How to Paint A Rain Barrel

Paint your rain barrel any way you'd like.

A painted rain barrel can reflect your personal taste and accent your yard or disappear into it. It can be as whimsical or as elegant as you like. But you have to prepare the surface and use the right products if you want your work to last. Anything you collect can become a theme for your rain barrel. Are you a fan of whimsy? Do you admire a particular painting, perhaps Van Gogh's Starry Night? Do you like music, or run a business or drive a special car? Anything you care about can be painted on a rain barrel.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Primer
• Acrylic paint
• Paint brush, roller, or other painting tool
• Spray polyurethane

1. Prep the surface. Clean and dry your barrel. If it's sides are glossy you might sand the surface lightly. Use a 220 grit sandpaper to rough the surface up. This will allow the primer to grab hold and stick to the surface.

2. Prime the surface. It's a good idea to prime your barrel first. Assuming you're using the most popular, plastic barrel, you'll want to purchase plastic primer. The same kind that's used for plastic furniture

3. Paint it. Use an outdoor acrylic paint, such as exterior house paint, to paint your barrel. Use up old paint from past projects. Or, small amounts of house paint can be purchased as samples at most paint and hardware stores. Paints can be brushed on, rolled on, sprayed or effects can be made with sponges, rags and textured rollers. Let your imagination run wild.

4. Finish the paint. After the paint has dried completely, apply one or two coats of spray on polyurethane. Once dry your barrel is ready to go to work as both a practical and pretty addition to your yard or garden.

Tips & Warnings

• Get help if possible. If you know what you want but your skills as an artist aren't up to it, you'll find that many talented friends or family members that will love the challenge. If not, you might consider speaking to a high school art teacher. They can often help you connect with a young local artist who might take on the project for an affordable amount. .