Vintage Crate

3 Materials
1 Hour
Easy

I’ve been eyeing up these crates at antique stores for a while now. However, I didn’t like the price tags or how big they were. I have a small home and some things are just too big for my spaces. So I made my own smaller free version!!

You can use any scrap wood for this project but I chose to use pallet boards so there wasn’t as much antiquing to do as they are already pretty worn out.

I pulled these off an old pallet then cut them in half lengthwise.

They are now about 1 1/2 in wide.

I had an old bottle that I found in the woods. It’s approximately 12 inches tall. I suggest having your bottle first so you can make your crate to fit the bottle. I decided on 8 1/2 inches for the sides.

I had these 1 by 1 scrap pieces so I cut them at 8 1/2 length as well. These pieces will serve as your foundation to screw your slats to.

I screwed the first slat in leaving a little space from the bottom foundation pieces.

I continued with the other two slats then put it up against my bottle to make sure I liked the size.

At this point it looks like a mini pallet. Once this first piece is done do the same exact thing for the other side. Line them up next to each other so your slats line up.

Once both sides are complete with 3 slats attaches to each side, you then put them on their side as shown above and attach the rest of your slats. Some of my screws split the wood but because I want this to look old and used it was fine with me.

It’s not going to be perfectly square, well mine isn’t anyway but do your best to line things up as your screwing in your remaining slats.

I then put two slats across the bottom.

I stained my crate in “fruitwood”.

This is when you can add a special touch by hand painting, stenciling, etc... I used little stickers and brushed white paint over the letters.

I sort of dry brushed it over.

I then removed the stickers.

I put the jug back in and cut some branches from my yard and there we go. I really like how this project turned out.

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3 of 4 questions
  • Tobi Wyszomirski Tobi Wyszomirski on Aug 18, 2020

    Did the stick-on numbers come off easily? Or was it sort of a mess?

  • Fiona Fiona on Aug 19, 2021

    did your bottle clean easily? I have a small medicine bottle that I found about a foot down in the dirt when I was digging at our new house. I don't know how old it is but the dirt inside is really caked on and bottle brushes can't handle the slim neck and wider shoulders. a

    Any ideas?

  • Atr53993587 Atr53993587 on Aug 17, 2022

    I love the branches, do they die and make a mess? Like how long can they stay inside?

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  • JH JH on Aug 17, 2022

    Love this. I am so glad you kept the bottle/jug natural and didn't paint it. Going to keep my eye out for one now!!

  • Juniper Juniper on Aug 24, 2022

    This is gorgeous. I would love to make this.

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