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Home » Faux and Tell U » Faux Techniques and Projects » Miniature Tealight House to Mock Punch Tin Lantern

Miniature Tealight House to Mock Punch Tin Lantern

June 22, 2016 By Amy 6 Comments

22 Jun

Lanterns of any kind seem to be a big trend this season. I had two black metal tea light houses in my thrifted miniature house collection. One was upcycled as a bird house planter, which turned out to be a nice gift for Mother’s Day. I decided to try my hand at turning this one into a mock punch tin lantern.

upcyled-miniature-house-punch-tin-lantern - metal-black-tealight-miniature-house - StowandTellU.com

Now, when I say punched tin, what I really mean is drilled steel! There would be no punching of any kind through this sturdy black metal.

upcyled-miniature-house-punch-tin-lantern-StowandTellU.com

DIY Faux Punched Tin Lantern - StowAndTellU.com

Mock punch tin lantern from a miniature metal tealight house

upcyled-miniature-house-punch-tin-lantern-drill-metal-mock-punch-tin - StowandTellU.com

Here are the steps I followed:

I cleaned the metal thoroughly and I covered the whole piece in painters tape.

I referred to Google Images for some punch tin pattern inspiration and printed out examples a a guide.

I hand drew my own design, but I could have printed out a simple pattern and taped that onto the lantern sides.

Using the recommended safety gear for drilling steal, and I started drilling the holes. Of course I also used a carbide drill bit, that cuts through steel.

faux-mock-punched-tin-metal - StowandTellU.com

I gave it all a light sanding, then a coat of rust colored primer, and then several coats of Looking Glass Spray Paint.

punched-tin-lantern-metal-bird-house - StowAndTellU.com

I gave that all another light sanding to create a weathered look. Finally I sprayed the whole piece with a clear coat sealer.

faux-punch-tin-lantern-patio - StowAndTellU.com

The drilling part took me about 2 hours, which is not half bad.

In a perfect world, all the holes would line up. But since this the first time I ever drilled a hole through steel, let alone A LOT of holes through steel, I’ll take it.

mock-hanging-punch-tin-lantern - StowandTellU.com

Ken did help me out by making a metal strap hanger, and he attached it with rivets.

If the punch tin experts show up, I might be in trouble!

repurposed-faux-mock-punch-tin-lantern - StowandTellU.com

Otherwise I’ve turned a boring black tealight miniature house into a hanging mock punch tin lantern, for about $6.00.

Here are seven more faux punched tin lamp ideas:

Seven diy punched tin lantern ideas | how to make a punch tin lantern | stowandtellu.com

Seven ways to make a faux punch tin lantern.

Thanks for stopping by ~ Amy

Filed Under: Faux Techniques and Projects, Garden & Outdoor, LIghting Tagged With: Summer and Outdoors

« Yardworkation #2 – Accent Colors for a Blue House
4th of July Ideas for Decorating Your Outdoor Space Red, White and Blue »

Comments

  1. chris aka monkey says

    June 22, 2016 at 10:50 am

    perfection is highly over rated, i think your lantern turned out wonderful just as it is xx

    Reply
  2. Kim~madeinaday says

    July 5, 2017 at 9:13 am

    Cool idea! Looks better with the holes, So pretty at night! Pinned! Thank you for sharing on Merry Monday! Hope to see ya next week!
    Kim

    Reply
    • Amy says

      July 5, 2017 at 9:32 pm

      Thanks so much, Kim, and thanks for hosting:)

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. 7 DIY Faux Punched tin lantern Ideas - StowandTellU says:
    July 31, 2016 at 6:13 am

    […] Faux punched tin house lantern […]

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  2. Outdoor DIY Projects - What Meegan Makes says:
    July 9, 2017 at 1:00 pm

    […] Mock Punch Tin Lantern via Stow and Tell U   Be sure to follow us on social media, as we love to feature your links there: I Should Be Mopping the Floor | Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom Refresh Restyle| What Meegan Makes Our Southern home | Inspiration for Moms   Please keep in mind: […]

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  3. Outdoor DIY Projects - Our Southern Home says:
    July 9, 2017 at 6:33 pm

    […] Mock Punch Tin Lantern via Stow and Tell U   Be sure to follow us on social media, as we love to feature your links there: I Should Be Mopping the Floor | Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom Refresh Restyle| What Meegan Makes Our Southern home | Inspiration for Moms     Please keep in mind: […]

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