• About
  • Artist Resources
    • Classes
  • Blog
    • Crafts
    • Decor
    • Holidays
    • Living
    • SVG Files
  • Portfolio
    • Illustrations
    • Surface Pattern Designs
    • Typography
  • Work With Me
    • Disclosure & Privacy Policy
  • Contact

LZ Cathcart

Delightful designs and illustrations.

  • My Account
    • Shop Policies
  • Apparel
    • Baby & Kids
    • Women
  • Art Prints
  • Mugs
  • Phone Cases
  • Pillows
  • Stickers
  • Tote Bags
  • SVG Vector Art
  • Freebies
  • 0 items

Living

DIY Rustic and Industrial Bucket Light

This post may include affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link, I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you. Please read my disclosure policy for more details.

Tweet
Pin90
Share31
121 Shares
Looking for an interesting way to update that old boob light? Try this DIY Rustic and Industrial Bucket Light tutorial for an unique look!
I really love DIY projects, and today’s post actually came about accidentally. I’ve had this beautiful, vintage bucket for about a year now, and I’ve been struggling to find the perfect solution for it. I’ve tried using it as a bucket for dog toys, flowers and even in my studio. However, it just didn’t work. Crazily enough though, while I was despising my hallway light it occurred to me that the bucket would make a better ceiling fixture than a container and voila! The DIY rustic and industrial bucket light project was born.
 

Learn how to create GORGEOUS signs with
my FREE guide!

    We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at anytime.
    Current situation:
    You can’t see it from these pictures very well, but the light fixture is coated with a film of tar from the previous owners smoking addiction. It’s crazy how much older it makes the fixture look then it really is!

    How to Make a Light Fixture from a Bucket

    So, I started off with removing the glass fixture and hardware.
    I was actually hoping that I could just remove the old fixture, install the bucket to the ceiling, and have a huge bulb dangling like a pendant light. Unfortunately though, the way that it was installed to the ceiling made it a little more complicated than expected.
     
    For this project I had to enlist Mike to “assist” with the electrical debacle. If you also have a similar situation, PLEASE, please, please make sure to have someone help you remove the light if you do not have any experience in the electrical field.
     
    Since I had to change my plans from my original idea I decided to paint the old fixture and hardware, and bleach/scrub the glass.

    Looking for more DIY light projects?

    • DIY Upcycled Lamp Shade Pendant Light
    • Mason Jar Pendant Light
    • DIY Branch Floor Lamp

    I decided that easiest and quickest way to change the color would be to pull out the handy-dandy spray paint. I absolutely love Rust-Oleum Oil Rubbed Bronze. It’s that perfect blend of a metal-look plus a nice, dark color without being black.

    As always, make sure to do your spray painting outdoors, or at least in a ventilated garage/room. I also like to use an old canvas to protect my table from the paint, but you can easily use newspaper or cardboard as well. Then, tape off any areas that you do not want to get paint on.
     
    The key to spray painting is to sand off any debris, old paint, etc from your item(s), and then do multiple light coats. When you do thick coats of paint that’s when you’ll have drips and peeling issues.
     
    Once the light fixture was completely dry (depending on the spray paint that you use you might need to wait 24 hours) we outlined a circle to cut out from the bucket. This way, the bucket will fit perfectly around the light fixture when it is installed into the ceiling.
    Create your very own industrial bucket light with just a few simple supplies.
    Since metal can be a little tough I had Mike cut out the circle for me. He first drilled a whole into the bucket so he would have a starting point to put the saw.
     
    Since the edges were a little sharp he used a grinder to smooth them down a little bit.
    You too can create a DIY rustic and industrial bucket light. Check out how now!
    Then, we made sure the hole was indeed big enough to fit the light fixture. Bingo, we did it right!
     
    Mike then put all of the pieces back together, and installed the light as it originally looked. Doesn’t the paint job make it look amazing? It looks brand new!

    DIY Rustic and Industrial Bucket Light

    I then put the bucket on the ceiling, drilled holes into the bucket and ceiling, and got ready to put in the screws.
     
    I highly recommend using drywall hangers to install your bucket. Our bucket wasn’t that heavy, but I wanted to make sure that it was securely fastened to the ceiling so we wouldn’t have to wonder about it falling down on anyone in the future. Last, the bucket was installed!
     
    At first I was a little unsure, but I now LOVE the way this light fixture looks. It’s the perfect blend of rustic and industrial that we plan on decorating with throughout the entire house.
     
    Looking for an interesting way to update that old boob light? Try this DIY Rustic and Industrial Bucket Light tutorial for an unique look!
    One DIY Rustic and Industrial Bucket Light
    light down, 20 more to go… !
     
    Pssttt…. Don’t forget to check out my DIY projects page chocked full of DIY and decorating goodness!
    Looking for an interesting way to update that old boob light? Try this DIY Rustic and Industrial Bucket Light tutorial for an unique look!


    8 Comments

    About LZ Cathcart

    LZ is an artist who loves creating illustrations, custom hand lettering and patterns for gifts, home decor, fabric, and wallpaper. She is also the creative mind behind The Summery Umbrella where she shows you how to make handmade signs, various DIY projects and gorgeous home decor.

    When she’s not dreaming up new projects and designs you can typically find her drinking her fair share of coffee, hanging out with her super handy husband and her sweet and sassy daughter. They all have a hard time sitting sit so this family is constantly on the go!

    Don’t Miss Out!

    Learn how to create GORGEOUS signs with my FREE guide. It's the perfect source for getting started and moving forward!

    « My New Studio: The Reveal
    Create Your Own DIY Reclaimed Wood Paneled Door »

    Comments

    1. Jenny says

      August 22, 2014 at 9:44 pm

      Visiting from Link Party Palooza – your repurposed light caught my eye! It looks so much better! I recently updated my dining room light with a repurposed egg crate and it seemed to change the look of the whole room. Nice job!

      Reply
      • LZ Cathcart says

        August 23, 2014 at 4:34 am

        Hi Jenny! Thank you for visiting πŸ™‚ I will definitely check out your page. What a great idea!

        Reply
    2. Kim says

      September 5, 2014 at 9:07 pm

      What a great way to cover up one of those “boob lights”! We have several in our house too. I’ll have to show this to my hubby.
      Just one question – how much light do you actually get from your new fixture? I would be afraid that the bucket would block a lot of the light?
      Found you at Remodelaholic πŸ™‚
      Kim @ PinspiredHome.blogspot.com

      Reply
      • LZ Cathcart says

        September 6, 2014 at 7:51 pm

        Hi Kim! Thanks for stopping by. You are correct. The bucket does tone down the amount of light that comes out of it. For us it’s perfect because it’s right in front of our 3 year olds bedroom so it makes checking on her at night ideal. I wish you the best of luck with your home remodeling πŸ™‚

        Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. How to Make a Mason Jar Pendant Light | The Summery Umbrella says:
      December 31, 2018 at 2:52 pm

      […] Rustic and Industrial Bucket Light […]

      Reply
    2. Super Simple DIY Upcycled Lamp Shade Pendant Light says:
      January 30, 2019 at 4:32 pm

      […] DIY Rustic and Industrial Bucket Light […]

      Reply
    3. How to Make a DIY Wire Mesh Basket | LZ Cathcart says:
      March 30, 2020 at 6:38 pm

      […] save a random circular metal piece, right? Well, do you remember a few weeks ago when I created the bucket light? This little, magical piece of heaven is the “innard” of the bucket that Mike and I cut […]

      Reply
    4. DIY Branch Floor Lamp in a Few Super Simple Steps says:
      April 13, 2020 at 7:56 pm

      […] DIY Rustic and Industrial Bucket Light […]

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Hi! I'm LZ, and welcome to my humble abode! Don't be shy. Come on in! This is my happy place where I share my life, creativity as well as my quirky and country sense of humor on a daily basis. So, grab yourself a tall glass of something yummy, and let me introduce you to my realm. :)

    I want to find…

    Post Categories

    Featured On

    Let’s be social

    Do you like to change it up sometimes? Maybe with Do you like to change it up sometimes? Maybe with decor, your art, food, etc. As for me, I do it... ALL. THE. TIME. It's a force of nature, but it definitely keeps it interesting! ⁣
—⁣
For instance, my new favorite "change" is mixing up watercolor paints with oil pastels. Sigh. Soooo interesting and amazing!
    Don't worry, my friend. Just grow plants. ⁣
—⁣
Purchase one or many and ... get FREE shipping.⁣
⁣
#stickeraddict #stickers #decals #stickerlove #stickerart #watercolor #digitalart #homedecor #acrylic #canvas #mixedmedia #homedesign #interior #modernart #abstractpainting #painter #artstudio #abstractartist #interiors #acrylicpaint #decoration #floralpainting #creativeart #draw #instaart #instahome #homestyle #thesummeryumbrella #lzcathcart
    Stickers, stickers, and oh yea... more stickers! Y Stickers, stickers, and oh yea... more stickers! You could definitely say that I've caught sticker-fever. πŸ€’ ❀⁣
—⁣
Purchase one or many and ... get FREE shipping.
    I'm sooo loving on these summer-inspired fruit pop I'm sooo loving on these summer-inspired fruit popsicles. ❀⁣
—⁣
Purchase one or many and ... get FREE shipping.
    If you've been following me through my stories you If you've been following me through my stories you'll know that I very recently finished my greenhouse. I cannot even begin to explain how excited I am to have this beautiful space so close to my home, and how much I already enjoy using it to relax and .. duh... grow plants 🀣⁣
—⁣
Do you have a favorite place to go and relax?
    Last year (isn't that so weird to say?!) I created Last year (isn't that so weird to say?!) I created these two cuties and I always felt like they were talking to each other. Nothing too complicated or crazy, but talking nonetheless. With that being said, I decided to add in the "hi" and "hello" afterward to give it a little nerdy character! ⁣
—⁣
Do you ever make up stories for the animals in your life? Obviously, you already know that I do!! You should hear the stories I make up for the squirrels! 🀣
    Follow on Instagram

    Copyright © 2021 · LZ Cathcart of The Summery Umbrella, LLC

    Log in