How to Decoupage a Bucket

If you've got an old bucket, some used magazines and a bottle of craft glue, you've got the ingredients for a stylish decorative accent. Decoupage your bucket to match your room decor. Meaning "to cut," the art of decoupage is ancient, but still an effective way to transform something bland into something stunning. Low-budget and low-skill level, the art of decoupage involves cutting images and pasting them onto an item with a transparent glue sealer.

Things You'll Need

• Dish detergent
• Cellulose sponge
• Rag
• 1/2 cup vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• Images
• Cutting board or cardboard
• Craft knife
• Spray adhesive
• Decoupage medium
• Sponge applicator brush
• Damp sponge

Instructions

1. Wash your bucket with dish detergent and water. Scrub it with a cellulose sponge to ensure it is thoroughly clean, and let the bucket dry. If your bucket is made of non-porous material like plastic or metal, dampen a rag with a vinegar and water mixture and wipe it to remove any remnants of oil or soap, and let it air dry.

2. Choose images you wish to decoupage onto your bucket. Place the paper on a self-healing cutting board or heavy-duty cardboard. Trace tightly around the image with a sharp craft knife. Hold the blade on a 45 degree angle with the point tilted away from the image and toward the edge of the paper. Cut out all your images.

3. Spray adhesive on metal or plastic buckets, or any bucket made of non-porous material. For buckets made of porous materials, such as wood, spread on a thick layer of decoupage medium with a sponge applicator.

4. Place the images on the bucket carefully. Look for air bubbles and work them out gently with a damp sponge or your fingers, rubbing from the center of the image and working your way outward toward the edges. Add more images if desired. You can put on just a few, or overlap many to cover the entire bucket.

5. Allow the adhesive or medium to dry. Brush over the images and the entire bucket with several layers of decoupage medium to coat and seal the images, allowing each coating time to dry between applications.