Upcycle Your Old Tins Into Stunning Vases

By Iain McDonald - May 3, 2024

Photograph courtesy of Jeyes Fluid.

With the help of interior stylist Melanie Lissack, we show you how easy it is to upcycle an old tin and transform it into a stunning vase…

Jeyes Fluid, the British heritage brand that’s been proudly keeping the nation’s gardens clean for over 140 years, has launched its Creative Spaces initiative this year, by partnering up with Melanie Lissack, the award winning interior stylist, writer and influencer.

How to paint your vase

Materials and tools needed:

Old Jeyes Fluid tin or any type of tin/can
All surface paint in a colour of your choice
Artist’s paintbrush
Mask for protection when spray painting
Exterior spray primer
Exterior spray paint in a colour of your choice
Pencil
Thin card
Scissors
Flowers or foliage
Stencils (optional)
Old, spare cardboard box to spray

Method for painting vases:

Before you begin the process, make sure the tin is empty and clean. Remove any stickers and sticker residue and wash both the inside and outside of the tin with warm soapy water. Allow to dry completely.
Before spray painting, place the tin inside an old cardboard box which can be used as a makeshift paint booth to contain any accidental overspray and avoid paint particles from landing into areas where paint isn’t wanted.
Spray on 1-2 coats of primer.
Once the primer is dry, spray on 1-2 coats of spray paint. When using spray paint, shake the can first and then spray with light, even strokes back and forth across the tin. Carefully rotate the container as you spray so you can get coverage on all sides.
Create abstract shapes on a piece of card. You can do this by drawing around stencils, or by using shapes around your house (e.g. coins / a glass). Look in art shops or online for a great range of stencils or different card shapes you can paint around.
Cut out the shapes using scissors.
Arrange them on your blank tin until you are happy with the design. You can use Blu Tack to keep them still while drawing.
Draw around the shapes on the tin using a pencil.
Using an artist’s paintbrush, paint inside the shape using All Surface Paint in a colour of your choice. We would recommend a contrasting colour to the background so that it pops. Alternatively you can spray paint shapes using stencils. Leave to completely dry.