DIY Barrel Planters

While we were cleaning out the old shop at Grandpa’s House, we found several empty metal barrels. Immediately I knew I’d paint them and use them for large planters. If you’ve priced out large planters lately they are very expensive. I love an opportunity to take something that looks junky and turn it into something beautiful and useful. I also love saving money! 

Step 1

Thoroughly clean the barrels. This is an important step. Paint won’t adhere to dirty or greasy surfaces. I like to use a TSP substitute or Krud Kutter for pre paint cleaning. I put the cleaning solution in a garden sprayer for easier cleaning. I also scrubbed with a wash cloth. Depending how dirty your surface is, you may have to do this several time.  

Step 2

Allow Surface to dry.

Step 3

Apply one coat of paint. I used a flat metal specific spray paint from Ace Hardware in black, but the possibilities are endless. You can get really creative. I wanted a simple planter that allowed the plants to be the focus. It’s important to not spray too close and keep the spray paint can moving to avoid drips.

Step 4

Apply a second coat of paint after the first coat is dry. It does’t take long to dry with thin coats of spray paint, but if you’re in doubt, take a snack break and come back to apply the second coat in 20 to 30 minutes.

Step 5

This step is optional, I personally didn’t do this, but if you really want the paint to last you can apply one or two clear coats. If you want a flat or matte finish, make sure your clear coat is also flat. 

Tip: On surfaces that are imperfect and have dents and character, flat paint is more forgiving than gloss or semigloss which can accentuate dents and imperfections. Of course, sometimes it’s nice to accentuate imperfections. :)

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