If you’re anything like me and love experimenting with concrete, you’re going to love this project! This time, I ditched traditional molds and tried something unexpected—a chip bag, the same one that once held my questionable midnight snack choices. Weird? Maybe. But trust me, it totally works! The result is a rugged, stylish vase with a unique texture, perfect for succulents, dried flowers, or fresh blooms. And the best part? You can customize it with pigments, gold leaf, or leave it raw for that cool industrial look. Who knew that my love for snacks and DIY could finally come together so perfectly?
Key Takeaways
- Chip bags make surprisingly great concrete molds – flexible, sturdy, and give a cool organic texture.
- A plastic bottle creates the perfect vase opening – just make sure it’s much narrower than the bag.
- Tying a string around the middle adds a sculpted, rustic touch.
- Customize it with pigment or gold leaf – or keep it raw for an industrial vibe.
- Let the concrete cure fully before decorating – patience = no cracks!
What You’ll Need
This is what I’ve used for one vase:
- A chip bag (mine was a 70g size)
- 1 plastic bottle (250ml)
- 750g cement
- 750g sand
- 370ml water
- 2 teaspoons blue pigment (optional)
- String or rope
- Gold leaf & PVA glue
- Sandpaper (or a sanding machine if you have one)
- Soft and stiff brushes
Step-by-Step Instructions
In a large container, mix cement and sand in a 1:1 ratio. Slowly add water while stirring like a mad scientist until you get a thick, smooth paste—think pancake batter but way less appetizing. If you want a colored vase, stir in the pigment and mix well. No streaks allowed! If you're going for classic gray, congrats—you’ve embraced minimalism.
Carefully fill the empty chip bag two-thirds full with cement. This leaves space for the bottle. Also, try not to spill the cement all over the kitchen counter (I definitely didn’t do that… okay, maybe a little).
Place the bottle in the center, gently pressing it into the cement. Fill it with water or sand to keep it from floating up like it’s trying to escape your DIY project. Wrap a piece of string around the middle and tie it tight. This gives the vase a slimmer neck and makes it look more intentional instead of just “Hey, I poured cement into a chip bag”.
Now, let it sit for 24 hours. Don’t poke it, don’t move it—just pretend it doesn’t exist.
Carefully peel away the chip bag and remove the bottle. If you want to use the vase for fresh flowers, you can cut off the top of the bottle and leave it inside. If you prefer dried flowers, just yank it out completely.
Let the vase dry for another 8 hours before sanding. Use sandpaper or a sanding machine to smooth any rough spots—unless you like your home decor to have an aggressive personality.
Apply two coats of primer, letting each dry before moving on.
Now for the fun part! Apply PVA glue to the top edges, the indentation from the string, and any cool textured spots. Then, press gold leaf sheets onto the glue and smooth them with a soft brush.
Wait an hour, then distress the gold using a stiff brush. Think of it like exfoliating your vase—except way fancier.
So, here is what I've got.
I've made two vases, they looks great together.
Video Tutorial
Final Thoughts: From Trash to Treasure
And just like that—you’ve turned an empty chip bag into a designer-looking concrete vase. Who knew my snacking habits would finally lead to something productive? The contrast between raw concrete and gold accents makes it feel like modern art—which is ironic considering it started as a bag of chips. If you love succulents, dried flowers, or rustic decor, this is an easy DIY worth trying.