Upcycle Tips: Repurposed Furniture Ideas

Repurposed Furniture Ideas

We all have times when we look around our house and think how nice it would be to have a new table or dresser instead of the old one we got second hand. Or maybe you need extra storage in your home and want a new book shelf or china cabinet, but new furniture is so expensive! So instead of spending too much money on pieces of furniture you know your kids are going to scratch and color on why not personalize your own. Take the old furniture you already have or find cheap old pieces at flea markets, yard sales, or I find a lot of mine on the curb waiting for the garbage truck and upcycle it. It is a lot easier and more cost effective then you might think. I am going to walk you through repurposed furniture ideas step by step and I’m sure after your first success you will be seeing potential in all the junk you come across.

Repurposed Furniture Ideas Steps:

STEP 1: The first thing you need to do is find the piece you want to upcycle and figure out what you want to use it for. Do not be afraid to use furniture for purposes other than what it was made for. An example of this is an old 1970’s china cabinet I found in a thrift store that was in terrible condition I paid $35 for it and turned it into a bookcase and storage in my living room.

STEP 2: Next you need to take the piece apart. If you are doing something with drawers or doors take them completely off. Also remove all hinges, handles or knobs.- make sure you put all the hardware you are reusing in a zip-lock bag. Also remember this is your furniture so feel free to take off anything you don’t like, for example any ornate trim or adornments or even doors, leaving just open shelving.

Step 3: (optional) If there are any broken pieces that need to be repaired or replaced do so now. Wood pieces can be replaced with MDF board. Any holes can be filled with wood fill.

STEP 4: You will need to remove all the old paint or stain on the furniture by sanding the entire piece. I have found that a small electric sander is a lot faster and easier than a sanding block and they are relatively inexpensive. Mine is a black and decker mouse.I recently redid an old dresser that had a 1/4 an inch of polyurethane on it and sanding didn’t help, so if there is a lot of shine to it and u find sanding isn’t getting it done u can use a paint stripper. But do it in a well ventilated area and make sure to not get it on anything else.

STEP 5: Paint your piece. Do not be afraid of color here furniture does not just have to be black or white or brown. Choose a Color that you like and one that works with the rest of your decor. And remember if you don’t like the color later on you can always repaint it. Also depending on the look you want you can use a high gloss paint for a more modern look or a matte finish for a rustic look.

STEP 6: Once everything is dry put everything back together, add any new hardware you wish to use and enjoy!

Thanks to Danielle S. for sharing these repurposed furniture ideas!

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Topic: Repurposed Furniture Ideas