Allen Company Foam Cushion Swivel Bucket Seat Lid

DIY home renovation projects saw a surge during the pandemic, and some homeowners still have tasks to complete. Even if you’re finished with your pandemic projects, you may have a few leftover supplies. If one of those supplies is a bucket, you may not realize you can turn it into a seat that you can use for a variety of purposes.

A bucket seat is great for finding a little comfort during your projects, but you can also take it to tailgating events, use it while fishing or keep around for seating when you have your next backyard barbecue. Those buckets that were once filled with paint, concrete or other supplies are heavy duty, which means they can support hundreds of pounds.

But that doesn’t mean a bucket makes for comfortable seating. Even if you still have the lid that came with the bucket, you might find it makes sitting awkward. That’s where a good bucket seat lid can help.

A bucket seat lid is designed to fit on top of a bucket, creating a chair wherever you need one. Some even allow access to the contents inside the bucket. That means if you’re detailing your car tires or washing your front porch, you can simply reach inside to rinse off your sponge or grab more soapy water. If you’re tailgating, you can store your drinks on ice inside the bucket. Just reach in and grab a drink when you’re ready.

Comfort varies from one bucket seat lid to the next. Some are more padded than others, so if you’ll be sitting for a while, you might want to put comfort first. One that’s not padded may be easier to move around on if you’re using it to paint or detail your car, though, so it’s worth weighing those priorities, as well.

• If you think you’ll want to still be able to access the contents of your bucket while you’re seated, keep that in mind. Some are elevated slightly or have a cutout to let you reach down into the bucket without having to stand and remove the lid.
• Buckets come in various sizes, so make sure the seat lid you choose fits your bucket sizes. You’ll find seat lids for buckets measuring 3.5 gallons, 4 gallons, 5 gallons and 6 gallons, but you’ll often see “standard size” listed, too. If your bucket is unusually sized, you might find that the lid you choose doesn’t quite fit.
• Each bucket seat lid has a limited weight capacity. Pay attention to this as you’re shopping. Also make sure the bucket you’re using as a seat can handle the weight of an adult seated on it.
• Look at how the seat lid attaches to the bucket. Some easily snap on and off, while others require a little extra work. When you’re busy working on a project, you might not want to have to put extra effort into attaching and removing your lid.
• If you plan to use the seat lid as a lid to contain items when not in use, make sure it forms a tight enough seal. For more environmentally sensitive contents, you may want to hold onto the original lid for storage purposes.
• You can find bucket seat lids in a variety of colors if you want to show off your personal style. You can also find some with fun patterns like camouflage, which is perfect for hunting or fishing.
• Some lids are sold with matching buckets to create a bucket seat that stands out when you’re out tailgating or fishing with your buddies.