Spray Paint Galore!

This year, I took a job in a new district...actually a new state. The position I filled was a retirement. This teacher was so wonderful and she left me everything. Some of the things that I inherited included a ton of storage buckets like the ones pictured below. The only problem is they don't match my theme at all. I know to some people this isn't a big deal but I spend so much time in my classroom, I like it to have a cohesive and organized vibe. One way I make this happen is to sticking with my theme at all costs. So I started searching for ideas and came across multiple posts about spray painting plastic tubs. Whoever had the original idea, kudos to you! There were lots of different methods, but here's what I did...

1. Find your containers

2. Using sand paper, lightly sand off the glossy coating. In some cases this can leave scratches on your containers, this was not a concern for me, but if it is to you, you could try skipping this step, but I find that the sanding really helps the paint adhere better to the container.

3. Wash your buckets with soap, rinse and dry.

4. Lay down a drop cloth and space out your buckets. 

5. Take your spray paint in your desired color and start painting. For mine, I used Rust-oleum. I was very happy with this product. I bought mine at Wal-mart for $3.47. I also bought my plastic drop cloth at Wal-Mart for $ 0.88.  Make sure to not get too close to your object or you will get drip marks. I also recommend wearing plastic gloves and a face mask. The fumes can be over powering even in a well ventilated area and who wants spray paint all over their hands? 

6. Let your containers dry for 30-60 minutes depending on the brand of spray paint and add additional coats if needed. I put 2 coats on and that seemed to cover nicely.  Then once dry, flip them over and complete the same process for the inside. 

7. Let your containers air dry for approximately 2 days to allow the paint to totally set (it will be dry to touch I'm about an hour, but will chip easily at first if you don't give it a couple of days) and to air out the nasty spray paint smell. 

8. Add your favorite labels and enjoy!

(Sorry for the crappy picture...a better one will be up on my classroom tour which will be unveiled in a couple of weeks!)

What spray painting projects have you done?

Xo Jessica