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You are here: Home / DIY Upcycling / Upcycling Empty Paint Cans Using Paint Chips

Upcycling Empty Paint Cans Using Paint Chips

12th October 2016 by Claire Armstrong 41 Comments

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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.
 
Make some fun craft storage by upcycling your empty paint cans with paint chips.
 
Upcycled empty paint cans with paint chips.  Great colour coded storage for craft room.
 
 
This post contains amazon affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to see my disclosure policy.
 

What you need to Upcycle empty paint tins

 
Upcycled empty paint cans with paint chips.  Great colour coded storage for craft room.
 

  • 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.  

  3. Spray paint the inside of your paint tin with a colour to match your paint chips.
  4.  
    Upcycling empty paint cans by decoupaging with paint chips for an ombre effect
     

  5. 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.
  6.  

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

 
Upcycling empty paint cans by decoupaging with paint chips for an ombre effect
 
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.
 
Empty paint cans upcycled with paint chips for colourful storage or planters.
 
Empty paint cans upcycled with paint chips for colourful storage or planters.
 Empty paint cans upcycled with paint chips for colourful storage or planters.
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
 

Filed Under: DIY Upcycling, Tin Cans Tagged With: blue, bucket, can, craft room, craft storage, decoupage, empty, green, mod podge, ombre, pain, paint bucket, paint can, paint chip, paint sample, paint tin, pva, storage, tin, upcycling

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Dearlives

    19th June 2018 at 3:53 am

    Love it turned out. So pretty. Excited to see this since i got so many old cans. Thanks a lot.

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      19th June 2018 at 7:12 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
  2. Ivory

    28th November 2017 at 2:37 pm

    What genius idea. I love how this project looks. It’s usage is unlimited. Thank you so much fr this fabulous project. I have a question, how many paint chips did you use to create this beautiful project?

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      29th November 2017 at 6:59 am

      Thank you, Ivory. I’m not sure how Many paint chips I used, but it will depend on the size Of your can and paint chips as they come in lots of different sizes.

      Reply
  3. Antonella | White House Crafts

    25th October 2016 at 1:59 pm

    Neat idea! Thank you for sharing it at The Crafty Corner link party. I hope to see you there again (new party starts tomorrow at 6 am EST).

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      25th October 2016 at 5:50 pm

      Thank you and I’ll be there.

      Reply
  4. Toni | Small Home Soul

    24th October 2016 at 10:08 pm

    What a cool idea, I love how you coordinated the pain chips with the color of the paint that used to be in the can! I love it! Thanks for linking up to Waste Not Wednesday Link Party!

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      25th October 2016 at 7:07 am

      Thank you Toni.

      Reply
  5. Sandra

    21st October 2016 at 10:05 pm

    This is straight from the files of, “waste not, want not”, and I love it!

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      22nd October 2016 at 6:55 am

      Thank you, I like to repurpose when I can.

      Reply
  6. Julie Bagamary

    21st October 2016 at 12:49 pm

    So cute and clever!

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      21st October 2016 at 3:36 pm

      Thank you very much glad you liked them. Looked at your site, your quilted art is gorgeous.

      Reply
  7. Mary-the boondocks blog

    20th October 2016 at 7:22 pm

    What a great way to upcycle these old paint cans. They look like so much fun now.

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      20th October 2016 at 8:47 pm

      Thank you, they are really handy too.

      Reply
  8. Cucicucicoo: Eco Sewing and Crafting

    20th October 2016 at 8:17 am

    What a gorgeous effect! I love ombre shading, and the handle also adds a nice touch. Great job! :)Lisa

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      20th October 2016 at 2:52 pm

      Thanks, I like the ombre effect too.

      Reply
  9. Katy SkipTheBag

    19th October 2016 at 11:44 am

    What a fun way to store yarn and fibers!

    Posts like this would be perfect for the Waste Less Wednesday Blog Hop. We love to see fun upcycles! This week’s hop is live now! http://www.skipthebag.com/2016/10/waste-less-wednesday-blog-hop-101916.html

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      19th October 2016 at 7:02 pm

      Thank you and I have linked up.

      Reply
  10. Helen at Pleasures of the NW

    19th October 2016 at 2:05 am

    Thanks for sharing on the Pleasures of the NW DIY party!

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      19th October 2016 at 7:55 am

      Thanks.

      Reply
  11. Cecilia MyThriftStoreAddiction

    18th October 2016 at 12:11 am

    So clever–love it! Thanks for sharing @Vintage Charm–pinned!

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      18th October 2016 at 6:25 am

      Thank you very much.

      Reply
  12. creativejewishmom/sara

    17th October 2016 at 9:42 pm

    brilliant as always claire, thanks for sharing on craft schooling Sunday!

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      17th October 2016 at 9:46 pm

      Thank you, you are very kind.

      Reply
  13. Wendy

    17th October 2016 at 9:06 pm

    Yet another cute idea, Claire!

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      17th October 2016 at 9:46 pm

      Thank you Wendy, like your paint chip project too.

      Reply
  14. Medina

    16th October 2016 at 8:48 pm

    This is such a fun project Claire. I only ever seem to get the plastic paint cans though :/

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      17th October 2016 at 6:09 am

      Thanks, I use Eco paints which come in metal tins for 5l. It may work with plastic tins.

      Reply
  15. Janine

    15th October 2016 at 9:50 pm

    Super cute idea! Love it!

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      15th October 2016 at 10:38 pm

      Thank you so much !

      Reply
  16. Carole @ Garden Up Green

    15th October 2016 at 11:27 am

    What a neat idea – these would make great storage containers in my workshop. Very nice and I like how you used swatches to cover them..

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      15th October 2016 at 6:56 pm

      Thank you, they look great in my craft room.

      Reply
  17. Tana

    14th October 2016 at 5:16 pm

    Well that is super cute and crafty! I would like to invite you to our linky party the Homesteader Hop if you would like to join. https://www.floydfamilyhomestead.com/2016/10/12/the-homesteader-hop-24/

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      17th October 2016 at 6:10 am

      Thank you and thanks for the invite.

      Reply
  18. Victoria @DazzleWhileFrazzled

    14th October 2016 at 3:10 pm

    Fun, fun, fun as always this idea of yours!

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      14th October 2016 at 5:51 pm

      Thank you Victoria, I do think they are just a bit of colourful fun.

      Reply
  19. Denise

    14th October 2016 at 2:56 am

    So very creative and a very clever upcycle. Nice job.

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      14th October 2016 at 7:24 am

      Thanks, I love to upcycle.

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. 20 Cute and Easy Recycled Can Crafts for Kids - Real Life at Home says:
    17th May 2017 at 6:27 pm

    […] Upcycling Empty Paint Cans Using Paint Chips from Pillar Box Blue – I would probably use new, empty paint cans for this craft. […]

    Reply
  2. Best of the Weekend - Little Miss Celebration says:
    28th October 2016 at 11:58 pm

    […] Upcycling Empty Paint Cans with Paint Chips from Pillar Box Blue […]

    Reply
  3. Waste Not Wednesday #22 - Small Home Soul says:
    26th October 2016 at 2:03 am

    […] Upcycling Empty Paint Cans by Pillar Box Blue […]

    Reply

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