Planter to Umbrella Stand DIY

Yes you guessed it it's time for another DIY. 

Our old umbrella stand was originally meant to be used along with a table and since the table is long gone it hasn't been in use for years. Even then it wasn't quite heavy enough for some of those windier days and we used to use large rocks to help keep it firmly planted on the ground. It wasn't the most beautiful solution but it worked. 

Originally I had hoped to maybe use it somehow but it was only about 30 pounds. I really wanted to be able to make use of our old umbrella for some much needed shade but I didn't want to spend too much since the umbrella was just as old as the stand.

Before...

So of course, you probably know were this is going.  After a whole lot of searching threw online pictures I had an idea.  We still had two tall planters that were currently empty and could do with a good cleaning and maybe some paint to give them a refresh. What if I could somehow add some weight and support for the umbrella and use the container as a stand?  

 What I was eventually able to find was some inexpensive ready to mix concrete mix at our local hardware store.  Then we went over to our local Re-store in search for a pipe to use for the center.  All in all spending just under $10.00.  

I began by giving the container a good cleaning and then left it to dry in the sun. Once dry I placed an old plastic placemat at the bottom that I had cut to cover the drainage holes.  I taped the pipe in the center of the pot and began to mix the cement. Unfortunately I didn't have a large bucket to mix the cement in so I had to make due by mixing a little at a time. However part way through I did run into a bit of a problem.  Moisture had somehow penetrated the bag and I was left with a good size chunk of cement. With the help of a hammer I was able to chisel it down a bit and place it in the container along with the rest of the mix. Problem solved.

 Since this was my first time doing this type of DIY I wasn't quite sure how high the cement would fill the container so I had gathered rocks and set them aside just in case.  When I was done adding the cement I felt it still needed a bit more stability so I added a layer of rocks to the top while the cement was still wet. 

After several days of drying time, I again cleaned up the pot and used some left over low VOC outdoor paint (a dark blue black) to freshen it up.  It took two coats but I think it looks much better. The pot at this point weighs somewhere around 70-75 pounds and there is enough room at the top to add more rocks for additional weight or even some small pots with plants.

After......

When I set it up yesterday I added even more rocks and placed the umbrella in the center and opened it up to provide some shade.  

It's been a bit breezy today and it hasn't moved, so I think I will consider this one a win.  

As for that second old container, I cleaned that up too and gave it a couple of coats of the same dark blue black paint. Adding a smaller container of  flowers set just inside.