• 60 designs
  • Checked October 2026

Crate Painting Ideas

Press for three crate designs, each with its colors, which slats take the paint and the brush or tool.

Crate Painting Ideas

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  1. Top slat in one bright color, every other slat whitewashedWhite, one bright. Watery white on the lower slats; solid color on the top one. Flat brush.
  2. Dog crate: a bone on each end, paw prints along one slatTan, white, black. A white bone under each handle slot; black paws walk the middle slat. Stamp.
  3. Giraffe whose neck climbs every slat to the top edgeYellow, brown, white. Feet on the bottom slat; patches on the neck; the head tops the crate. Round brush.

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All 60 designs

Slat by slat: stripes and fades 12

  • Alternate slats white, the slats between left as bare wood White. Every second slat painted on its outer face; the gaps and the rest stay wood. Flat brush.
  • Black and cream slats with mustard corner posts Black, cream, mustard. Slats alternate; the posts and the handle slot edges are mustard. Flat brush.
  • Diagonal color change stepping one hand along on each slat Two colors. Each slat is split in two colors; the split moves along on every slat up. Tape.
  • Each slat a different blue, darkest on the bottom slat Five blues. One blue per slat on all four sides, so the bands wrap the crate. Flat brush.
  • Gray-washed slats with every slat end dipped yellow Gray, yellow. A watery gray along each slat; a hand's width of yellow at both ends. Tape.
  • Inside of the crate coral, outside left natural Coral. Floor, posts and inner faces painted; the color shows through the gaps. Foam brush.
  • Peppermint crate: red and white slats, corner posts green Red, white, green. Slats alternate red and white; the four inside posts are green. Flat brush.
  • Slat edges painted and faces bare, color seen in the gaps One bright. Paint only on the narrow top and bottom edge of each slat. Liner brush.
  • Slats in rainbow order from a red top slat down Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet. One color per slat, both long sides alike. Foam brush.
  • Slats split in two greens, the splits staggered like bricks Two greens. Each slat half and half; the join shifts left then right on the way up. Tape.
  • Sunset climbing the slats: plum, coral, peach, butter Plum, coral, peach, butter. Plum on the lowest slat, one step lighter on each slat above. Flat brush.
  • Top slat in one bright color, every other slat whitewashed White, one bright. Watery white on the lower slats; solid color on the top one. Flat brush.

Stenciled words and numbers 12

  • A child's name on the end, each letter a different color White, five brights. Lowercase letters under the handle slot on a white end panel. Paint pen.
  • A TO M on one crate and N TO Z on the next, for files Any base, white. Large capitals across the top two slats of each front. Stencil.
  • Chalkboard-black panel across two slats for a chalk label Chalkboard black. A rectangle masked over the middle two slats of the front. Tape.
  • EST. and a year of your own on the end panel Bare wood, navy. Small capitals above large numerals, under the handle slot. Stencil.
  • One large numeral spanning two slats on each crate of a set Any base, black. The numeral crosses the gap between two slats; 1, 2 and 3 on three crates. Stencil.
  • Single initial inside a ring on both end panels Any base, cream. A ring a hand wide with one capital in it, under each handle slot. Stencil.
  • Stack marks: FIRST, SECOND and THIRD on matching corners Bare wood, black. The same corner of each crate, so the marks line up when stacked. Stencil.
  • Surname stenciled the full height of the middle slat Any base, white. Letters the full height of one slat, centered on the long side. Stencil.
  • THIS SIDE UP with two chevrons on the end panel Black on bare wood. Two lines of capitals between the handle slot and the bottom slat. Stencil.
  • Three town names of your own, each inside a ruled box Bare wood, red, black. Boxes at odd angles like freight marks, one per slat. Stencil.
  • TOYS reading downward, one letter on each slat White, four brights. One large capital centered on each slat, top slat first. Stencil.
  • Typewriter-style label in the lower right corner Bare wood, black. One short word of your own in small lowercase on the bottom slat. Stencil.

Toy, book and pet crates 12

  • Art crate with paint drips running down from the top slat White, six brights. Six drips of different lengths start at the top edge and cross the gaps. Round brush.
  • Bedtime book crate: navy, a moon on the end, stars on slats Navy, yellow, white. A crescent under the handle slot; small stars along each slat. Stencil.
  • Boat crate: portholes on the middle slat, a wave below White, navy, red. Three round portholes on one slat; a navy wave along the bottom slat. Stencil.
  • Book crate with painted spines along the bottom slat White, six colors. Upright spines of mixed widths on the lowest slat, a title line on each. Flat brush.
  • Cat face on the end panel, the handle slot as its mouth Orange, white, black. Eyes and whiskers above the slot; ears on the top edge. Round brush.
  • Circus wagon crate: red slats, gold scrolls, yellow wheels Red, gold, yellow. Gold scrolls at the corners of each long side; wheels on the bottom slat. Liner brush.
  • Dinosaur crate: green slats, back plates on the top edge Two greens, yellow. Triangles in the darker green along the top slat; one yellow eye. Flat brush.
  • Dog crate: a bone on each end, paw prints along one slat Tan, white, black. A white bone under each handle slot; black paws walk the middle slat. Stamp.
  • Fire engine crate with a ladder along the top slat Red, white, yellow, black. A white ladder on the top slat; wheels and a yellow stripe below. Liner brush.
  • Primary-color slats with a row of white dots on each Red, yellow, blue, white. One color per slat; evenly spaced dots along its middle. Dotting tool.
  • Train car crates, one color each, wheels on the lowest slat Four brights, black. One crate per car; black wheels and a coupling line on each. Round brush.
  • Wagon crate: four black wheels on the bottom slat Red, black, white. Red slats; a wheel at each end of the bottom slat on both long sides. Round brush.

Garden and porch crates 12

  • Bee crate: yellow and black slats, a wing on each end Yellow, black, white. Slats alternate; a white wing shape under each handle slot. Flat brush.
  • Herb crate with a white plant label painted on each slat Sage green, white, black. A label shape on each slat, the herb's name written on it. Paint pen.
  • Ladybugs walking the rim of one handle slot, nose to tail Bare wood, red, black. Three ladybugs around the slot's edge, the first one half inside. Dotting tool.
  • Planter crate shading from leaf green to soil brown Leaf green, olive, brown. Green on the top slat, olive between, brown on the bottom slat. Flat brush.
  • Porch boot crate: boot prints along the bottom slat Barn red, black. Flat red all over; a line of black prints walking the lowest slat. Stamp.
  • Pumpkin crate: orange slats, a green vine through the gaps Orange, green. A vine curls over one slat, under the next, across the whole front. Liner brush.
  • Seed-packet crate: carrot, pea and beet, one on each slat Cream, orange, green, purple. A packet front painted in the middle of each slat. Liner brush.
  • Slat ends painted as white pickets, flowers between them White, pink, green. On an upright crate each slat end gets a pointed tip; flowers in the gaps. Liner brush.
  • Strawberry crate: red slats with seeds, a scalloped top Red, yellow, green. Yellow seed dashes on red; the top slat green with leaf points. Dotting tool.
  • Sunflower heads on the corner posts, stems running down Yellow, brown, green. A flower at the top of each post; the stem follows the post down. Round brush.
  • Three small birds in a row on the middle slat Bare wood, black, red. Small birds seen from the side, feet on the slat's upper edge. Liner brush.
  • Watering can on the end, drops falling from slat to slat Cream, teal, pale blue. The can sits under the handle slot; one drop on each slat below. Round brush.

One picture across the front 12

  • Cat asleep on a slat, its tail hanging across the gap Bare wood, gray, white. The cat lies on the upper edge of a slat; the tail crosses the gap. Round brush.
  • Giraffe whose neck climbs every slat to the top edge Yellow, brown, white. Feet on the bottom slat; patches on the neck; the head tops the crate. Round brush.
  • Mountain range over every slat, snow line on the top slat Blue-gray, white, green. Peaks cross the gaps; trees along the bottom slat. Flat brush.
  • One big fish across the slats, bubbles rising in the gaps Teal, orange, white. The fish fills the middle slats; bubbles are painted on the posts behind. Round brush.
  • One large pear, its stalk reaching the handle slot Cream, yellow-green, brown. On the end panel, the pear as tall as the panel. Round brush.
  • Rising sun: half circle on the bottom slat, rays above Yellow, orange, white. Rays cross every gap and reach the top slat. Tape.
  • Row of tulips: bulbs on the bottom slat, heads on the top Red, yellow, pink, green. Stems cross the gaps; one leaf on each middle slat. Round brush.
  • Sailboat: hull on the bottom slat, mast rising through three Navy, white, red. The mast runs up the middle; a red pennant on the top slat. Flat brush.
  • Skyline whose roof heights match the slat lines Navy, yellow, gray. Each building stops at a slat edge; yellow window dots. Flat brush.
  • Striped balloon on the upper slats, basket on the lowest Sky blue, red, yellow, tan. Wide stripes run down the envelope; ropes cross one gap. Round brush.
  • Tractor on the lowest slat, furrows on the slats above Green, yellow, brown. Curved furrow lines run along each upper slat toward one corner. Liner brush.
  • Trunk up the middle, one branch along every slat Brown, three greens. One branch reaches along each slat; leaves cluster at the slat ends. Round brush.

How it works

Said alone, crate often means a wooden one. These 60 designs are for the slatted craft kind and use its slats, the gaps between them, the corner posts and the handle slots.

Read the full guide

The slats are the stripes

A crate is ruled before you start. Sunset climbing the slats: plum, coral, peach, butter gives one color to each slat and needs no tape. Slat edges painted and faces bare, color seen in the gaps is the quietest of the painted wooden crate ideas: from the front the wood looks untouched.

Wooden crate painting ideas for kids

The toy, book and pet group turns the box into a thing: Boat crate: portholes on the middle slat, a wave below, or Cat face on the end panel, the handle slot as its mouth. Every name in the stencil group is your own; the fixed words are plain labels.

Questions and answers

What paint do you use on a wooden crate?

Acrylic paint is fast-drying, and most kinds are water-based and become water-resistant when dry. Which paint or sealer suits a crate that lives on a porch or holds toys is on its label: we do not test paints.

Which wood crate painting ideas leave the wood showing?

Several do. Alternate slats white, the slats between left as bare wood paints every second slat, and five of the stenciled designs are dark letters on bare wood, such as THIS SIDE UP with two chevrons on the end panel.

Can one picture cross the gaps between slats?

Yes. Twelve designs put one picture on the crate, and most of them cross a gap: Mountain range over every slat, snow line on the top slat ignores the gaps, and Skyline whose roof heights match the slat lines uses them.

Is there a design for a crate of dog toys?

Dog crate: a bone on each end, paw prints along one slat. The prints are stamped, the bones sit under the handle slots, and there is room on the top slat for a name of your own.

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