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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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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!
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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 buy round top at Home Depot ready to paint, stain,,
Kevin