Add style and fun to your indoor and outdoor patio space by upcycling simple tin cans into a colorfully painted DIY utensil holder.

Colorful and painted tin cans upcycled into utensil holders holding forks, knives and spoons.

Colorfully Painted Tin Can Utensil Holders

Creating home decor using materials from around the house is a great way to keep busy and stay on budget. We painted a set of tin cans in bright, bold colors to hold our utensils for our Summer BBQ’s on our outdoor patio. We transfer the utensil holders from the kitchen to the backyard on a tray along with the condiments so it’s not only pretty to look at but practical too.

Finished utensil holders with twine wrapped around it and filled with forks, knives and spoons.

There are so many creative uses for tin cans! Next time you use up a can of food or coffee, consider any one of these fun DIY upcycling projects:

winter centerpiece idea — Upcycled Cioffee Tin Storage Containers

Materials Need to Make Colorful Utensil Holders:

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Crafter’s Acrylics in
3 Tin Cans
Paint brush
Painter’s tape, ½” to ¾” thickness
Spray paint
Twine (optional)
Decoart Americana Decoupage Sealer in matte (optional)

Materials needed to make a colorful utensil holder, including tin cans, paint, tape and a paint brush.

A Few Tips To Get You Started

Protect your work surface from paint using a sheet of parchment paper.
Wash and dry each can thoroughly with soap and water before painting.
Be sure to file the edges of the tin can using a metal filer to eliminate any rough or sharp edges.
Apply a thin coat of spray paint to the surface of the tin cans prior to painting with Crafters Acrylics to help paint adhere better.
Allow paint to dry fully before adding another coat of paint or changing colors.

How to Make a DIY Utensil Holder:

Apply a thin coat of the white spray paint to the base of the tin cans. This will help make the acrylic paint stick to the tin cans. Next, allow the spray paint to dry fully before proceeding with the next step.

Three tin cans lightly sprayed with white spray paint.

Using a paintbrush, paint the majority of the middle section in Crafter’s Acrylics white.

Painting the middle of a tin can with white paint.

Once dry, apply painter’s tape to each of the tin cans in a varying stripe pattern (as shown).

Adding painters tape to each tin can in different spots.

Paint one of the taped off sections in Crater’s Acrylics Grasshopper Green. Repeat as needed for more coverage.

Painting the top of the tin can with green paint.

Three tin cans painted in different spots with green paint.

Peel off the painter’s tape.

Removing painters tape from the tin can.

Add painter’s tape to the tin cans for the next striped color. Leave ¼” spacing below the green area for a thin white stripe.

Showing three tin cans painted green and white.

Adding painters tape to different spots of the three tin cans.

Paint the taped off sections in Crafter’s Acrylics Tutti Fruitti. Repeat as needed for more coverage.

Painting the middle of a tin can with pink paint.

Peel off the painter’s tape.

Showing the three tin cans painted with white, green and pink paint.

Add painter’s tape to the tin cans for the next striped color.

Adding painters tape to the three tin cans in different spots.

Paint the taped off sections in Crafter’s Acrylics Turquoise. Repeat as needed for more coverage.

Painting the bottom of the tin can with turquoise paint.

Peel off the painter’s tape. Use a fine tip paint brush to touch up any rough edges or peeled off paint from the tape.

Removing the painters tape from the painted tin can.

Tie a piece of twine around each of the painted tin cans. Style with kitchen utensils and enjoy.

Finished colorful utensil holders with forks, knives and spoons placed a white serving tray.

This originally appeared on DecoArt’s Project Gallery.

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Upcycled DIY Utensil Holders

Upcycle tin cans into colorfully painted DIY utensil holders.

Author: Jane and Sonja

Materials

Crafter’s Acrylics in White, Grasshopper Green, Tutti Fruitti, Turquoise
3 Tin Cans
Paint brush
Painter’s tape ½” to ¾” thickness
Spray paint white
Twine optional
Decoart Americana Decoupage Sealer in matte optional

Instructions

Apply a thin coat of the white spray paint to the base of the tin cans.
Using a paintbrush, paint the majority of the middle section in Crafter’s Acrylics white.
Once dry, apply painter’s tape to each of the tin cans in a varying stripe pattern.
Paint one of the taped off sections in Crater’s Acrylics Grasshopper Green. Peel off the painter’s tape.
Add painter’s tape to the tin cans for the next striped color. Leave ¼” spacing below the green area for a thin white stripe.
Paint the taped off sections in Crafter’s Acrylics Tutti Fruitti. Peel off the painter’s tape.
Add painter’s tape to the tin cans for the next striped color.
Paint the taped off sections in Crafter’s Acrylics Turquoise. Peel off the painter's tape.
Tie a piece of twine around each of the painted tin cans.
Style with kitchen utensils and enjoy!

Upcycled DIY Utensil Holder

Colorfully Painted Tin Can Utensil Holders