Homeowners who have chipped terra cotta pots, or another chipped terra cotta structure may want to find ways to fix it themselves before contacting a professional. There are easy ways to fix it either temporarily or permanently before contacting someone about Terracotta Repair in Chicago IL.
Silicone Caulking Technique
This works for structures that have small to medium size cracks.
1. Clean off and wash the structure.
2. Once it’s cleaned and dry, use a thin shim to pry the crack open.
3. Apply water-proof silicone to caulk it.
4. Take the shim out and wrap the wire around it to hold it together.
5. Use pliers to tie the ends of the wires together until they’re closed and held tight.
6. Allow it to dry completely according to the instructions provided.
7. Remove the wire.
8. Scrape away extra silicone carefully if needed.
Wire the Crack
This technique is a little harder, but it lasts forever. It requires a drill, a 1/8 inch masonry drill bit and wire that won’t rust – usually made out of brass or copper. 1. Bind or wrap the top and bottom of the pot with twine, and wrap it around the circumference to hold it together. 2. Carefully use the drill to make a hole in each side of the crack. Be careful not to exert too much pressure. The holes should be about 1/2 of an inch away from the crack. 3. If the crack is long, drill more holes down the length of it. Space each one about 2 1/2 inches to 4 inches apart. 4. Thread a short length of wire into one set of opposing holes with loose ends on the inside of the pot. 5. Use pliers to twist the ends of the wire together until they’re tight. Flatten them out against the side of the pot.
These techniques will repair chips in any terra cotta structure. Considering the cost of these structures, it’s worth it for homeowners to try to fix them themselves first. If these techniques don’t work, consider contacting a terra cotta specialist. Homeowners can visit website domain or other websites to find more information on how to repair terra cotta.
