Faux Chippy Painted Metal Pail with Liner

I was strolling through our local Goodwill last week looking for goodies donated by people trying to claim a last-minute tax write-off. I came across a bucket with a $1 price on it and knew I could transform it into a beautiful aged painted pail.

DIY Aged Painted Metal Pail Tutorial

Aged Painted Pail Tutorial

Recently I found myself browsing our local thrift shop looking for a last-minute gift idea for a friend. I spotted a dated pail for only $1 and quickly grabbed it and ran to the register.

little red buffalo check painted pail

The pail had the original $9 price tag still on it, so I prayed the cashier wouldn’t scrutinize the major markdown to one dollar!

$1 markdown on pail with $9 original sticker

I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it. Miss Mustard Seed’s aged painted pails have been stored in my memory banks since I first saw them in August. (And that is saying a lot, considering I can’t remember what I ate for lunch today!) Marion used crackle medium, but I remember seeing a tutorial for crackle medium using regular Elmer’s glue mixed with a little water instead. Me being the frugal DIYer I am, I decided to give it a go. Are you curious to see if it worked? Me too.

How to Create a Faux Aged Paint Technique on Metal:

hand painted "A" monogrammed pail

Let’s gather a few supplies and get to work creating a beautiful bin for storage or a gift basket.

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Instructions:

adding elmer's glue to empty jar

I only used enough H20 to water down the glue so it would be easier to paint on.

mixing glue with water

I brushed it all over the outside of the pail (bottom too!) And let it dry.

painting watered down glue onto pail

Next I pulled out leftover flat white paint that we use on our ceilings and painted one coat on the pail. I had to work quick, because the paint got gooey quick and you don’t want to keep brushing over the paint when it starts to dry (trust me on this one.)

closer up painted chipping pail

After the white paint dried, I took out some acrylic paints and painted some stripes, flowers, and a monogram.

hand painted "A" monogrammed pail

To protect the paint from chipping off, I added a coating of matte mod podge. I have to admit, I’m still amazed a little Elmer’s glue and water worked to create a chippy crackle finish!

Isn’t it cute? Much better than the original.

Faux Chippy Painted Metal Pail with Liner
Purple print pants hanging on a hanger.
Can you believe it? That cute liner used to be a pair of second-hand pants.
pants leng hanging out of painted pail
The liner was super easy to make, tutorial HERE.
Spa-themed gift bucket on hand-painted chippy pail
This Aged Painted Pail can be filled with anything, but I chose a spa-theme for this gift basket. What would you put in this vintage painted pail?
Want more ideas for gift baskets? Here are 31 Last Minute Gift Basket Ideas!
31 last minute gift basket ideas social media images
14 replies
  1. Mixed Kreations
    Mixed Kreations says:

    How cute! I love the how you painted the bucket, and the color of the liner looks great. Very creative, looks very nice. I bet your friend loved it.
    I haven’t heard of using Elmer’s glue before for crackle paint. I will have to try that. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  2. Colleen @ MuralMaker&More
    Colleen @ MuralMaker&More says:

    I hate to admit this, but I am crackle-challenged. Impaired, actually. I've tried all kinds, all brands, and it's a hit-or-miss for me. I haven't tried glue yet, though. This is just so dang cute that I've got to give it another whirl!

    Reply
  3. Leen
    Leen says:

    You, my friend, are so gosh darn clever! Did the pants come from Goodwill too?? I am going to try to sneak out of the studio for an hour today to see if my local shop has any good finds 🙂

    Reply

Trackbacks & Pingbacks

  1. […] Aged Painted Pail Tutorial […]

  2. […] it to Brittany @ Pretty Handy Girl to prove me wrong. But then, she truly is a ‘handy girl’ […]

  3. […] when I transform something I found on the side of the road (or bought from the Habitat ReStore, thrift stores or Craig’s List), I’ve felt a little guilty that you may not be lucky enough to find […]

  4. […] fabric for a sweater embellishment, but then I saw how nicely the purple color looked next to my newly painted bucket and inspiration […]

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.