by Texas Homesteader ~
I’m always looking for easy ways to repurpose empty coffee cans. I decided to make some into planters for our porch. It was a fun and sustainable DIY project.
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Repurposing Empty Coffee Cans
Recently I was chatting with a friend about those little red plastic coffee containers. I love them and use them often for storing various things when we’ve consumed all the coffee from them.
I use them to store short-term quantities of chicken feed, for my gardening purposes, as a compost container to collect items destined for the *compost tumbler, etc.
There’s a list at the bottom of this post of the various ways we’ve been able to repurpose empty coffee cans. But after a while you’re run out of things to do with them.
I sadly told RancherMan to just go ahead and start putting them in the recycling bin, there was no other use I needed them for.
But in chatting with a friend she said she uses them for pots on her porch. Humm….
Repurposing An Empty Coffee Canister
I pulled that plastic coffee can out of the recycling bin and gave it a once over. Maybe I can do something with this.
I have some chocolate mint given to me by a friend and I’m looking for something to plant it in. But a garish red plastic coffee can planting pot is sitting on the outside table is not the look I’m after. LOL.
I have some hammered copper Rustoleum spray-paint leftover from painting our claw-foot tub feet and I love that color. Let’s see if it helps make that bright red plastic container presentable enough to place on our patio.
Painting The Coffee Can
First I lightly sanded the plastic to give it a rough exterior to accept the paint. I placed the empty coffee can upside down on a hotwire post I had pushed into the ground. Then I gave the coffee can a light coat of paint.
I didn’t worry with painting the bottom of the can but I did spray a little into the inside rim since I figure that may be visible.
When the paint dried I lightly sprayed a couple more coats to cover the red color completely.
Adding Drainage To Coffee Can Planter
Then I took the painted can to RancherMan’s shop and punched some drainage holes in the bottom.
When it was time to plant my mint I lined the bottom with a bit of spent hay to help with drainage (you know, use what cha got!) and plopped in the mint plant, freshly dug up from the front flower beds into my new planting container.
I used the black top of the coffee can to set the planter upon so moisture wouldn’t ruin the barnwood table RancherMan had made for me, and I stood back to take a look…
I like it. And I think it will serve perfectly here.
It will also be a prettier transportation vessel when sharing plants with friends. I love it, and I love that it makes a use out of something that was just going to be thrown away into something that would previously have to be purchased.
~TxH~
Coffee Canister Repurpose Ideas:
- The Trick to Removing The Print On Coffee Cans
- Making A Cute Country Bread Box
- How To Make A Flour Canister
- Storing Bulk Items In The Pantry
- Replaceable Food Storage Dishes
- Using Repurposed Canisters In The Garden
- Repurposed Coffee Canister To Cute Inexpensive Planter
- Making A Low-Waste Chicken Feeder
- Coffee Canisters Into EcoBricks For The Garden
- Empty Coffee Can Repurposed For Harvest
- Repurposing A Coffee Can For Deep-Soak Watering
- Coffee Can Repurpose In The Laundry Room
- Fun Ways To Repurpose Coffee Canisters
See All My Repurposed Coffee Canister Ideas Here
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Give them to your local school, teachers use these kinds of things
When I’d used as many as I could myself, I put out the word to those in my community – many of which were teachers. I figured they’d be great for crayons or craft supplies on shelves. Or maybe for daycares or churches. No one has ever taken me up on my offer to pass these canisters on. Which surprises me so much – they’re so incredibly useful ~TxH~
Love this idea, & it looks great repurposed as a planter! I’m gonna have to try this one myself, as I too have a need to thin out my chocolate mint growing out of control. The color you used looks really good too, may have to try to find that one at the store. Thanks for sharing this tip with us; I like to recycle, reuse, repurpose whenever possible. We are such a throwaway society, & too few think of what other uses some object could serve instead of adding to the landfills. Have a great day.
I agree Debra, the color was one of my favorites so I used it with this project. I’ve since made a couple others and have a matching set on our back porch. Especially with plants that cascade down, it really makes for a pretty grouping. ~TxH~
I have trouble with tree roots in my flower beds. Now I sink coffee cans to ground level and plant my annuals in them. Makes life so much easier.
This is a great idea! Unfortunately, I get the bagged coffee, but I bed I know a few people who use these cans. My kids would love this project to plant something of their own in.
Yeah Tara, you should have no trouble finding those plastic coffee cans. Everyone loves to reuse them, but like I said – after so many you just have to sigh and toss ’em in the recycling bin… ~TxH~
Very clever! I love this idea! Perfect for gift giving too like you mentioned! Thank you for sharing this week on the Art of Home-Making Mondays!
I’ll be using them often for passing along plants I’m sharing, JES. Hopefully I’ll have also planted a seed (pun fully intended!) for the recipient as well. ~TxH~
I knew there had to be a good use for those coffee cans! Thanks for the share.
Love the color and what a super easy craft! Thanks for linking up to Merry Monday! Sharing on MM Pin Board! Have a great week!
Kim
The color was my fave Kim, and I now have a couple of these repurposed-material planters in reserve to be able to split & share plants with friends. Perfect! ~TxH~
I love repurposing things. I now have two raised planters for flowers in old BBQs with cat litter boxes inside. With the wheels on the BBQs intact, I can easily move them for better sunlight or just to change things up around the cabin. – Margy
what a great idea! i go through a lot of coffee, but always feel bad about just throwing so many containers away. Nice
I know, me too Claudia. I think they’re especially helpful for taking plants you’re sharing with friends too. I’m wondering about making a group planting using them and maybe some bricks or cinderblocks to have them all be various heights. Humm….. ~TxH~
So Cute!! What an awesome idea! #HomeMattersParty
Great use making into plant container. Looks nice sitting there on your table
The plastic or metal coffee containers are also nice for making into cute little birdhouses. They are also good for storing craft supplies in. Nice for any number of things.
I think it looks great Colleen, and I’ve done others to divide my mint and other plants into and share with friends. Love it! ~TxH~