Recycled Tin Can Wreath DIY Tutorial

Vicky Kloppenborg
by Vicky Kloppenborg
3 Materials
2 Hours
Easy

This rusty, country style wreath may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it looks right at home in my rural garden, so I’m sharing it just for fun!

While going through old garden magazines last year, I caught just a glimpse of the side of a tin can wreath hanging in the picture of a garden, so of course I felt the need to make one. I threw a bunch of dog food cans in a tub of water to soak outside for a few weeks and start the rusting process.

After dumping the cans to dry, I creased them in the center with the side of my foot, and drilled a ½” hole through them.

I used twenty eight, 22 oz. cans for my wreath, and a 5 ft. length of heavy fencing wire. Cans are heavy, my wreath still sagged a bit, but the fencing wire helped it hold a circular shape. 

A small loop was bent in one end of the wire to hold the cans as they were threaded on. I did a pattern of three as I threaded .. two with the crease one way, them flipped the third, but they can be put on any way you want. 

After all the cans were threaded on, the wire was cut close to the end, a hook was shaped to go into the loop, and squeezed tight.

That’s it, easy peasy.  

My wreath has been hanging in the garage for the last year, out of sight, out of mind, until now.  An awesome find of a big bird nest, dislodged from one of our pines during a recent thunderstorm, prompted me to adorn my wreath with Mother Nature and hang it in the garden. A step out to the gravel road provided a few stones for makeshift eggs; a little surprise for my four year old granddaughter when she sneaks a peek … she’ll be delighted!

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Vicky Kloppenborg
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3 of 5 questions
  • DD53 DD53 on Aug 24, 2020

    I love this idea and can’t wait to accumulate enough tin cans to make it. Do you know what gauge wire you used to make the wreath?

  • Renee Willard Renee Willard on Aug 28, 2020

    Wondering if a person could use a heavy wire hanger then formed in a circle? Smaller cans perhaps?

  • Mimi Mimi on Jul 08, 2023

    I have searched high and love for 22 oz cans and can't find them. I can find the standard 20 oz and 15.5 oz though so far no 20 os ones. Can you mention what product would be in this size? Thank you!

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  • Beth Knoll-Casey Beth Knoll-Casey on Apr 05, 2022

    This would probably look cute with the cans painted white or copper, too, if you're not a fan of the rust. Great idea and great way to upcycle!

  • 17335038 17335038 on Jun 22, 2022

    Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

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