How To Drill a Plant Drainage Hole

Making sure your pot has a drainage hole is a MUST when it comes to houseplants. One of the mistakes I made early on in my plant parent days was thinking I could just put rocks in the bottom of a pot and water carefully, but I’ve since learned that a drainage hole for your plants is nonnegotiable. 

Everyone on the internet said it would work, and there were so many cute pots with no drainage that I thought that it wouldn’t be a big deal. 

I Was Wrong!

Most of those plants ended up dying, or suffered extreme root rot. After root rot, there’s really no saving the mother plant, and you’ll be forced to chop and prop. 

This is why I usually only purchase pots with a drainage hole, and use pots without a hole as a decorative cover pot.

Over the past year, I’ve started drilling my own drainage holes and it has been a…

Game Changer!

I love thrifting, buying local pottery, and building a diverse pot collection.

There’s just something so satisfying about pairing a plant with the perfect pot. 

Here’s a summary of the steps:

1. Use a masonry drill bit

2. Fill a bowl with enough water to cover the pottery

3. Put a towel under the pottery

4. Drill slowly and carefully

So far, I’ve had a 100% success rate, and I’ve used this method to drill holes in glazed, unglazed, and even milk glass vessels. However, you should always exercise caution when drilling; wear eye protection, take your time, and don’t risk damaging sentimental pieces. 

Step 1: Gather your tools 

You will need the following items:

• Electric drill
• Masonry drill bit (VERY IMPORTANT)
• Large bowl
• Towel

Why you need a masonry drill bit:

This is the most important part. Masonry drill bits are designed to penetrate hard materials like concrete, stone, glass, etc. I use this set that I got on Amazon, and it has worked like a dream every time. If you don’t use a masonry drill bit then you risk shattering your pottery or being unable to penetrate it.

Step 2: Submerge

Get a bowl large enough to submerge your pottery, and fill it with water. Place a towel or washcloth at the bottom of the bowl, and put your pottery (bottom side up) on top of the towel. You may need to let water run under/inside the pot so that it doesn’t float. 

Why water and towel?

The water will help absorb the heat generated when you’re drilling, which relieves stress on the piece. The towel helps distribute the force and prevents damage to the top of the pot. These are both important steps that help prevent cracking.

Step 3: Drill

With my impact drill on the lowest setting. I slowly and carefully drill down on the pot. I usually start with a smaller bit, and then move onto a larger one. Go as slow/fast as you feel necessary while applying downward pressure. Periodically give the pottery a quick break, and use a cup to wash fresh water over the drainage hole in progress.

Eventually, you’ll break through and water will bubble out; that’s when you know you’ve made it. Now, just work on expanding the hole, and you’re all done. 

It’s that easy, and now you can add drainage holes to all of your beautiful pottery!

If you have any questions, shoot me a message in the comments, and I’ll do my best to help you out. 

Also, check out my tiktok for more planty content. 

Happy planting!

Check out more of my favorite products here!

Disclosure: PlantyFriend.com may get commissions for purchases made through links on this website. Don’t worry though, we only post links to items we love!