DIY: Modular Geometric Concrete Planters

These easy to make modular concrete planters are inspired by 3 of my favorite things: geometric designs, concrete as a creative material, and the tapestry of living walls.

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Each concrete planter module is created from the shape of an equilateral triangle, the magical geometry which allows a group of modules endless possibilities of forming new shapes and patterns.

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*Some resources in article are affiliate links. Full disclosure here.

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Materials and tools:

  • pourable concrete mix, such as Quikrete 3000lb (used here) or 5000lb.
  • cardboard or thick card stock for making the molds
  • template for the molds, formatted  for 8.5″x11″ – download template (if you have trouble, , might be a browser issue, please ask friends to download and email to you! it works , thousands of downloads already)
  • plastic containers to mix concrete, plastic bags for curing concrete
  • box cutter or scissors, glue and tape for the molds
  • gloves, dust mask

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Step 1:

Print and cut out the template , trace onto cardboard, and cut out the inner and outer molds for the number of concrete planters you plan to make. The template for the outer mold on page 2 is larger than 8.5″x11″, so rotate it when you trace to complete the shape. Score, fold and tape each mold with scotch tape or masking tape. Fold 3/8″ wide strips of cardboard into triangular shapes and glue them to the inside bottom of the outer molds. These will function as drain holes and openings for hanging later.

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Step 2:

Screen those really big chunks of aggregates out of the Quikrete 3000lb mix- a plastic nursery pot works great, and leave some small aggregates for strength. Mix the concrete following the proportions recommended on the bag, using the screened concrete as if it is the original mix. Wear dust mask and gloves when working with concrete.

Pour the mix into the outer mold till it’s level with the triangular pieces, then place the inner mold inside, making sure it is centered. Pour the walls using a Popsicle stick to help pushing the mixture down. apieceofrainbow9-38Wapieceofrainbow9-36W apieceofrainbow9-37W

Step 3:

Let the concrete planters stay in the molds and cure for at least 3 days by misting them daily and wrapping them in plastic bags. This is a very important step to ensure that the concrete hardens as much as possible so they don’t chip or break. The more moisture you can keep in the plastic bag the better.

After day 3, take the concrete planters out of the molds. Since concrete is very alkaline and that can be a set back for plant growth, soak them in a tub of water for a day and let dry. I decided to paint the edges with gold acrylic paint for an added sense of mystery. apieceofrainbow9-39Wapieceofrainbow9-14Wapieceofrainbow9-20W

Now we are ready to plant. Succulents are great because they are easy to care for. Give the plants a couple of weeks to form roots that hold the soil in, and now we can hang or stack these planters to create our own mini vertical gardens! To create a pattern on the wall, use the template to mark where the 3 openings on the bottom of each planter are, and use 1 or 2 nail / screw for each planter depending on the pattern you want to create.apieceofrainbow9-21W

A few tips on maintenance: each week take these concrete planters out and water them thoroughly, let them get some sun and fresh air. The best way is to make twice as many and rotate them so they get to spend half the time outdoors or by a sunny window. apieceofrainbow9-15Wapieceofrainbow9-7w

Easy to make DIY concrete geometric planters! You can make stackable gardens or even living walls with them! | A Piece of Rainbow

Download the free template here-

If you love the idea of DIY creative wall decor, please check out a couple of other projects here-

Make Beachy Picture Frames from Fence wood

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DIY Hanging Wall Vasesapieceofrainbow4-1w

DIY Designer Switchplates apieceofrainbow7-1w

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46 Comments

  2. Hey,
    they look awesome, and I want to make some..
    But I have 1 question: How many can you make from the instructions?

  3. They’re just beautiful…I love my succulents! And to display them in shapes (I’ll probably stick to my earth tones, like adobe…) is a wonderful idea, but the download link no longer works…just opens up the same page in another tab. Have tried three browsers… 🙁 I may have to try and blunder through unless someone could email them to me or fix the link.

  4. Hi Ananda, I just wanted to let you know that this is one of the party features at The Makers going on right now! Thank you so much for sharing your creativity with 🙂 Don’t forget to grab a button and we hope to see you again this week!

    ~Katie

  10. Ananda, these planters are awesome! I never would have thought of hanging concrete on the wall in an application like this, very creative girl! Love it!

  12. This is such a brilliant and beautiful idea. I just wan to know how to attach to the wall once plants and soil are in?

    Thank you!

    • thank you ceferino! To hang the planters, use the template page 2, and mark where each drain hole opening is. Use one to two nails or screws for each planter depending on the pattern you create. These planters are not heavy and hung quite easily.
      have fun!

  17. This completely caught my eye: gorgeous DIY complimented by beautiful pictures. This is also a project I could do this summer while at my parents’ place (they are lucky and have a garden)! Thank you for the inspiration 🙂

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