What should I do with this rusty bucket?

Question

I love rusty junk. So when I saw this bucket at a yard sale I liked it too much to pass it up. The question now is, what do I do with it? My only thought is to turn it into a planter. What do you suggest?

Cynthia H · Answer

I think it's pretty cool! It looks fairly large in the pictures. You could use it for storage, an umbrella holder. You could probably find one of those plastic liners like you can use for plants to protect anything you put in it or even a small wastebasket to line it. It would also make a terrific vignette with other items you collected. I thought of old wood spindles as soon as I saw it. Have fun!

Debbie · Answer

Hi Kelly !   I LOVE LOVE LOVE your bucket !   One idea would be to roll up colorful bath towels and put them down in the bucket vertically.  Another suggestion, if the bucket is tall enough, would be to put a round plexiglass top on it to use as a small table. 
Enjoy your awesome bucket !   :)

The Garden Frog with C Renee · Answer

I turn most of my finds into planters. I just love groupings of galvanized or old buckets! I also place some of my buckets on flat rocks too.

Carole · Answer

How about this idea? Lay the bucket on its side in the garden beds. Have the side with the writing on it showing uppermost. Grow some ground cover colourful plant in a sort of pool that looks like it is coming out of it - like a bucket of spilt milk or something. White flowers with silver foliage looks really good for this effect. You could erect a sign that says ' no use crying over spilt milk' to finish it off. White stones or gravel would also work or you could go with silver succulents.

Angela M · Answer

I want this bucket lol How about cleaning inside just a good wash and use it inside for storage such as crisp white rolled up towels etc .you could put a liner in it so rust etc would get in it or old kitchen tools could add things at the bottom to give height and put just all kind of goodies :)

Jeanette S · Answer

I love it too! Great find! Weight it down with a layer of rocks in the bottom. Then make a round disk with holes drilled in it and insert it down into the bucket about 2'...then set it beside a beautiful table or chair and use it as an umbrella stand in your foyer! Or make the same wooden disk with holes drilled in it and fill it with sticks on the front porch. Tie black cats and orange pumpkin cutouts on it for halloween; red bows and ornaments for Christmas; cover it in yellow, green and purple Mardi Gras beads, etc.

Sheryll S · Answer

Oh the perfect pot for a bunch of Mother In Law Tongues. Yep....... that is what I would do and have done.

Pat Farnworth · Answer

Cement with peat or soil / sand  mixed in with it. Roughen the surface and then plaster the mix all over the outside of the bucket. Leave to dry. Make some holes in the bottom ans plant whatever rocks your boat. It will last you for years. We did a pot sink years ago and it's still looking like a very expensive pot x

Rosemary Kelly · Answer

I LOVE IT! Great Planter!

Cecelia · Answer

After cleaning, you could use indoors to store wood if u have a fireplace, top it and make it a stool, use it as a base for a rustic Christmas tree, a holder for umbrellas in a mud room, to hold faux pumpkins in a harvest decoration

Debbie Dickman - The Magpie's Cottage · Answer

Cecilia - Just what I would have done! Great ideas!!

Mike · Answer

I'D do planter, palm or bamboo would look great.

MaeGatineau · Answer

Could be painted and used to keep drinks cook outside with ice in it

Julie · Answer

I would recommend NOT painting it. I think it is an antique, right? I would get a liner for it and put a nice big plant in it or for Fall do a display of pumpkins and indian corn and gourds etc. You could also put firewood in it and put by fireplace if you have one. I wish I had one of those buckets, they are very cool. Whatever you do don't paint it!!

Jennifer · Answer

Well, I like the planter and towel idea's. But depending on how big it is and if you don't like it's current look you can also clean it up, maybe sand down a little some of the rougher spots and paint it. You could even apply some thing over the paint. French logos, pictures, whatever strikes your fancy. It would make a good compost bucket to keep in the kitchen while cooking. The handles will make it easy to transport the contents when needed.

Terra Gazelle · Answer

I love the look as it is..it would look like any bucket without the exterior as it is.
If you have a fire place how about using it for the fire place tools?
Or on your porch as a umbrella stand? If you use it as a planter you would have to put in drainage holes and they would soon rest worse..as it is if you keep it outside without painting and sealing it, it would rust away fast.

I love it as it is..what a conversation piece.

Pam · Answer

I can't really tell the size, but if large enough it would make a great base for a side table...with either a circle of glass or wooden.

Kelly S · Answer

The base for a water feature. There are several on here. Or a tumbling planter using different sizes. I would love to add that one to my collection for my water feature and tumbling planter. What a score.

LindaChaney2 · Answer

Waste paper basket. Wash it up, perhaps oil the surface with olive oil? Or put on a coat of clear lacquer? But would make a neat kitchen waste bin.

Myrna Engle · Answer

Checking buckets history; It says 'Protect your Kaite'.  Kaite is short for Catherine. Numbers not found yet.

Glenna Kennedy · Answer

Whenever I find an old galvanized pail, pot etc I paint it!See below....these are sap pails. I painted Xmas scenes on them, I put white birch and Xmas balls in them with tiny white lights. They are beautiful!

Ann · Answer

To hold wood for your fireplace, of you have one?

Liliana Wells · Answer

Definitely a planter.

Phyllis · Answer

send it to me! lovely old bucket. can't wait to see what you do with it! just have fun

Comet · Answer

DONT PAINT IT!!!! The charm of this IS the old stenciled German and English wording and numbers!!!! This was prob used on a ship---rarely do you see 'Stow away from boilers' on anything that was NOT on board a ship---but I wonder what WAS in there--that you had to keep from HEAT and COLD!!!! I can't see the German writing very well but try Google Translate to find out what was in there. I would not touch it ! Use for a container or as some mentioned--put a glass or wood top on it. Very cool industrial artifact. If you don't like any of these ideas--send it to ME! PS Country Living has a feature where you can ask what your item is--maybe send them a pic!

Lynn · Answer

A light fixture, add an Edison bulb, it will look great, especially on a patio

Alison Alison · Answer

Definitely keep as it is and use anything natural in it to brighten its features.Absolutely no point buying something unique and changing its character and history.It will be a good research project and point of interest for you.Ordinary production line ornamental buckets are just that.Keep the history or find a ships museum and donate it to them.

Cathy C · Answer

Don't paint it... it's sooo cool the way it is and why cover it's history. I'd use it for an ice bucket and put my favorite beverages in it... will make an interesting conversation piece for when you have company.

Meburke · Answer

Plant  1 or 2 Fall ornamental Kale,several Fall mums,a millet( dark blk like a corn stalk) a few stems sunflowers( silk) WOW, & a black faux crow in the stalk of millet ...good to go! I'll pay S/H to Illinois & a $$$ too... Love that bucket. I'd place my 'bucket lists' of things yet to do in life.

April Riggs · Answer

I have seen where they have made buckets into a stool.

What should I do with this rusty bucket?

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