ASI Eco-Fiberglass Planter Care & Maintenance Guide

ASI Eco-Fiberglass planters are built for commercial spaces and need very little care. How they are received, installed, and cleaned is what decides how long they look new.

Every ASI Eco-Fiberglass planter is formed at our own factory and hand-finished to order in the U.S. with a UV-resistant, automotive-grade paint system. Treat that finish the way you would treat a car: keep it clean, keep it drained, and keep abrasives and harsh chemicals away from it.

This guide applies to all ASI Eco-Fiberglass planters. ASI wood planters, Phoenix and Rise recycled-material planters, and fiberclay planters have their own care instructions. Following this guide is a condition of the ASI Limited Warranty, so please share it with the installer and the maintenance team.

1. Receiving your planters

• Inspect on arrival. Check the condition of the shipment and photograph any issues before the driver departs. If anything is damaged, write "Received in Damaged Condition" on the freight bill before signing.
• Report damage within 1 business day to ASI, or to the authorized reseller you bought from. Shipping damage is handled as a freight claim.
• Unpack within 10 business days. Plastic and shrink wrap trap moisture against the finish. Remove all shipping packaging within 10 business days of delivery, even if the planters will not be installed right away. Never store the product in its original packaging in an uncontrolled environment.
• Check the finish against your order. Because each planter is finished by hand, slight differences in color, texture, and sheen between planters, or compared with samples or photos, are normal.

2. Handling and moving

• Lift from the base, never by the rim or lip.
• Use two people or a dolly for large planters, and set them down gently on a clean, flat surface.
• Empty or partly empty large planters before moving them. A planted container can weigh several times more than the empty shell.
• Never push, drag, or twist a planter across the floor or pavement. Dragging scratches the base and can stress the walls.

3. Placement

• Level and stable. Set the planter on a firm, level surface so the weight is spread evenly. On finished floors, add felt pads to protect both surfaces.
• Off wet ground. Keep planters off grass, soil, and surfaces where water collects.
• Check the structure. On rooftops, balconies, and decks, confirm the surface can carry the planter's full weight once it is filled with soil and watered.
• Watch for reflected sun. Avoid spots where sunlight is concentrated by reflective glass, mirrored windows, or lenses. Focused light can damage the paint.
• Avoid damp enclosed spaces. Greenhouses, indoor pool houses, and unventilated rooms that stay very humid for days at a time can harm the finish. Normal outdoor rain, dew, irrigation, and snow are fine.
• Choose the right finish for the location. For outdoor, full-sun, and high-traffic locations, ASI recommends the Double-Tough Clear Coat, which is standard on Gemstone and Burnished finishes. It must be specified when you order.

4. Drainage and liners

• Outdoor planters must drain. ASI planters ship without drainage holes unless requested on the order. Ask ASI to drill them for you at no charge. If holes need to be added on site, contact ASI for our written drilling instructions before you drill. Holes drilled any other way count as a modification to the planter.
• Keep drainage working. A layer of expanded clay (LECA) or gravel under filter fabric keeps holes from clogging with soil and roots.
• Use a liner indoors. Indoors, where water must stay inside the planter, use an ASI flexible liner, hard liner, or sub-irrigation insert. It holds the soil and water, protects the shell, and makes plant changeouts faster. Planters without a liner are not intended to be watertight. Outdoor planters with working drainage holes can be planted directly and do not need a liner.
• Saucers. Where a planter has drainage holes, an ASI saucer catches the water that runs off. Empty saucers regularly so the planter never sits in standing water.

5. Planting

• Use a container potting mix. Garden soil, topsoil, sand, and heavy fill hold far more water, grow much heavier, and push outward on the walls. In large planters that pressure can crack the shell. Your local grower or soil supplier can recommend a mix suited to your plants and region.
• Leave room for roots. Size the planter for the plant at maturity. Roots that outgrow the container press on the walls and can damage it. Repot or divide plants before they become root-bound.
• Keep chemicals off the finish. Wipe up spilled fertilizer, pesticide, or plant-care products right away.

6. Routine cleaning

A wipe-down every few months, or whenever you service the plants, keeps the finish looking new.

1. Brush or wipe off loose dust and grit with a soft cloth or soft-bristle brush. Removing grit first prevents scratching in the next steps.
2. Mix a mild solution: a few drops of pH-neutral dish soap in warm water.
3. Spray or sponge the solution onto the surface. On stubborn spots, mineral rings, or algae, let it sit for a few minutes.
4. Wipe gently with a soft cloth, sponge, or chamois. Use a soft brush only on textured finishes.
5. Rinse with clean water (a garden hose is fine outdoors) and dry with a clean towel to avoid water spots.

Never use: bleach, ammonia, solvents, or other harsh chemicals; scouring pads, steel wool, stiff brushes, or abrasive cleaners; pressure washers. Keep de-icing salts, pool and spa chemicals, and harsh fertilizers or pesticides off the finish. Each of these can strip, dull, or scratch the paint.

Deal with mineral buildup and stains when you first see them. The longer they sit, the harder they are to remove.

7. Protecting the finish

Wax is optional and not required. On full-gloss finishes, including Gemstone and Burnished, a coat of quality automotive or marine wax up to twice a year adds a layer of protection and keeps the surface smooth. Do not wax matte or textured finishes.

• Clean and fully dry the planter before waxing. Wax applied over dirt locks the dirt in.
• Apply with a soft applicator, let it haze, and buff with a clean microfiber cloth.
• Test any product on the back or bottom of the planter first.

Do not use polishing, rubbing, or cutting compound on any ASI finish. If a finish starts to look dull or hazy, or you are unsure which finish you have, contact ASI before applying any product.

8. Winter and freeze care

ASI Eco-Fiberglass planters are frost-proof, but no planter can resist water that is trapped inside it and freezes. Ice expands with enough force to split steel pipe, so the goal in winter is simple: no standing water.

• Keep it draining. Before the first freeze, check that drainage holes are not blocked by roots or compacted soil.
• Remove saucers. Take them away or turn them over for the winter so water cannot pool and freeze against the base.
• Avoid de-icing salt. Keep salt and ice-melt off planters and away from their bases when clearing walkways.
• Empty planters. Move them indoors, or turn them upside down so rain and snow cannot collect inside. Do not wrap them in plastic or tarps.
• Covered locations help. Where possible, place planters where you control how much water they receive.
• Think about the plants too. The planter will come through winter. Make sure the plants are hardy for your zone, or move them to shelter.

9. Storage

• Store planters clean, dry, and empty, in a ventilated space.
• Never store the product in its original packaging in an uncontrolled environment.
• If you need to cover them, use a breathable cover. Plastic sheeting, shrink wrap, and tarps trap moisture against the finish.
• Do not store planters in greenhouses, indoor pool houses, or unventilated spaces that stay very humid for days at a time.
• Keep stored planters off wet floors and out of standing water. Do not stack planters.

10. Scratches and damage

Contact ASI before repairing any damage, so we can assess it and recommend the right fix.

• Light scratches and scuffs: ASI can supply touch-up paint matched to your planter color. Request it with your order number and color name.
• Chips, cracks, dents, or anything structural: do not attempt a repair. Send photos and your order number, and we will advise on next steps.

Do not cut, drill, refinish, or repair a planter without ASI's written approval.

11. Maintenance schedule

Questions

For care questions, touch-up paint, or drilling instructions, contact ASI customer service or email info@asi.design. For warranty terms and claims, see the ASI Limited Warranty.