brands too.
• Consider clamping the pot into a vice to keep it steady while working.

Be cautious when drilling with a concrete drill bit, and gradually widen the hole using larger bits. Soak the clay pot in water for at least 20 minutes – even overnight – to soften the clay and reduce dust. Apply masking tape in an X shape on the point where you need to drill. Attach the smallest concrete drill bit to your drill and slowly drill through the clay, applying just enough pressure to prevent the bit from bouncing.

• Use a slightly larger drill bit to make the hole bigger if needed, and continue with progressively larger bits until the hole is the desired size.
• Wear safety glasses and work gloves in case the pot breaks.
• Allow the drill bit to do the work itself – pushing too hard could cause the pot to crack!

Use a wooden dowel and hammer to control the breakage more precisely. Wear safety glasses, gloves, boots, and long-sleeved clothing to protect yourself from flying clay shards. Hold the wooden dowel against the inner side of the pot where you want the break to occur. Strike the opposite side of the dowel with the hammer. Chances are, you’ll get at least one large piece and several smaller fragments.

• Cover the pot with a cloth to prevent shards from scattering.
• You might wonder why someone would intentionally break a clay pot, but there are countless creative possibilities with broken pieces – for instance, creating a fairy garden inside a broken pot, which is becoming quite popular!
• If you're planning to make a fairy garden, consider breaking one side of the pot and leaving the bottom intact.

Fill the pot with broken pieces, soil, plants, and miniature fairy garden decorations. Start by adding soil to the broken pot, filling it about a quarter full, then arrange the broken pieces of the pot (clay fragments) and add more soil to form walls, slopes, and spiral staircases. Add a few bonsai plants (such as baby flowers or succulents), miniature houses, fairy tale castles, or anything else you like.

• You can buy miniature decorations online, in home decor shops, or even at aquarium supply stores.
• Search online for 'fairy garden accessories' to find inspiration. You’ll come across some really cool things!

Don’t throw away those broken clay pieces – find creative ways to repurpose them! If your clay pot shattered into small fragments that can’t be used for a fairy garden, consider other ways to reuse them. For example, you can place the broken pieces at the bottom of a plant pot to improve drainage, or scatter them around the base of a tree to prevent squirrels from digging holes.

• Fragments from the lip of the pot can be used as unique plant markers – write the names of each plant on a piece of broken clay and stick it into the soil.
• Be careful, as the broken pieces can be sharp!