DIY: How to Make Tin Can Lanterns

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August rain: the best of the summer gone, and the new fall not yet born. The odd uneven time. ―Sylvia Plath

As we watch the creeping by of the seasons change from the height of summer to early fall, there’s a certain romance in the air that draws us outdoors, onto our porches, to enjoy the late summer nights. While the fireflies are still out, the crickets play us their nightly songs, and we begin to feel the coolness in the air, we can’t help but admire the aesthetics of the naturally stunning late-summer scene.

While the evenings are simply beautiful just as they are, adding your own touch to the aesthetics gives the evenings a much warmer, more personal feel.  Creating your own tin can lanterns can add warmth to any space.

Additionally, tin can lanterns can enhance any space in preparation for guests, events, barbeques, holidays, or even your Airbnb rental! We’ve put together this list of our favorite tin can lantern projects with instructions on how to make them.

What You’ll Need:

Empty cans from the pantry

Permanent Marker

Paper (optional)

Masking Tape (optional)

Drill

Thin Drill Bit

Coiled Wire

Instructions:

1. Clean the empty cans thoroughly and remove all the labeling.

Method 1:

1. Take pieces of paper and with the permanent marker, create a design using dots.
2. Tape that piece of paper to the tin can.
3. Drill over the holes, using the paper and design as the pattern.

Method 2:

1. Rather than use paper to create a design, use the permanent marker to make light dots in your desired pattern.
2. Drill over the holes.
3. Drill two holes at the top, near the opening and next to the lip of the can.
4. Take your coiled wire and string it through both of the top holes. This will be how you hang your lanterns.
5. You can either hang these as lanterns in your favorite tree, or string them together for form stringed lights for your porch or patio area.

Tip:

You must make sure that your drill bit is appropriate for drilling through metal and thin enough to drill small holes. Drilling through a cylinder can be more challenging than drilling through just a flat surface, so it’s important for a smooth process to have the correct drill bit.

Our Favorite Tin Can Lanterns