How to paint a rain barrel

What you'll need:
Rain barrel
Vinegar
Dawn
Scrub brush
Sand paper
​Sander
Base coat
Paint
​Clear coat

Getting Started:
First things first. These barrels are usually plastic and come out of a mold. What that means is that the mold release and oil is still on it, so the surface has to be prepared. First, wash the outside with a mix of vinegar and dawn and water. Scrub it good. Try to get off all the shiney.

Next, sand it. I usually use a circular sander with 5" 240 to 300 grit paper. This take about 10 minutes to do the whole thing. You want it to not be shiney. 

Then once you have done this, go ahead and wipe it down with a wet cloth to get any dust off. 

Now it's ready for a base coat that is used for plastic. Valspar is the recommended base coat, but I used the plastic rustoleum brand. I was happy with the results.

I was doing an underwater scene, so I used several blues for the background and drew the creatures in with a white pencil. This was a donation to the Marine Resources Council, so I wanted to get as many creatures in it as possible. I filled in the rest of the area with rocks and plants.
​Once I was happy with the artwork, I put several coats of clear polyurethane on it. Probably about 5 or 6 coats to give it a nice shine.