Do you love the look of vintage watering cans and buckets as much as I do? Watering cans are especially attractive in your garden and shed. And buckets make great containers for your plants. But these vintage treasures for your garden are becoming harder and harder to find. So I want to show you how to age a new galvanized container to make it look like it’s been around for years. Follow my directions to create a “vintage” watering can.
The first thing to think about is what you’re going to use the watering can for. If you want a container to actually water your plants, then purchase a full-size can. If you just need a container for displaying flowers or for a decoration then you can pick up a smaller, less expensive can.
When I was researching this I found so many different techniques for aging galvanized metal. Most of them used harsh chemicals such as toilet bowl cleaners. I also found suggestions for using vinegar, baking soda and salt. I am a lot happier using basic kitchen ingredients so I tried a few different ideas to see what worked best for me.
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Supplies…
- Galvanized Watering Can
- Sandpaper or Steel Wool
- White Vinegar
- Rags
- Large metal or plastic container
- Baking Soda (optional)
- 2-3 Lemons (optional)
How to Create A “Vintage” Watering Can from New…
- Use sandpaper or steel wool, to lightly sand the outer surface of your can. You just want to rough up the outer coating on the container.
- Place your watering can in the large container, laying it on it’s side.
- Soak a rag in vinegar and spread it across the surface of your watering can. Periodically moisten the rag with more vinegar. Do not let the can sit in a puddle of vinegar as this will unevenly remove the finish. Leave the rag in place for 4 hours or more. Turn the can over and repeat the process on the other side. Then stand the can up to and spread the moistened rag over the top and spout. The longer you leave your vinegar-soaked rag in place the more aged the can will look.
- Rinse and dry your can and it should have the start to a beautiful “aged” patina.
- Optional Finish: This step will dull your finish a little more if you want, but it is not absolutely necessary. Mix 1/2 cup baking soda with the juice of 2-3 lemons. You want a goopy paste. Now spread this paste all over your can’s surface. Again, use your large container to hold the can and work in sections on the surface. I just spread it on, rubbed it in and let it sit for a few hours. The baking soda and acid from the lemons added a little more abrasion.
- Set your container out in the sunshine and occasionally rotate. Allow the lemon juice and sun to do its job. The longer it sits outside, the more aging you will get.
- Finally, rinse off the baking soda mixture and dry it off.
This technique can be used with any galvanized container, not just watering cans. So if you have a shiny bucket or two you can treat them to a vinegar bath.
Creating your own “vintage” watering cans and buckets is a nice way to add some character to your garden and decor. These cans can be used for years without fear of damage. If you have truly vintage cans you might be fearful of leaving them out and using them regularly. Creating these vintage look-alike cans will solve that problem.
While shopping for my galvanized container, I actually had difficulty finding the shiny versions that were so popular a few years ago. Manufacturers have caught on to the vintage look as well and many of the cans I looked at already had a roughened patina. Brightly colored painted cans were also very easy to find. So if you like the look of vintage but you don’t want to “age” a container yourself, you can find good quality watering cans that already have the look you want. However, adding an aged patina can still help to improve their appearance.
If you are a collector of aged garden containers then you are always going to be on the lookout for that next great find. In the meantime, you have vintage-inspired containers that can actually hold water for displaying flowers and can be used to water your plants and pots.
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I love it, I used this idea a few years ago on a shiny galvanized bucket I had and it worked wonderfully and now, several years later it has started to rust in places! Yippee!
Tania
Hi Tania,
It is so exciting when your containers begin to take on that aged patina naturally. I’m just not that patient! That’s why this is such an easy technique to speed things up. Thanks for sharing.
Janie