Isaiah Franco from Sandals Church in Riverside, California brings us this last minute stage success.
It was Wednesday afternoon and they needed to have a set by Thursday at noon. They had ordered 200 one gallon paint cans the week before for a different set. They also had several pallets that were lying around in their warehouse. They put the two together and this is what they came up with.
They screwed 35 paint can lids onto each pallet and attached the cans to the lids. They did this with four regular sized pallets and one larger 8′ pallet.
Then they flew the pallets using chain, wire rope, and tie line to pull the back and give each suspended pallet some angle.
Adapting a Paint Can and Pallet Stage Backdrop
This design turns two ordinary supplies into a strong repeated pattern: wood pallets provide a rough rectangular framework, while rows of paint cans add circular shapes and depth. The contrast gives lighting plenty of edges to reveal. When adapting the idea, begin with a sketch of your stage and decide where the panels should sit relative to musicians, screens, and the speaker. A compact version with fewer panels can retain the same industrial character without filling every available space.
The original team had ordered 200 one-gallon paint cans and attached 35 lids to each pallet. Treat those numbers as a description of their build, not a required shopping list. Make a sample arrangement with the actual cans and pallet you intend to use. Mark a consistent spacing pattern, then check the composition from the back of the room before repeating it. Allow for the pallet’s uneven slats and gaps rather than assuming every attachment position has identical backing.
Testing Materials, Light, and Panel Placement
Inspect reclaimed pallets before bringing them into the auditorium. Reject pieces with loose boards, protruding nails, unknown contamination, or damage that makes handling uncertain. Choose clean, empty cans rather than containers with leftover paint. The sample panel is also a useful place to check how securely the cans engage with their lids. Do not assume a friction-fit lid is adequate retention for an overhead object; ask a qualified installer to assess the complete assembly and its attachment method.
Try a side wash on the sample to emphasize the cylindrical shapes, then compare it with a flatter front wash. Moving the light can change how much shadow falls between neighboring cans. Check for bright reflections from metal surfaces, particularly from camera positions and the front rows. Keep scenic lighting separate from the light on faces so the texture can remain visible without overpowering the people leading the service. Photograph your preferred test looks and note fixture positions for setup.
The original installation suspended the pallets and angled them backward. That is a substantial installation choice, not a shortcut to copy from photographs. Have a qualified rigger review the combined weight, attachment points, overhead support, and retention of individual components. If suspension is not appropriate for your venue, discuss a properly supported floor-based adaptation with your facilities team. Include access routes, panel stability, and safe handling in the planning conversation rather than deciding those details after assembly.
Pro Tips for Paint Can Backdrops
Build one repeatable sample: Finish a small section before dividing work among volunteers. Use its spacing marks and photographs as the reference so additional panels look intentional rather than improvised.
Budget beyond the cans: Include suitable fasteners, finishing supplies, approved supports, transport, and installation help in your estimate. Reclaimed wood can reduce material purchases, but it does not eliminate preparation or handling time.
Keep the silhouette readable: Step back to the rear seats during your layout test. If the cans disappear into a busy background, simplify surrounding scenery or change the lighting angle before adding more objects.
Plan for the next setup: Label panels, record their arrangement, and store loose components securely. Keep a materials inventory so the same pallet framework can support another look without starting the planning process over.
Related Designs
- Trash Cans Are Beautiful – Compare another stage design that transforms everyday containers into repeated scenic elements.
- Pallet Canvas – Explore a wood backdrop built from reclaimed pallet planks and adapted with lighting.
- Sloppy Love – See how salvaged metal, wood, and other industrial materials create an urban stage atmosphere.
- Weathered – Compare alternating reclaimed wood and metal surfaces in a rustic scenic wall.
- True North – Explore another repeated household-object texture, using bowls and colored light.
Is all the lighting coming from above and behind the stage or is there some lighting out in front of the stage too? Also, wondering what lights are used: ie. moving heads, leds, etc
Mike, all of the lighting for the paint cans is coming from LEDs on the stage. We had four LEDs on the front two corners of the drum riser that pointed upward to the center three pallets. The pallets on the floor each had a LED can pointed toward it. It took us a little time to come up with optimum lighting positions, but we finally got it right. We only used LED PAR cans to illuminate these pallets. Thanks for the questions!
Amazing Job Isaiah…. I am working on something similar, I would love to talk to you in detail on some of my questions, I called the church but hadn’t got a response yet. If you can give me a buzz @ 832-654-0012 I’m trying to get the stage up by Jan 1st.
Thanks in Advance,
Ian J.
Isaiah,
Amazing Job. This looks great. I love the reflectivity. I bet it was fun getting angles that didn’t blind the congregation. Great job. I would love to see your paint can design too! :) Keep up the astounding work for the Kingdom of God.
,Steven
DUDE! That stage is awesome. Great job.
❤❤❤wow!
We used paint cans to create can lights in the ceiling of our church after we were quoted a price of over $500…spray painted them flat black. Being 18′ high in the ceiling no one knows they were only eight dollars each. With the bulb set up from the hardware store and a hole drilled into the can…worked out great! Painted the ceiling black too. I love it.
Iqm looking to do something similar for a camp stage project, looks great! May I ask where you found the cans? Was it difficult to mount the lit fixtures in them?
That looks awesome! I love it.
Patrick, sorry just saw this, we ordered the cans from Kentucky.
If anybody wants to buy them, send us a note =)
Justin, I’m interested in buying them. I’m in San Diego so I could probably work it out to pick them up. Email me and let me know how much dan@newlifesd.com
love the look, did you say you hooked the paint cans to a pallet? how did you hook them to the wall or ceiling? i am very interested in doing something similar on a smaller scale. on a very tight budget tho, i did already know about using a paint can for actual can lighting done that before and that is a great idea. love it.
now looking for stage design ideas.
thanks
Yes, we used drywall screws to attach the lids to the pallets.
We hung the pallets using either chain or wire rope and some black tie-line to get the angles right. As far as cost, the only money we spent was purchasing bulk paint cans. We scavenged for pallets and already had the chain and wire rope.
So what were the lids attached to?
Also, are there any plans from this project?
The lids were attached using drywall screws onto the pallets. We then attached the paint cans to the lids (some had to have glue or gaffe tape to hold them in place). There were no plans, we kind of just made it up as we went along.