DIY: Rusty Flower Hanging Buckets

A few years back, when I was decorating my back patio at my Winnsboro house, I picked up a couple old buckets that had been made into the cutest hanging flower buckets in Canton.  Well I've since moved on and now I use those same buckets on our front porch.  The porch is so long and big that two weren't cutting it so I rounded up the supplies and made two more. 

This entire project cost less that $25 and is so simple.

What you'll need:

• 2 Galvanized buckets- I found mine new at the feed store for a few dollars a piece
• 3 yards of chain- I got one of the smallest links of chain at the hardware store
• 1 gallon of Mauriac acid- also known as hydrochloric acid and it also was found easily at the hardware store
• 2 tubs to fill with water and submerse the galvanized buckets in- I used 2 feed buckets
• Rubber gloves- the last think you want is to get acid burns YIKES!

How to do it:

1. I had to remove my handles on my buckets to fit them in the feed buckets but that is fine because I wasn't going to use them anyways.
2. After I put my galvanized buckets in my other buckets (wow that's redundant) I poured a healthy portion of hydrochloric acid inside my galvanized bucket and also around it- probably around 4 cups of acid
3. I then carefully filled the bucket up with water to dilute it down.
4. Let sit for really as rusty as you want.  My buckets sat for around 4 days.
5. Once the time is up dump out acid/water and wash off the now black gummy buckets using your gloves and an old rag. Don't get freaked they won't really look like you imagined at this point :)
6. Let dry and VOILA! Rusty buckets!
7. I put my chain in one of my buckets and rusted it as well.  I then had my lovely assistant boyfriend attach my chain in two pieces to my buckets.  I transplanted my ferns and hung them up!

 

 

So easy and so cheap there is literally no work involved.  The only downside to this is to make sure you have actual galvanized thick buckets which may cost you a bit more.  Mine were really cheap and thin so I think the rust may eat away at them a bit faster than my Canton hauls from 3 years back.  Either way I love them and now my porch can be complete.