Ever bought something on a trip that seemed perfect at the time, only to get home and realize… yeah, not so much? That’s exactly what happened to me with a set of metal camping mugs.
We were on vacation in the mountains, and my kids insisted we needed these rugged mugs with motivational quotes. I agreed—why not? It felt like the perfect souvenir, a little piece of the trip to take home. But once we got back, reality hit. No one used them. They just sat in the cabinet, taking up space and collecting dust.
Throwing them out felt wasteful. But then I had an idea—what if I turned one into a wall-mounted planter? Something that would actually do something instead of just sitting around. And the best way to make it sturdy and stylish? Cement. So I got to work.
This project turned out to be super simple and surprisingly fun. If you’ve got an old mug lying around, follow along—I’ll show you exactly how to turn it into a unique wall decoration and planter using basic materials you probably already have.
What You’ll Need
You don’t need anything fancy for this, just a few common materials:
- A pizza box (or any sturdy box to act as a mold)
- 2 kg of cement
- 2 kg of sand
- 1.2 liters of water
- Acrylic paints (black and white)
- Packing tape (for reinforcement)
- A hot glue gun
- Drinking straws (to create holes for hanging)
- An old metal mug (or any mug you don’t mind repurposing)
- Thick rope (for hanging)
Step by Step Tutorial
First, I needed a sturdy mold to hold the cement while it set. Instead of building one from scratch, I realized a pizza box was perfect. It was already the right size and shape, and the thick cardboard meant I didn’t have to do much reinforcement.
Strengthen the box by taping the edges and corners to prevent leaks.
Line the inside walls with packing tape—this helps create smoother edges when the cement sets.
Cut a drinking straw into two short pieces and glue them where the rope holes will go. This makes it easy to hang later.
Position the mug inside the box. Since I wanted it at a slight tilt, I built a small support out of rolled-up tape and glued it in place. Secure the mug with a hot glue gun—attach the bottom to the cardboard and the top to the support.
For my 22×31 cm pizza box, I used: 2 kg of cement, 2 kg of sand, 1.2 liters of water. Pour the cement mixture slowly into the box, making sure it spreads evenly. Let a bit of cement flow inside the mug—this will help it stay firmly in place. Gently tap and shake the box on the table to release air bubbles.
Leave the mold undisturbed for at least 24 hours to fully set. The next day, I carefully peeled away the cardboard to reveal my creation. It was solid and heavy—just what I wanted.
But the edges were a little rough, so I smoothed them out with sandpaper.
Prime the surface with two coats of primer.
To give it a stone-like texture, I wrapped the mug in plastic and sprayed black acrylic paint over the cement surface.
Then, I did the same with white paint to add depth.
I threaded the rope through the straw holes and tied double knots for extra security. I filled the mug with artificial flowers, though you could totally use it as a mini planter for succulents or small real plants.
I also used a black marker to draw a simple border design around the edges—it added a nice finishing touch.
Final thoughts
What started as an unused souvenir turned into a unique, functional piece of wall art. And the best part? It’s sturdy enough for both indoor and outdoor use. It’s a nice addition to cement vases I’ve made from chips packages. Upcycling, right?!
This DIY was easier than I expected, and now I’m already thinking about what else I can make with cement. Maybe a matching cement shelf? A cool doorstop? So many ideas!