DIY Painted Metal Party Tub Using FrogTape® Shape Tape™

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of FrogTape Brand Painter’s Tape. All opinions are 100% mine.

Now that we can finally enjoy time outside, I've been focusing on sprucing up our outdoor accessories.  Today I'm sharing my DIY Party Tub how-to.  Turn a plain galvanized metal container into a custom party tub using a little help from FrogTape® Shape Tape™.

I have to confess, I used to be super anxious about doing projects with paint.  Especially on tricky shapes like this flared tub.  I always worried that I'd goof up my spacing or end up with paint spreading into spots I don't want it, but not this time! FrogTape® gave me a confidence boost because it's the only painter's tape with PaintBlock® Technology. PaintBlock® is a super-absorbent polymer which reacts with latex paint and instantly gels to form a micro-barrier that seals the edges of the tape, preventing paint bleed.  And it's ready to go in a fun designer shape - no fancy cutting required.  It sounded ideal, so I was willing to give it a go.

Materials:

- FrogTape® Shape Tape™ (I used the Wave design)
- Acrylic Craft Paint
- Galvanized tub or bucket
- Foam paint roller
- Scissors
- Paper plate
- Clean soft rag (old t-shirt) & vinegar

Here's my FrogTape how-to:

Start by cleaning the surface with a clean, soft cloth dipped in a little white vinegar.  This will help remove any surface oils so the tape & paint will adhere to the galvanized surface.

Decide on a layout pattern using the FrogTape® Shape Tape™.  I went with vertical wavy lines.  It was super easy to get them even - after I cut the first piece I used it as my template to cut all the others so they'd be identical.

I started applying the tape at the tub's side seam.  

The tape has backing that splits in half so I removed the top half and was able to make sure it was perfectly lined up.  

Then I removed the bottom half of the backing and pressed down.  It's important to really smooth the tape down around it's edges so it gets a good seal.  I repeated this with all the remaining pieces.  It wasn't hard to eyeball how far apart to make the waves and still get them pretty uniform.

I wanted to keep the wavy stripes within the tub's ridges at the top and bottom, so I cut another long piece of tape and then cut it again along the split in the middle of the backing and used those straight edges to tape off the base and top rims.

I spread some of my paint onto a paper plate & covered my foam roller.  I used acrylic paint since it's water-based like latex.  This meant it would work well with the tape's PaintBlock® Technology, but will adhere better to the galvanized surface.

I rolled the paint all over my tub until it had a nice even coat.

Then I carefully peeled off the paint.  This was my real moment of truth.  The FrogTape® Shape Tape™ totally worked!  Every wave was crisp and clean - no bleed through anywhere.

I let it dry and then tried out our pretty new tub.  It's great for chilling drinks and can be used for holding toys or towels too.  I'd recommend hitting it up with a coat or two of clear coat spray to help protect the paint if it's going to see some regular wear from moving it around, or a lot of condensation from holding ice. 

Want more fun project ideas using FrogTape®?  Follow FrogTape® on Twitter and share your own ideas on Twitter & Pinterest with #FrogTape hashtag!

I'm also sharing this project with my FAVE LINK PARTIES.

Click HERE to check them out!