Trash Cart Turned Bar Cart

Alicia W
by Alicia W
7 Materials
$30
1 Day
Easy
Those of you who are old enough remember those blue metal carts that every school had used to roll around their projectors. I found this "AV" cart in the trash and knew I could bring it back to life
I began by removing any stickers, then I sanded the whole cart with medium grit sandpaper. I then washed the entire cart with a mild soap and water.
I primed the cart with a Rust-Oleum spray paint close to the color I wanted as the finished color. There was a lot of rust on the bottom so I wanted to seal the rust.
I removed the wheels and spray painted the entire cart copper.
As you can see, I didn't paint the middle of the trays because I wanted to add cork to the surfaces so items wouldn't slip around when the cart was moving. I used rolls of cork. You could use cork tiles too.
I applied Liquid Nails to the surface and laid the cork on top.
To finish off the edges, I glued cording/rope using Tacky Glue.
I added baskets to the center shelf. I did not glue them down, they are removable.
This cart can be used inside....
or out. I attached a piece of pvc piping to one side using zip ties and inserted a light weight umbrella to keep the sun off of the snacks.
I know my family will be using this cart a lot.
Suggested materials:
  • Rust-Oleum primer   (Lowe's)
  • Copper spray paint   (Michael's)
  • Liquid Nails   (Lowe's)
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Frequently asked questions
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  3 questions
  • Mary Ann Mary Ann on May 09, 2017

    O you have to repain't it often due to rust? I live near the ocean and I am. Or sure it would last a year here.

  • Ellen King Ellen King on May 28, 2017

    What do you use on the cork for when a beverage sweats and the cork gets wet?


  • Allison Allison on Dec 03, 2021

    the cart is very nice. good job. could you tell me how to diy a pool? LOL

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