Upcycling Empty Paint Cans Using Paint Chips

Upcycling Empty Paint Cans with Paint Chips

Empty paint cans: I’ve been busy repainting a spare room and plan to turn into a craft room. As I result I have a few empty paint cans. A lot of my craft involves repurposing and upcycling the stuff I’ve already got. Therefore I decided to upcycle the empty paint cans into some storage buckets for my craft room.

I thought that it would be fun to upcycle the paint cans into bright colour coded storage by decoupaging them with paint chips/cards. So far I’ve made a blue and a green storage bucket out of my empty paint cans. I love the ombre effect you get with the paint chips and plan to eventually have a rainbow of upcycled paint can storage buckets adorning my craft room shelves.
 

 

 
 
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What you need to Upcycle empty paint tins

• Empty paint cans – I used the big 5 liter metal paint cans that come with a handle. However it would work just as well with plastic paint cans.
• Paint Chips – pick these up for free from your local hardware/diy store.
• Decoupage glue – Mod Podge or PVA (Elmers) glue.
• Spray paint – I used a Montana Gold Blue and a Montana Gold Green

How to upcycle empty paint tins

1. Clean your empty paint tins out thoroughly. I only use water based environmentally friendly paints for all my painting so the cans are relatively easily to clean with a bit of hot water. I just chip away any dry paint from the outside of the empty paint tins.

 

2. Spray paint the inside of your paint tin with a colour to match your paint chips.

 

 

3. To stick the paint chips to the outside of the empty paint tins, I placed glue on both the paint chip and the tin. I stuck them down in the strips going round the can until covered. You may have to trim your paint chips when they meet in the middle.

 

4. When the whole paint tin was covered with the paint chips I then pasted a layer of glue over the top to seal it.

 

 
I’m really pleased with my new handy free storage containers for my craft room. I love the fact that they are colour coded and will be completing my rainbow as soon as I get some more empty paint tins.
 

 

 
You don’t of course have to use them just for craft room storage they would also make great planters.
 
Another great thing you can make with paint chips is a paint chip calendar.
If you liked this post you may also want to check out some of my other craft room storage ideas:
DIY washi tape holder
Copper and Denim craft caddy.
Denim Pocket Wall Organizer
 
For more ideas of upcycling crafts visit favecrafts.com