(Note: This post was from my previous blog, so you might have already seen it, but I’ve had some requests to bring it back, so here we are!)

We go through a lot of coffee, like a lot. So we end up with a lot of these aluminum tins. I couldn’t make myself throw them in the recycling bin, because I kept thinking, “I’m going to make something out of those.” Even if I didn’t craft something with them, they might be good for the garage or art supply storage. The label peels right off, making it easy to reuse the containers without having to fight with excess glue.

After toying with a few ideas, I decided to make these into coffee tin can planters, and hang them on the porch as a mini herb garden.

Preparation

The recycled tins used for this project were a plain silver aluminum, which could have been really cool as-is, especially in a space with a farmhouse or industrial vibe. Just drill a couple of drainage holes and you’re good to go! But for this project, and the space it was intended for, I wanted them to be a creamy white. But before painting, these babies needed to be sanded and have drainage holes drilled into the bottom.

Sanding is an important first step to most paint projects, but it’s especially true with spray paint projects. And I can’t reiterate that enough. Do not skip the sanding step! (We’ve all seen the outcome of spray-painted projects with paint piled up on all the surface flaws. And it’s just, ew.) Giving the surface a good sanding, prior to painting, will smooth out any surface flaws, plus create a level surface for the paint to stick to. An electric sander was perfect for smoothing the big flat edges, but the ridges on the side had to be sanded by hand.

We drilled a few different drain hole types, because some herbs require more drainage than others, so we wanted to have some options. Also, we drilled a hole on either side of the tin, right below the top lip, where the rope would go to hang these.

Painting

Now that the tins are ready to paint, it’s time to set up a place to spray paint. Like most people, we do not have a spray booth at our house. Lucky for us, it’s pretty easy to rig on up in the backyard or driveway.

We draped some drop cloths across the grass and up over the fence in our backyard. When preparing to spray paint, be mindful of wind conditions, to prevent any unintentional overspray on your house or fence.

Since these planters will be hanging, we made sure to paint them upside down. This ensures that the sides and bottom would be one even layer. We just stuck some scrap wood into the ground to place them over to hold them while we painted.

Once the bottoms had some good coverage and were dry to the touch, we lightly sprayed the ridges on the tops.

The Ropes

While the paint was drying, we measured out the rope that we would be using to hang the planters. I wanted each be a slightly different height, so we had to find our midline first.

We held the rope on the porch to decide the average/middle length we would need, which was about 90 inches. For the others, we just added or subtracted an inch or two from the original measurement.

Once the ropes were cut, we just pushed one end through the pre-drilled holes at the top, and tied a simple knot.

The Plants

Not all edible plants can grow in small containers, so I tried to keep that in mind when when making selections to plant here. Also, it’s important to consider your environment and sun conditions. I chose to do Thai basil, English lavender, chamomile, and Greek oregano. Lemon balm and mint would also be great choices for small containers.

Once the plants were in, it was time to hang them, and I have to say I’m loving the way they turned out.

Tried this project? I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments section. Or tag me on instagram with your favorite photos!