DIY Bucket Seats

Last year I was looking for some alternative seating options for my classroom. I thought about the crate seats but then I saw a way to make seats out of painter's buckets. Best of all, they are cheap to make! Each seat cost about $5.

To make them, you'll need the following:

• buckets
• lids
• foam
• vinyl or fabric ( I prefer vinyl)
• duct tape (optional)

 I tried sanding and painting the buckets, but after the end of the school year, most of the paint chipped off.  This year I decided to try duct tape. It was fairly easy to put on. I got two buckets covers with one roll.

 

For the seat part, I cut the vinyl circle larger than the lid and cut slits around it. I glued smaller foam circles to the top and then covered it with the vinyl. I attached the fabric by folding over the vinyl slits and pushing them into the rim of the lid and securing with rope.  You can hot glue the rope to keep it in place, however I don't so I can switch out the vinyl or foam if I need to.

 

The buckets themselves hold up very well. The lids were are cracked by the end of the year, so all I need to do was replace the lids and foam.

 

The bucket seats are strong enough for adults to sit in. For the best results, turn the bucket upside down and have the lid on the bottom. I attached the lid to the bucket with wall putty (to hang up pictures) and it stays on pretty well!

 

My students love the bucket seats! They are a little short for desks but they don't seem to mind.