Vintage Ammunition Box As A Piece of Furniture? Your Advice, Please!

Question

When my husband texted me a photo of this vintage ammunition box and asked me if I wanted him to haul it home for me, of course I said yes. Always up for a challenge, I was determined to find a way to repurpose this thing!

Chris aka monkey · Answer

@Kathleen A. Charm Bracelet Diva {At Home} wow what a find..of course first thought is coffee table,,then of course is a side board with some nice chunky legs,minwax makes all kinds of stains and sealers,looks like it might need a hefty sanding good luck xx

Marion Nesbitt · Answer

I'd oil it to preserve the printing and character, put on some square feet, and add a heavy glass top. Then I'd use it for a great coffee table with some room for display under the glass, and storage under the top.

Kathleen A. Our Hopeful Home Blog · Answer

Cool idea to use the glass top! What kind of oil??

Busymomhelp · Answer

It's a very lovely box. I'd repaint it and decoupage it and then turn it into a small table. Or i'd cut or curve holes and openings in it and set leds inside and turn it into my kitchen hanging box for spices and stuff.

GR · Answer

I think it would be a shame to lose the details (which is what really gives it it's character) so I'd go easy on the sanding/staining and I certainly wouldn't paint it and it's not often you hear me saying that! We have something called Danish Oil here which is great for protecting wood but I'm sure you have even more choice in your stores than we do. Good luck with whatever you end up doing :-)

Melinda Lockwood · Answer

I would clean it, lacquer it and use a glass top. Love the little square leg ideas! These are great for storage of all sorts of things.

Debs · Answer

I would not touch the box with sanding, paint etc. I would simply add legs, to use as an entry way table or along a wall as a 'seasonal table' Change it with the seasons, flowers, etc. A tiny village at Christmas. Fall leaves and colors, add Photos of the family. Lay a throw over the lid....It has so many potential ideas! Let us know what you decide to do. I love these type of boxes. You can always change it later!

Traci · Answer

I would not sand it. Hang it on the wall with the lid hanging open, use it as a shelf to display things in.

Jerry · Answer

It would make a lovely cabinet such as a medicine cabinet.  Hang on wall add shelves to inside. Might hang on wall add hooks inside for jewelry. Hang over commode if deep enough to put extra toilet paper in.

Cheryl Delaney · Answer

I of course thought about a coffee table. I also thought it could make an awesome bench add legs, cushions, keep it natural. What a great find. I love it.... Good luck.

Dobi · Answer

Definitely refinish slightly, don't want to redo completely!  Have you thought about adding legs and making it a side table?

John Beeler · Answer

Easily u could add table legs for extra storage and to fill an bare spot that just needs something. If you get 2 I love the coffee table idea add some wheels with breaks

Julia · Answer

I would add some short legs and use it open on my porch to fill  with seasonal decorations - flower pots, pumpkins, greenery and ornaments, etc.

Terri · Answer

Might make a great place to store CD's

Dorothy Collett · Answer

The henges are really strong; you can hang horzontal to use as a wall desk. You can make a stable stand for it to save the rope handle, add shelves and stand it on end as a cabinet/ gun cabinet with lock.
It is also the perfect size for an end of the chest, hair pin legs would look great.

Patti · Answer

If it's in the budget or you or hubby can weld, a black metal 'stand' with the box on the top to create the right height table would look wonderful. I would do it so the box would sit ever so slightly down into the frame so the metal showed on the sides and no problem with it sliding around. Of course if you could find some kind of metal stand, even if it wasn't the exact size needed, I'd just use what was available. I've often wanted to do this with a trunk that wasn't quite tall enough for a table. I LOVE wooden boxes!

I've been deprived of a creative outlet for quite some time as we've just built a new house but haven't been able to move in yet and are trying to keep two households going while we try to sell the old house and I can't make a mess, so I get all itchy when I see what you all are doing!! I'm looking forward to the day when I can try some of these ideas for myself.

TwilaB · Answer

I would not refinish! I like the idea of hanging on a wall. Do you have a bar area? Add some shelves and store shot glasses or odd bar items. It's a 'guy' box, find a use for it for your husband! My husband being an avid gun person, I would hang on the wall, add some shelves for him to store his ammo. Or, a short table so he could store his gun cleaning items in one place.

Brenda Webster · Answer

I'm seeing an awesome coffee or end table.

Wanda sinnema · Answer

for a table I have seen plumbing pipe screwed on,, you can get it cut to any height you wnat..I'd spay paint the pipe a dark color..depending n your decor,, black, grey or a antiqued brownish bronze....I would just sand it a bitso no slivers.. leave the detail and seal...... you could have 2 small pieces of glass to sit inbetween the slats,,use spacers to make them the same height as them,, or one large piece..it would be great place for seasoal stoage,, heavy throws,, or extra pillows..... for that you could a hinge like coffee tables have that you can raisefor eating..For that I'd check with a woodwoking shop.. it ould give you access yet function..... great piece.....

PattyV · Answer

I'd stick some iron piping to the bottom (to make four long legs) and add big black cast iron wheels on the bottom. Then I add a light stain with a coat of poly inside and out. I'd add some vintage bar items and add a wine rack across the top. A portable bar.

Darlene Shanks · Answer

My daughter has one that has top painted with American flag and attached to two crates, making a coffee table in her country Americana living room. She keeps magazines, etc. in it.

Therese C · Answer

This would make an incredible coffee table in a man cave! Please just do not sand, paint, etc..anything that would change the look of it! You could even raise it up on very short leg lifts 2-3 inches in height, and use for a foot locker storage bench at the foot of the bed. Or raise it a bit higher and use as a tv stand in the bedroom. The possibilities are endless!! Ask the hubby what he would do...men come up with ideas that fly right over us sometimes!

Jeanette S · Answer

In a household even things not used get grimy with dust so I would at least put a coat of finish on it. I love those rub on varnishes. I would not sand it down but leave it as much like it is as you can. (Of course sand off some of the splinters!) I like the idea of it becoming a console table in a foyer of just inside the living room.

Connie · Answer

I have an old tool chest I just put Carnuva Wax on it and use it as a footstool in front of our couch. It looks great!

Lorraine depaolo st.george · Answer

I would put wheels on it(to make it easier to move)...varnish it or your favorite color...put heavy glad on top for coffee table...OR make a bench at side of dining table, w/ legs and wheel locks, & cushion

Merrilyn merkley · Answer

we built a camp out of then !! but i have many around i love them

Kathleen A. Our Hopeful Home Blog · Answer

Love the bench idea!

Nancy West · Answer

I had one just like that and I added a three-legged pedestal base and have a truly unique table that I decorate primitive/rustic.

Kathleen A. Our Hopeful Home Blog · Answer

How cool! I hope I can find some great legs, maybe on an old beat up table somewhere that I can repurpose!

Wglindner · Answer

I would take a rag and paint and wash it the color I wanted. Then I would put casters on it and put at the end of guess room with blanket and clean towel. For company coming during the holidays. Put some nice soap.

Vintage Ammunition Box As A Piece of Furniture? Your Advice, Please!

Suggested Project Book

How To Get Privacy Without Curtains

Other

More

Vintage Ammunition Box As A Piece of Furniture? Your Advice, Please!

Suggested Project Book

Related Discussions