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Step 1: Prep your milk can for paint. Spray the milk can with a vinegar/water 50/50 mix solution and wipe away any loose rust, dirt, and grime. Let dry.
Repurposing Vintage Milk Can to a Side Table
13 Materials
4 Days
Medium
Taking a vintage milk can off the farm and giving it a new purpose as a side table to use in your living room, bedroom, guest room, entryway or on your porch.
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Step 2: Choose your paint color of choice and add to the bottle of a spray gun. We find using a spray gun gives you even coverage. For this example we are using our Case IH red paint.
Step 3: With a stencil trace an 18" round circle on your slab of wood. Cut your table top out with a jig saw. To round your edges use your router. We use our palm sander to smooth out the edges.
Step 4: Select your stain color of choice to stain the wood top. For this example we use an espresso stain.
Step 5: Seal your wood top with a polyurethane to protect it from any scratches, dings, dents, and spills. On the side that will be your top add a second coat of polyurethane.
Step 6: Center your table top on your milk can and secure with 3 braces - evenly space them apart.
You're finished! The paint tends to bring out the lettering in the can that sometimes can be hard to read with the rust and dirt- -This is one of my favorite things to see with a finished can. Now your table is ready for any room in your home or on your front porch.
Here is how our top turned out.
The overall project takes around 3-4 days to complete. Having to give layers of paint, stain, and polyurethane coats time to dry - as directed on the cans.
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2 of 139 comments
![Janine]()
Janineon Sep 18, 2019Yes, I saved the round bottom of a wine barrel, stained it and will use it for the top. The can needs a little rust removal, but I'm keeping the painted number on the can. It just so happens that it's my wedding anniversary!
![Maureen Miller]()
Maureen Milleron Apr 23, 2020I have 2 old milk cans that I’m going to make one into a bird bath and the other one for butterflys. I’m excited to start my project.
Thanks for the great ideas on the old milk cans.
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I used a grinder, worked perfectly!!
I have milk can and I like the aged and rusted look. Can I just clean with a brush and put a sealer on it ? Looking for old round tray that I can add a ring to rest on top of milk can lid. Hate to drill holes in lid.
You can go to any major craft and hobby store and buy an already cut out round piece of plywood.