Metal Paint Bucket

Specifications:

Metal paint bucket

Size	10L	10L	3 gallon	20L	18L	5 gallon	6 gallon	25L
Top outside diameter	245	235	297	297	297	297	297	297
Top inside diameter	235	225	285	285	285	285	285	285
Bottom outside diameter	222	217	275	275	275	275	275	275
Outside Height(without lid)	270	277	222	363	330	341	406	435

Unit:mm

Material: steel, tinplate

Thickness: 0.28-0.5mm

Lined or unlined as your need

Height can be adjusted to your requirement.

If you need the sizes not in the above table, please let us know, we can customize metal paint cans and bucket as you required

Custom pattern printing is available.

lid: lug lids and lever locking ring lids are available.

 

As a supplier of metal packaging with years of experience, we are committed to providing our customers with stable, reliable, and cost-effective packaging solutions.

 

We ensure product quality at every stage, from material sourcing and production to final quality inspection:

1. Reliable Steel Materials from Established Suppliers

The quality of a metal paint bucket starts with the steel used to make it. Materials such as tinplate and other suitable steel sheets directly affect the bucket's strength, forming performance, surface quality, and resistance to leakage and deformation.

Our manufacturing base is located in Shandong Province, close to Hebei Province, one of China's major steel-producing regions. This gives us access to a wide range of steel materials and makes it easier to source suitable grades and specifications according to different packaging requirements.

Over years of manufacturing and export experience, we have developed stable relationships with reliable steel suppliers. Rather than selecting materials based only on price, we consider material quality, consistency, availability, and suitability for the intended application. This established supply network helps us maintain consistent material quality while offering customers practical material options for different metal paint bucket requirements.

      

The above photos show The tinplate coils we procure and the tinplate sheets cut to bucket dimensions.

 

2. Double-Rolled Rim for Better Safety and Strength

The upper rim is an important manufacturing detail that is sometimes overlooked when comparing metal containers.

Some traditional buckets use a one-time rolling process. With a double-rolled rim, the metal edge is rolled inward again to form a thicker and more enclosed rim.

This construction helps reduce exposed sharp edges and cutting burrs around the bucket opening. It also provides a more robust rim that can better resist deformation during stacking, transportation, and manual handling.

We conducted tests on metal buckets of the same size and sealed with the same lids. The buckets with a double-rolled rim were better able to maintain the stability of the opening during impact and were less likely to leak.

For a paint manufacturer purchasing thousands of containers, such a detail has practical value. A safer and stronger opening can improve handling conditions and help maintain consistent lid engagement.

      

                            Single-Rolled Top Edge                                                                           Double-Rolled Top Edge

 

3. Automatically Welded buckets wall and Handle Lugs

The bucket wall is formed by rolling a thin steel sheet and welding the two edges together. Naturally, the quality of this weld is critical. If the weld is not strong enough, the bucket is more likely to develop leaks.

The handle is connected to the body through handle lugs, making the welding points an important part of the container's mechanical structure.

Automated welding helps provide more consistent positioning and welding conditions during production. This is particularly relevant when the filled container must be lifted or moved repeatedly.

The reason is straightforward: once filled with paint, the load carried by the handle and its attachment points is significantly greater than that of an empty container. Stable welding therefore contributes to the overall reliability of the package during normal handling.

The video below shows the automatic welding of the bucket body and handle lugs on the production line.：

 

4. Automatic Leak Detection

Leak prevention is another important consideration for liquid paint packaging.

Our production process uses an automatic leak detection system to identify defective containers before finished products enter the warehouse. Defective units can be removed from the production flow instead of being treated as qualified products.

This provides evidence of process control beyond simple visual inspection. For paint manufacturers, effective leak control can help reduce product loss, leakage during transportation, warehouse contamination, and customer complaints.

The objective is not simply to manufacture a container with the correct dimensions, but to control the finished product before it reaches the customer.

5. Flexible Gasket and Bottom Sealing Options

With extensive experience and reliable gasket suppliers, we can provide different lid gasket options according to your sealing requirements and the characteristics of the packaged product. For example, EVA foam and rubber can be considered for lid gasket applications, with the final selection depending on the required elasticity, sealing performance, chemical environment, and lid construction.

We also have our own sealant dispensing equipment, giving us greater flexibility in controlling the type and amount of sealant applied to the bottom of the pail. Based on your product and packaging requirements, we can adjust the sealant application and, when necessary, increase the amount of sealant to provide stronger bottom sealing performance.

This flexibility allows us to optimize the sealing structure for different applications rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all solution.

The result is a more practical balance between product protection, manufacturing performance, and procurement cost.

 

6. load-bearing tests and other procedures are conducted to ensure the quality of the bucket..

In addition to controlling quality from a production perspective as mentioned above, we also focus on other quality details-such as conducting load-bearing tests on the buckets as the photo bellow-to ensure a comprehensive understanding of our product quality.

 

 

 

However, achieving excellent quality across the board does not necessarily mean this packaging is suitable for your product. Packaging materials for paints need to be selected according to the different characteristics of each type of paint. So Here is the Question:

How to Choose the Right Metal Bucket for Different Paints?

With our extensive experience and reliable access to a wide range of raw materials, we can provide packaging solutions that are well suited to your specific requirements. First, let's take a look at what makes packaging suitable for your product：

The main material of a metal paint bucket with lid is steel sheets with metallic coatings for rust protection, including tinplate, tin-free steel (TFS, chrome-coated steel), Al-Zn coated steel and so on. These materials are rust-resistant in well-ventilated environments that are not excessively humid. However, these metals will corrode upon direct contact with bulk water. 

For paint manufacturers, choosing the right container involves more than selecting a suitable capacity. The paint formulation, chemical characteristics, storage period, filling process, transportation conditions, and handling requirements should all be considered. In particular, the internal protection required for water based paint can differ from that required for solvent based paint.

Simply put, whether the inner surface of a metal bucket requires a organic protective layer. With or without this layer is referred to as lined or unlined in the metal packaging industry.

  

The above three photos show, respectively, unlined metal inner walls, metal inner walls lined with organic coatings, and metal inner walls lined with lamination

The details information about how to choose metal buckets is as follows:

 

Unlined metal buckets for Solvent Based Paint

Solvent based paint is packed in unlined metal bucket with lid. Both the lid and bucket body can be made of tinplate or the bottom and lid can be made of aluminum-zinc coated steel plate. The "solvent" in solvent-based paint refers to an organic solvent; it contains no water and does not react with metal. The metal coating provides sufficient rust protection on the underlying steel plate without compromising the quality of the paint contained within. Furthermore, organic protective layers-such as organic coatings, varnishes, or plastic films lamination-may dissolve in solvents; so, they are unsuitable for packaging solvent-based paints. So, unlined metal bucket which means no organic coatings or lamination in side the bucket.

 

Organic Coating or Lacquer or Lamination should be lined in the buckets for Water Based Paint

Water based paint uses water as its primary liquid medium, it cannot come into direct contact with the metal pail wall. The traditional method involves coating the inner walls of the bucket with organic coating or varnish-a process known in the packaging industry as "lining." These coating or varnish consist of organic chemical substances that are generally water-resistant, in other words, they are solvent based coatings. Theoretically, lined buckets could be used to hold water-based paints.

But the reality is far more complex. The formulation of water based paint may also contain resins, pigments, additives, preservatives, and other components even some kind of solvent. For this reason, the lining in the buckets may be dissolved by the paint. This does happen in practice. So, not every internal organic coating is automatically suitable for every water-based formulation. Different paints can contain different ingredients. Therefore, the internal coating should be selected according to the actual formulation and storage requirements.

Another disadvantage of organic coatings is their susceptibility to scratching. If a scratch exposes the metal, it may lead to corrosion and potential contamination of the packaged product. Increasing the coating thickness can improve the coating's resistance to scratching and reduce the risk of exposing the metal. However, due to limitations such as the hardness and ductility of organic coatings, the thickness cannot be increased indefinitely.

So another method is developing now. For some paints and coatings, plastic film lamination is increasingly being used as an alternative to conventional organic coatings. The film provides a tougher protective barrier, making it less likely that scratches will expose the  metal and cause corrosion. It can also offer better resistance to certain organic solvents and chemicals, depending on the film material.

Therefore, the bucket can be customized to meet the customer's specific packaging requirements.

For buyers, the important considerations include:

Compatibility between the coating and the paint formulation

Protection against corrosion

Resistance to the components present in the paint

Protection of all internal surfaces exposed to the product

A properly selected internal coating helps reduce the risk of corrosion or undesirable interaction between the packaging and the paint during storage.

 

Custom Metal Paint Packaging

As a metal bucket factory, we understand that paint manufacturers often require specifications beyond standard catalog sizes.

Customers can discuss customization of:

Capacity

Diameter and height

Steel sheet thickness

Lid construction

Handle and handle lugs

Internal coating

External coating

Gasket

Bottom sealing compound

Printing and surface finish

This is especially useful for buyers looking for metal buckets with lids for sale under their own brand or for a specific paint product.

Why Choose This Paint Packaging Solution?

Through the above introduction we know a reliable paint container is the result of several controlled details rather than one isolated feature.

More importantly, these features can be considered together with the actual paint formulation.

For buyers, this means the objective is not simply to purchase a low-cost container. The right packaging should help protect the product, withstand normal transportation and handling, reduce avoidable leakage risks, and meet the customer's required cost target.

This is the approach we take when supplying a metal paint bucket: understand the product being packaged first, then determine the appropriate material, internal protection, construction, and manufacturing details.

 

Looking for reliable metal paint packaging for water-based or solvent-based coatings?

Send us your requirement, With professional products and responsive service, we help make your packaging sourcing simpler, smoother, and more efficient.

Contact us for customized paint containers, factory supply, samples, and production consultation.

 

FAQ

1. Can the same metal paint bucket be used for water based and solvent based paint?

The basic container structure may be similar, but the internal coating should be evaluated according to the actual paint formulation. Water-based and solvent-based products can have different compatibility requirements.

2. Do you manufacture the containers yourself?

Yes. As a metal bucket factory, we manufacture metal paint buckets.

3. I want to purchase metal pail for paint. Is it the same packaging with your bucket?

Yes. In fact, a metal paint pail is a more professional term for "metal paint bucket". It is a standardized metal packaging container manufactured to consistent industrial dimensions and specifications. Many customers are simply accustomed to calling it a "bucket", so we also use this term to match common customer usage.

4. Can you provide customized printing?

Yes. External printing and surface finishes can be customized according to the customer's branding and packaging requirements.

 

5. What is the minimum order quantity (MOQ)?

For printed pails, the minimum order quantity is 1,000 pieces. However, for export orders, we recommend ordering at least 2,000 pieces to make better use of container space and help reduce transportation costs.

 

After final inspection, the finished buckets are loaded into containers at our factory and prepared for export shipment：

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