Curbside Bookcase Transformed Into Farmhouse Shelf
7 Materials
$30
2 Hours
Easy
Hello, all my fellow Junkers! I hope everyone had a great July 4th! We relaxed, stayed home, and grilled a good ole Boston Butt with all the trimmings! Baked beans, coleslaw, and sweet tea!
I wanted to share my curbside bookcase find. Yep, someone actually was tossing it! Can you believe it?
Bookcase Curbside Find
As you can see, it was blah. A big brown, well square. I turned it upside down and sideways trying to figure out what I could create. After a lot of pondering, I decided I would repurpose it into a console table on casters.
I started the project by removing the back. It was yucky, and I knew it needed replacing. I also removed the shelf and the fasteners that hold the shelf in place.
Ugly Back
I then gave the entire piece and the shelf a light sanding using my orbital sander and 120 grit sandpaper to scruff up the surface a bit. This allows the paint to adhere like its suppose too. I know people preach no prep, no prep, but I am here to tell ya, prepping pays off in the end. Trust me.
Casters for Less Than $6 Each
I found these cute casters at Home Depot. I had originally wanted the black, farm casters but those babies are expensive. These were sturdy and had the same look for less than six bucks a piece. You could also paint them if you did not want the silver finish.
4x4 Squares
The Hubs cut four pieces of wood out of an old 4x4 piece. He added one piece to each corner by using wood screws.
Attaching the Casters
He then screwed the caster into the 4x4 piece.
Dixie Belle in Cotton
I cleaned the piece with TSP to remove all the dust and grime. I decided to paint the piece white, and heavily distress it. I was going for the farmhouse feel. The back would be a piece of beadboard that you can get at Home Depot for around $10 bucks. It's a small sheet, not the entire full sheet, so it makes it easier to work with.
My paint choice was Dixie Belle Chalk Mineral Paint in the color Cotton. I painted the piece, and the shelf, keeping my brush slightly damp. This helps the paint go on smoother and cuts down on brush strokes. After a 24-hour drying period, I applied my second coat.
I allowed the second coat to dry overnight. I then heavily distressed the corners and the ends, where you might see normal wear and tear. I did this by hand with a piece of 120 grit sandpaper. Doing it by hand allows you to control how much of the paint you remove. I also sanded the entire piece and shelf lightly with 220 grit for a smooth finish.
Before applying my clear coat, I used a piece of tack cloth to remove the sanding dust. For my clear coat, I used Dixie Belle Best Dang Wax in Clear (find it here). Use a lint free cloth to apply. Allow 15-20 minutes to dry, and then buff.
Farmhouse Console Table
Here she is! And to think someone was throwing her away! Always see potential in a piece of used furniture, so don't pass up that curbside piece for free. It can become a thing of beauty!
The Casters really add a special touch :-)
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Comments
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2 of 81 comments
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A terrific transformation. I love the casters. They were an excellent addition. Glad to know I could find ones like that if I need them. How lucky you are to have found that roadside discard. SCORE!
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You are a repurposeing genius. 🤔
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WoW!! Did you visualise this when you first got the roadside find???? I love what you did!!!
Love what you did! But.....can anyone identify, perhaps, what kind of wood the original backing was on the original piece?? Is that Birdseye maple?!? Just wondering. If so, did you save it for another project? I agree, you would not be able to admire it on the BACK of anything, anyway.....that's if it is even Birdseye maple....
Did you cut this down. After looks shorter than before