How to Make a Toad House from a Clay Pot

I love to garden so much and I love my dogs so much. And my dog Ollie loved being outside SO MUCH. So last year in his final few months I spent every day that I could outside with him. Over those many, many days I dug up 4 different flower beds around my backyard. Including a MASSIVE bed that runs the either width of the back fence and comes out into the lawn in a curving 6 and 10 feet. It was an absolute ton of work because I had to remove really thick and healthy grass.

Now that I had tons of loose soil in the backyard I also had quite a few toads living in the yard. Time to make a toad house or two from clay pots!

But First, Toads and Dogs

So I obviously have both toads and dogs but there is a problem… Toads are toxic to dogs. If your dog gets a hold of a toad they might start foaming at the mouth and retching and it can be quite scary.

Because I garden so much toads are just going to be a part of my backyard fauna. And so when I do see a toad outside I train my dogs around it and know they are to “leave it”. I also am installing a short garden fence around my biggest garden to keep the dogs away from where I have a few toads sleep during the day.

When you have both toads and pets living together do what you can to keep them away from each other. And in the event your dog gets a toad anyway, learn about the signs, symptoms and what to do if your dog manages to get a hold of a toad in this article about Toad Poisoning in Dogs from the ASPCA.

How Does a Toad House Work?

Toads naturally like to hide away in the ground during the day to avoid the heat. If you’re a gardener you’ve probably been started by a sleeping toad in the middle of the day. They like to burrow in the cool ground and you find them under wood, rocks, and sometimes just dug into the dirt. In fact, I have to be careful digging around in the flower pots all around the back porch because toads have taken to sleeping in the ones lower to the ground during the day!

A toad house is a great place a toad with an excellent place to sleep because it provides a little extra shade and safety. If you have toads in your yard one of them will most definitely move into your DIY toad house!

What Size Should a Toad House Be?

A good size for a toad house is 4″ to 6″ wide at the base. If you have smaller toads a 4″ house is fantastic for them. If you get some big mamas who have learned your garden is the place to be and have gotten big and fat, a 6″ pot will work better. Smaller than 4″ is really too small and larger than 6″ is too big. A toad will want to be nice and snug so keep that in mind when choosing an item to turn into a toad house.

Where Should I Put a Toad House?

Because toads hole away during the day to keep cool, putting your DIY toad house in the shade is a must. Even if your garden gets full sun most of the day, find a little place behind a shrub, for example, that will provide some shade in the hotter afternoon.

If you have an area that is nearby a place that is naturally wet it’s a great place for your toad house because a toad’s got to get a drink once in a while! My parents have a natural spring in their backyard which makes it easy to find a place to put a toad house on their heavily treed lot. Since I don’t have anything like that, I bury something shallow nearby that can collect water or place toad houses near gutter downspouts.

Once you find your spot loosen the soil and then twist the toad house down into it about a quarter to a half an inch to be sure it stays put.

Can I Make a Toad House from Something Besides a Clay Pot?

Your garden toad isn’t really going to live “in” your DIY toad house as much as beneath it. A toad will still bury himself in the dirt below but he’ll have the added cool comfort and protection of the toad house.

I really prefer clay pots because they provide good insulation to keep a toad nice and cool during the hot days and because they are really inexpensive. If you want to make your toad house from something else you can also use ceramic pots, or something plastic you also cover with stones.

I’ve seen coffee cans mentioned but remember a part of what a toad needs is a cool place to get out of the heat of the day and metal quickly becomes hot.

DIY Cheap Toad Houses

Part of why I love this project is because I love the outdoors and gardening and my backyard toads.

The other reason why I love it is because it’s super cute and SUPER cheap. Most of what I needed for this project came straight out of the craft stash. In fact, I only purchased the pot and the stones at a cost of $2.34.

When shopped around for the best price, and not counting the cost of glue and craft paint which most of us already have in our stashes, the cost for one toad house is only $10.06 plus tax.

• 6″ Terra Cotta Flower Pot, Walmart $1.98
• Bag of Stones, Walmart $0.99
• Jennifer’s Mosaic Grout, Hobby Lobby $4.99 – Enough to easily make a dozen toad houses, FYI.
• One package FIMO Soft Clay, Michael’s $2.10 (with 30% off coupon)

How to Save Old Dry Polymer Clay

Polymer clay is one of those craft supplies that doesn’t really go bad. Unless it’s stored in high heat which can make it partially or fully cure and ruin it. It can dry out and become pretty crumbly but that just means it’s not as easy to work with as new clay, but it’s not ruined… In fact, the clay I used for this project is at least 4 years old. But I made it work :) Dug some clay out of the craft stash but can’t use it? Here a few ways of how to fix old polymer clay:

Warm Up then Work Out

Sometimes all your clay needs is a little bit of a warm massage to get working. Take the clay and close your hands around it. The warmth from your body will help to soften it up a bit. While it is warm begin kneading the clay to start making it workable. Alternate warming and kneading the dough until it’s the right texture.

Pros: Doesn’t cost anything to try. Cons: Wont’ work for extremely old clay. Takes some time. Can be tough on arthritic hands.

Smash it Up!

Place your clay inside of a ZipLoc style FREEZER bag (not a much thinner sandwich bag). Put the bag of clay onto a sturdy work surface (like a work bench or a piece of scrap lumber on the ground). Tap the clay through the bag doing your best to smack the hammer straight down and bringing it straight back up to prevent tearing the bag.

Once flattened roll the clay back into a clump and smack it flat again. Repeat until the clay is the right texture.

Pros: Cheap! You can store the leftover clay in the same zipper bag making this a low cost solution. You can work out some of your daily stresses and frustration! Cons: Can be a bit time consuming. The jarring motion might be uncomfortable for some crafters.

New Polymer Clay, Meet Old Polymer Clay!

Notice how my green clay up there is two toned? That’s because my clay was so old that beating it into submission wasn’t enough on its own. Adding new clay adds some of that original moisture back into it.

Pros: Speeds up the process of fixing old polymer clay. Cons: Still takes longer than just using new clay altogether.

Add a Few Drops of Liquid Clay

Put on some gloves and make a well in the center of your hard polymer clay or mash your crumbly clay together as well as you can manage. Add a few drops of liquid polymer clay and knead the liquid into the bad clay. Add more as needed for a good texture. This method is one of the faster options and will have you working with your clay in a few minutes.

Pros: Speeds up the process considerably. Cons: May not already have liquid polymer clay on hand. Only comes in a few colors and can change the color of your ready to use clay. Kind of messy. Must wear gloves.

Go with Clay Softener

If you plan on using polymer clays quite a bit it might be a good idea to invest in a clay softener. Sculpey Clay Softener is a liquid and works really well. Though it’s Sculpey brand I’ve used it with all of my other brands without any problems. One thing to note, all you need is a tiny amount. Add just a drop or two at a time and add more as needed. Any more and you’re going to get a sticky mess that will stain everything!

If you prefer something more solid try FIMO Quick Mix. Add just a small amount and knead it into dry clay. Again, too much is a bad thing. Instead of a sticky mess you’ll have super soft clay that is hard to work with.

Pros: The best way to soften old clay. Cons: You have to buy a new product to save an old product adding to the craft stash. Can overdo it and turn your old clay sticky or too soft.

Soften with Mineral Oil or Baby Oil

Don’t have any of the above nonsense and home and don’t want to run to the craft store for it? I hear you… You can also use mineral oil or unscented baby oil to make your hard clay once again workable. Like a clay softening liquid, adding oil can quickly become a sticky mess. Only add a drop or two at a time and add more as needed. I don’t have a baby so no baby oil around here. But I always keep this brand of Mineral Oil on hand to keep my kitchen boards in tip top shape.

Pros: You may already have one of these items around the house. You can always use them for things other than clay if you don’t and purchase some. Cons: Can over do it and make clay a sticky mess.

How to Make a Toad House

This project happens in two parts. You’ll need to stone and grout a terra cotta pot. And then you’ll add a clay leaf shaped roof.

It’s best to give the wet grout a week (or a few days at least) to cure before putting it in the oven with your polymer clay. The longer the pots sit the more dry they will be which is absolutely great. In fact, the pot used in this post was stoned back in 2020. I had made a whole load of toad houses for my mom and started this tutorial which I didn’t finish. So don’t worry about the grout being too dry, just worry about it being too wet.

How to Make a Toad House from a Clay Pot

Grab your terra cotta pot and flip it so the rim is on your work surface. Using a pencil draw a half circle shape like seen above. Put a cutting wheel end onto your Dremel Tool and PUT ONE SAFETY GLASSES OR OR SWIMMING GOGGLES OR SOMETHING TO PROTECT YOUR EYES. I am not playing and I promise you don’t want a chip of terra cotta in your eyeball. Trust me :)

Starting at the bottom of the lip start to cut through the pot by gently applying pressure with the wheel to the drawn line. Continue working around the shape, taking out chunks as needed to be able to continue following along with the curve.

How to Make a Toad House without a Dremel Tool

Don’t have a Dremel Tool? No problem! My mom and I made toad houses a lot when I was a kid without one. Take a somewhat heavy hammer (not a lightweight or mini hammer) and tap at the rim of the clay pot where you want the hole to be. Break out enough of a hole for a toad to enter. Sand away any sharp edges with a rough grit sandpaper.

Your entrance won’t be as night and neat but it will absolutely work as a toad house! If you make a large crack through the pot or if you actually break it in half, just glue it back together before continuing on to the next step.

How to Attach Stones to a Clay Pot

Look for sort of a flat section and apply a dab of e6000 to a stone. Give it a few seconds to go from runny to tacky. Stick the glue onto the pot and hold it until the glue can hold the weight of the stone by itself.

Continue gluing stones around the pot until well covered. Let the glue cure a few hours, overnight is best.

How to Use Mosaic Grout

Read the package directions with your grout and mix up accordingly. You want something wet that will mostly hold its shape. Wet but not soupy. Smooth and not crumbly. If there are no directions, a good ratio is 3 parts grout to 1 part water.

Using a craft stick, chopstick, or similar item push the grout into the areas around the stones. Try not to get much on the surface of the rocks themselves.

Right after applying the grout use a dry chip brush or a paper towel to remove the excess grout from the visible parts of the stones. It won’t all come away but get the bulk and any chunks off now.

Let the grout sit 15-20 minutes.

Wet a sponge and then squeeze out the excess so it is just damp. Wipe the excess grout off of the stones as needed. Rinse the sponge and wipe away the grout as needed until the stones are mostly clean.

Make one last pass over the stones with a dry paper towel. Allow the grout to dry overnight and then polish your stones to remove any trace of grout left behind.

PSA: Grout and Plumbing Do Not Mix

As you’re working with grout things are going to get messy. If you have any grout left over if in a flexible bucket or something you can let it dry and then pop the grout out. If you don’t want to wait you can wipe away the excess into a trash bag and then dispose of.

Always rinse out your grout buckets and sponges outside. Pour all grout-y water outside to get rid of it and NEVER down a drain or toilet. Grout can set up UNDER WATER and you don’t want that kind business clogging up your drain. We’re making abodes for toads not clogging commodes, here :)

Print Your Free Printable Leaf Templates

I’d like to thing if toads were into design they’d want a very natural looking home. And that means they’d want something like a leaf as a roof, right?

If you haven’t done it yet, download our free Leaf Shaped Roof Template printable PDF. In this file you’ll find 2 different leaves. The smaller size I have used for 4″ pots, but honestly they’re a bit small for proper toad houses but are very adorable if you’re just making them for decorations. For the 6″ pot used in this tutorial you’ll want to print the larger of the two leaves.

These templates work best when used on printable cardstock. The extra thickness makes them easier to work with and is helpful but not strictly necessary.

Making a Leaf Shaped Toad Roof Out of Clay

With your template printed cut the shape out with a pair of scissors.

Roll out your polymer clay slightly thicker than 0.25″ and slightly larger than the leaf template. (If some areas are just shy don’t worry… leaves aren’t perfect!)

Quick Tip: Roll out your clay between pieces of parchment paper and they won’t stick. You can peel the paper away without tearing your clay or having to scrape it from your work top.

Place your clay onto something cut safe, like a self-healing cutting mat. Trace around the leaf template with a craft knife cutting all of the way through the clay. Gently remove the cut away pieces.

Lay the clay on top of the flower pot. With dry fingers go around the edges of the clay rubbing away any obvious signs of cutting and making the shape more organically shaped. Lay the clay back onto the parchment paper and cover. It’s time to go on an outside field trip.

Adding Texture and Veins to Your Clay Leaf

Look around outside for leaves that are large and have nice, prominent veins. Place the leaf with the vein-side down onto a section of the leaf and roll over it gently with the mini rolling pin to transfer the impression.

Quick Tips (1) Leaves that are dried and a bit crispy do not work as well as fresh leaves. It’s best to pluck them and use them ASAP. (2) If you’re not very familiar with plants be careful bringing leaves indoors as some could be toxic or poisonous. If you aren’t sure, wear gloves while handling, keep away from eyes and mouth, and keep away from pets.

Peel up an edge of the leaf and make sure the texture has transferred. Try a little bit more pressure if needed. If you aren’t happy with the design, you can roll the clay up and start over again.

Bake Your Polymer Clay Leaf

Place your clay leaf on top with the textured side facing up. Finagle the shape how you want it to drape over the pot. Once settled, gently press the leaf onto the top edges to give the leaf a custom fit specifically to the pot. Don’t press down in the center of the pot where there is a drain hole or you’ll just have a sunken bit there.

Transfer the pot and clay to a cookie sheet. Place the cookie sheet on a rack in the center of A COLD OVEN. Close the door and set the oven to the correct TEMPERATURE as indicated on your polymer clay package. Once the oven heats to the proper temperature, set the timer for the TIME indicated on your clay’s packaging.

Once baked remove from the oven and allow to fully cool down. Be careful because that terra cotta/grout will be hot.

Finishing the Toad House Roof with Paint

Grab some green acrylic paint that is slightly darker than your leaf and water it down in about a 50/50 ratio. Using a brush apply the paint to the leaf letting it settle in the veins. Place on a paper cloth or something similar to catch drips and allow to dry.

Repeat layers until the veins are nice and prominent.

Seal the leaf with a clay sealer, like Sculpey Satin Sealer and allow it to fully dry.

Glue the Leaf to the House

Apply a thin line of Original Gorilla Glue around the top of the flower pot, about a half of an inch away from the edge. Lightly spritz with water to activate and put the leaf into place. Apply some light weight to the top of the leaf to hold in place as the glue puffs up and sets. You don’t need a lot of weight, a mostly full bottle of glue will work as will a can of soup. Let the glue cure overnight to 24 hours.

Set out in your garden or flower bed in an area that gets some shade and let a toad move in!