Turn a cheap plastic pumpkin into a high end faux DIY metal jack-o-lantern that’s the perfect addition to your Halloween decor!

When it comes to Halloween decor, I’ll be honest, I’m not a huge fan. I love the vibe of Fall and the more playful, fun side of Halloween, but I’m not into all the scary. This year I wanted to add a bit of Halloween decor to my collection that was pretty and not scary. I scoured some high end stores like Pottery Barn and found a trend for this year were metal jack-o-lanterns. I even found some at Michael’s. However, of course with high end stores comes higher prices, so I figured I could DIY my own!

Although these pumpkins are plastic and not metal, I was able to make mine for around $1 since I had all the materials on hand. I even found the trick-or-treating pumpkin at the thrift store, which makes it even better in my opinion. I love being able to repurpose items as opposed to buying new when I can. These faux metal-jack-o-lanterns are perfect to add to indoor or outdoor decor for your porch and add a little something extra.

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YOUTUBE TUTORIAL

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FAQs

Where can I find a plastic jack-o-lantern like the one in this tutorial?

I actually thrifted my plastic jack-o-lantern for less than a dollar, but I also found the exact same one at Walmart for about $2. I haven’t seen them in many other places, but they should be easy to find. While I always encourage people to check their local thrift store first because a lot of times you can find seasonal decor like this pumpkin at a really great price, but if you want to do this project now, then I recommend taking a trip to Walmart. These pumpkins are advertised for trick-or-treating so check your store where they sell that kind of stuff.

Can I burn a real candle in this jack-o-lantern?

I highly recommend that you use a faux LED candle to illuminate your DIY metal jack-o-lantern. This is for a few reasons, including the fact that the pumpkin is plastic and could easily melt, but also because we spray painted the inside. It will give off a really bad smell and may even smoke if you try to use a real candle.

Do I have to use spray paint for this project?

I recommend using spray paint, especially one that has a primer built in. Because we’re working with plastic, using paints like acrylic paint will not work. Usually they scratch or peel off easily since they don’t adhere to the plastic without a primer. Spray painting will be the easiest way to get a nice finish on this pumpkin. This project was virtually free for me since I already had everything on hand except for the pumpkin, but if you don’t have the same paint on hand, don’t sweat it. Play around with the colors to make it a little less dramatic and more playful. I love how the metallic inside makes it look like metal, but you definitely don’t have to use the exact paints I did.

What if I accidentally cut the pumpkin where I don’t want to?

It’s really easy to accidentally cut these pumpkins where you don’t intend to. If this happens like it did for me, don’t sweat it. I simply took a piece of clear tape and taped the cut back together from the inside. Once you paint over the outside, especially if you’re using black, you can’t really see the cut. You might avoid accidentally cutting the pumpkin if you’re using a small knife like an Xacto knife as opposed to a box cutter.

How to Make a DIY Faux Metal Jack-O-Lantern

Tools You May Need:

Materials Needed:

Directions

Use a box cutter to carefully cut out the eyes, nose and mouth of the plastic jack-o-lantern.

Use a low grit sandpaper to clean up the edges carved areas.

Remove the handle from the pumpkin using wire cutters or tin snips.

Spray the entire inside of the jack-o-lantern with gold metallic spray paint and allow to dry.

Stuff paper or a plastic bag inside the pumpkin to protect the inside, then spray paint the entire outside of the pumpkin black.

Use a metallic paint pen to touch up the inside rim and top of the opening to the pumpkin.

Add an LED candle to the inside and enjoy!

Notes

Be careful when cutting out the eyes and mouth because you can easily slip and cut yourself.
The plastic of the pumpkin is very fragile so pay close attention when cutting.
Do not burn a real candle in this faux DIY metal jack-o-lantern. Instead opt for a battery operated LED candle.
You can use any color metallic spray paint for the inside and any color for the outside to go with your fall decor.

Faux Metal Jack-O-Lantern

Yield: 1 jack-o-lantern

Active Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Turn a cheap plastic pumpkin into a high end faux DIY metal jack-o-lantern that's the perfect addition to your Halloween decor!

Materials

Plastic jack-o-lantern
Sandpaper
Metallic spray paint
Matte black spray paint
Metallic paint pen

Tools

Box cutters
Wire cutters

Instructions

Use a box cutter to carefully cut out the eyes, nose and mouth of the plastic jack-o-lantern.
Use a low grit sandpaper to clean up the edges carved areas.
Remove the handle from the pumpkin using wire cutters or tin snips.
Spray the entire inside of the jack-o-lantern with gold metallic spray paint and allow to dry.
Stuff paper or a plastic bag inside the pumpkin to protect the inside, then spray paint the entire outside of the pumpkin black.
Use a metallic paint pen to touch up the inside rim and top of the opening to the pumpkin.
Add an LED candle to the inside and enjoy!

Notes

Be careful when cutting out the eyes and mouth because you can easily slip and cut yourself.
The plastic of the pumpkin is very fragile so pay close attention when cutting.
Do not burn a real candle in this faux DIY metal jack-o-lantern. Instead opt for a battery operated LED candle.
You can use any color metallic spray paint for the inside and any color for the outside to go with your fall decor.

Looking for more easy DIY fall home decor ideas?

Looking for more easy DIY home decor projects for fall? Check these out:

Did you try making this faux DIY metal jack-o-lantern from a plastic pumpkin? If you did, I’d really love to see it. Tag me on Instagram (@thesimplehomeplace) to show me your own recreation of this tutorial!