Hi, I need your help! I have a situation here, someone, no one knows who (my next door neighbors and/or their drunken/stoned guests) has on three occasions destroyed a total of 12 feet worth of my vinyl fencing within a seven-week period, and the cops won't do squat -- they asked them about it, and they said they didn't do it! You can see bumper-height dents in the vinyl and the last time, they had thrown fireplace ash all over the snow so you couldn't see any tracks, and the cop said, oh no, that's from their snowblower, you know who did this, DEER.

That was background/venting, here's the deal -- the replacement panels are not only slightly different, but made about an inch off, so I'd have to have the posts moved...no. All that expense, just to give them another chance, they've already had three. I want to make four art pieces out of galvanized garbage cans, filled with sand, so that if someone decides to drive with half a bag on, they'll have a lot more damage to remember. And I'll be out a lot less money. It's the first two panels from the street, so I think it will work fine. I want to give the cans a really good paint job and then I want to paint a design over that. The cans I want to use are high quality galvanized steel, made without oil and rust resistant. I don't want them to chip or peel, as you can imagine, it will take a lot of work and I don't want them to end up looking like...garbage! Would appreciate any and all advice and recommendations!

I doubt there are any paints that will not fade, chip or peel over time. The best I know would be acrylics, but let's ask our garden Art artist here. @Boopaints. It sounds like a good solution, and I'm betting they will be a lot more careful when they see them there.

You can use a clear uv resistant spray to keep the paint from fading. I did this with our mailbox on which I painted a design and it has kept it looking good for at least four or five years now with just a refresher coat when I get a chance. I did use acrylic paint to paint the design, the mailbox was painted grey metal.

Hope it works out well for you and they think twice before being so reckless. Perhaps a security camera would prove to the police what happens or a fake security camera might give your neighbors something to think about.

Good idea, Betty. A camera would be proof. They wouldn't be able to blame it on the deer!

Abbey, I am so sorry for all the damage you have incurred.

GREAT idea Becky - thank you!

I had to spend a hundred bucks on a trail camera, you know how you welcome that kind of expenditure when you move and are living the first year in the new home , and if any of you would like photos of a mail truck, garbage truck, traditional AND recycling, UPS, FedEx, a school bus and trucks from 8 different home fuel oil companies, why, just let me know!

Hi Karen!! And thank you Betty and Vicki, I appreciate the support. Let me tell you why I'm extra nervous about this project. I used to volunteer at a school and I did a lot of artwork and used this Jo Sonja's Acrylic Gouache. Yeah, you read that right. I bought it because it seemed forgiving and the price was right. Pearl Paint, RIP, had it in their craft section even though they took pains on the tube to say THIS IS NOT A CRAFT PAINT. Whatever. Worked great for school, but then the school closed, so I had all of this leftover, and I had these outdoor containers that I think are polypropylene that were that standard home center green and really faded, so I took this paint and redid them and they came out great, I used up all but this one tube of carbon black. And they worked out fine. When I got here, I noticed how faded they were, couple of deck boxes, too, so I said, let me sacrifice some of my good acrylic paint and do up a few of these. I did two of the containers, one deck box, and it all just started to peel off. A waste of time, paint, effort, money...And these were just painted for color, no artwork on them. The idea of doing what I want to do on these cans and having it peel off makes me sick.

I notified Becky that she had been tagged. She's really really busy right now.

Thanks, Vic. I know she's painted cans and rain barrels before.

But I'm not in any rush, whenever she has the time and whatever help she wants to give me, I'll appreciate it!

Okay just got caught up. I have been so busy. Forgive me. Vicki's so helpful in reminding me to get over here. (I'm taking my Masters classes).

Sooooooo, I would buy KRYLON paint for the base. I painted these chairs 8 years ago and while they are very slightly faded, it's not much at all.



I used Krylon for plastic but also sprayed it on a metal table and it's still perfect. I believe the can says it's good for everything.

Then you can use an exterior paint for houses for your design work. Example: Lowes sells small 2 ounce cans (or something like that). If you were doing a giant flower on each one all you need is green and the flower color.

All paints do fade over time but since I imagine these culprits would ruin the cans, I wouldn't worry about time.

Can you just order a giant bolder to be placed in front of the fence?

I hope this helps.

Thanks, Becky! I love those chairs!

Boopaints said: Can you just order a giant bolder to be placed in front of the fence?

I'm way ahead of you on that one, I'm on the side of a mountain, there are lots of boulders on all of our properties, but it was too expensive!!

And if you don't mind my saying so, you have a lot of nerve working on your master's when a complete stranger is seeking your advice on a project with the ultimate high artistic aim of taking out someone's muffler!

Actually, they had a medical emergency there about a month ago, someone was taken to the hospital, so God bless 'em, I'd rather be out 12 feet of fence than have to deal with that.

I don't care about fading, but not to watch the paint peel off all by itself like the containers Priceless!

I've used Krylon before but only on plastic -- I didn't think anything would stick to spray paint but I never thought of the exterior housepaint. Water-based, right?? I don't do turpentine anymore! I was afraid this was going to be too much, but it seems possible now -- thank you all so much!!!

You made me laugh!

Yes, water based.

I've found the peeling often comes from the clear top coats. Kinda like nail polish does.

Yes, I have quit using the topcoats on most things and especially things made from seaglass. The coatings always yellow and peel. Leaving things natural works best.

Well, I was all psyched to get the first of my projects done, and then post the pics for you to see, but now, I'm sitting here with my mask around my neck and my rubber gloves on my desk.

Here's what happened: I couldn't get the exact Krylon that Becky recommended, so I took my lead from her and started researching alternatives, which led me to Rust-Oleum Painter's Touch 2X Ultra Cover Paint + Primer, Gloss, for wood, metal, plastic and more. It turned out that Amazon had this stuff on a deep discount, so I got one for each can I'm going to do. The weather is finally gorgeous and warm today, so I put aside some time to get cracking -- I bought my sample jugs of exterior housepaint for the artwork yesterday. So I wash down the cans, open the garage doors, and decide to read the directions like you're supposed to, and I see, in just regular print, that you can't use it on metal that's going to be superheated, fine, or GALVANIZED METAL. My caps, my emphasis not theirs. I thought I would spit my teeth across the yard. So I called the 800 number and thankfully, I didn't get a jerk -- no, this can't be used on galvanized metal. Gee, think someone could make a point of that? But she told me I have to buy Rust-Oleum Stops Rust Universal Bond & Primer, #2850111, which is a spray, spray the can with that, and THEN I can use the paint I bought. I'm guessing this primer is clear, I hope I get it everywhere I'm supposed to!

So I have to see who has that around here, and get it when I do my daily aggravation run tomorrow. You just can't win

As you probably have already discovered, nothing is ever easy!

I'm just thankful you will be able to paint in the color you want.

They never advertise the primer. HD has a paint called 1 step and Lowes has one too with a different name that says you can paint furniture with just ONE step - Wrong - I watched the video online and you have to prime with some kind of bonding stuff. But in all the commercials, and even talking to the paint person at Lowes - primer is never mentioned. Sheesh...

My husband is staining my new kitchen cabinets for our island. We bought a product that said one step, but they lied. It requires 2 coats, so that has to be 2 steps the way I count!

Sometimes I think they hope you'll do it wrong and have to start over and buy more paint/stain. Pfft.

plantmanager said:As you probably have already discovered, nothing is ever easy!

Sorry Karen, I have to disagree, when I was unpacking, a piece of cardboard fell out of a box, and when I went to answer the doorbell, I slipped on it and fell right on my butt onto the kitchen tile. Easy-peasy!

And you have to understand corporate BS speak -- they don't care how many coats you put down, that is one step to them. If you told them that, they'd say, no, an additional step would be a primer, or a topcoat.

vic; Lowe's had it, I ordered 4 cans and will pick it up tomorrow, it says it goes on white, so thank God, I don't have to guess, I have to spray around handles and all of that. If the forecast holds up, they should dry in no time. Fortunately, I found another 10,000 things I could and did do in the time allotted I'm just glad that I can use the existing paint that I bought, and this stuff wasn't terribly expensive either.