How To Age Galvanized Metal
Last updated on January 17th, 2025 at 09:24 pm
In today’s post, I’ll show you how to age galvanized metal quickly and easily, so you can make your own beautiful accent pieces without breaking the bank. Have you ever wandered through a store, spotted those stunning farmhouse-style pails, planters, and containers, and then nearly gasped at the price tag? Me too! As much as I adore the rustic charm of aged metal accents, I can’t justify paying those high prices for something I know I can recreate at home. That’s why I’m so excited to share this tutorial with you! It really is so easy to recreate!
I picked up a super cute metal planter at Dollar Tree. Cute AND budget-friendly? Yes, please! It’s going to look amazing with the lavender plants I just bought for my front porch. But here’s the thing: it’s a little too shiny for that perfect rustic farmhouse vibe I’m going for.
If you’re in the same boat and love a good DIY project, you’re in luck. In this post, I’ll walk you through exactly how to age galvanized metal step by step. You won’t believe how simple this technique is—or how professional your finished project will look! Whether you’re transforming planters, buckets, or other galvanized pieces, this method will give them that weathered, vintage look we all love. So, grab your supplies and let’s get started. By the end of this post, you’ll have a charming, aged-metal piece that looks like it came straight from a high-end decor store—but for just a fraction of the cost!
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How To Age Galvanized Metal
What You’ll Need:
- metal planter (I found this planter at Dollar Tree)
- vinegar
- old towel
- brown paint
- paint or foam brush
- paper towel
- plastic bin
What to Do:
Step 1:
Place an old towel in a large plastic bin, then simply pour vinegar on the towel until its soaked.
Step 2:
Wrap the planter tightly with the vinegar-soaked towel and let the magic begin! Patience is key here—leave it to sit for 5-6 hours (or longer if you prefer a more aged look). Once the wait is over, unwrap the planter to reveal the stunning transformation. You’ll be amazed at how beautifully weathered and rustic it looks! The longer you let it sit, the more pronounced the aged effect will be.
You can definitely stop here and use the planter ‘as is’. It turned out so pretty……but I wanted to add a little depth.
Step 3:
Take some brown acrylic paint and paint the entire planter. Wait a minute or so, then begin wiping the paint off with some paper towel. Don’t be super neat with this part, because you want a bit of paint left behind.
How about that?! I’m shocked at how EASY this process is and I absolutely love the results, don’t you? The paint adds that bit of dimension to the planter that I was looking for. It really does look rusted and old!
If you give this craft a try be sure to post a picture on my Pinterest Pin. I’d love to see the results you get with your projects!
I’ll definitely be on the hunt for some more shiny objects to age!
Until next time
MORE CRAFTS TO LOVE:
I Can’t wait to try this technique on the new galvanized tree collar I bought for Christmas this year! I just found this so it won’t grace my tree this year but it will better fit in with my vintage farmhouse decor. Thank you for this great idea!
Bought the planter today> tomorrow I will do the job. So excited !!!
I tried this and it works great! However I did not stop at “good enough” and my container got splotchy. You have to check it every once in a while. Duh! I still like it, however. It fits my decor much better than the shiny one. Thanks a bunch for the idea! Now–I bought two of the white signs at the Dollar General that say respectively ” FARMER’S MARKET” and “FRESH CUT FLOWERS–stems.bloom.seeds” They are really pure black and pure white. They look like they are enameled metal with a coating of some kind. I tried scratching it with my fingernail, but the coating is as hard as a rock. It is textured, not smooth and shiny. This is great if you want this new look. But I would like it to look old and rusty around the edges, at least. Maybe try to sand it a little and paint the brown on it? What do you think about this? Anyone have any ideas?
Bought the planter today> tomorrow I will do the job. So excited !!!
I’m loving this page!
Thank you! It’s such a quick & easy way to age those shiny containers! I love EASY! 🙂