I've been dealing with a problem. Closet space (or lack there of) and too many shoes. I have a significant amount of space in my room to store things, just no closet space. Thus I endeavored to find a great, old, rickety storage trunk. Boy did I find one. For only ten dollars! And even better it had a story. When I got home I opened up the trunk and found a memo taped to the inside. It was used in 1970 by a hotel called The Cloister in Sea Island, Georgia. Somehow it made its way to Dallas. I'm sure this trunk could tell a great story. History made a great piece of furniture! I love that you can make an old piece of furniture something new but keep it's original framework. It wasn't the easiest piece to rehab but it was well worth the work.
Here's how to do it & what you'll need >>
>Kilz primer: I chose spray paint because it's easier to apply.
>Pint of semi gloss oil based paint: I chose barely mint and one pint was way more than enough!
>Paint brush: the oil paint will most likely ruin it, so plan on tossing it.
>Painters tape: I was appalled it was seven dollars. for tape??
>Steel wool: who knew it could remove so much rust?
>Gloves: Oil based paint will ruin your skin AND clothes.
>Wooden peg legs: I found these at Home Depot for three dollars each.
>Wood Stain: I wanted a natural look so I chose Wood Oak and didn't paint them. This is up to you.
>Clear sealant to finish legs: this makes them look glossy and finished!
>Electric hand drill: something about revving a drill makes you feel powerful..
>Drop cloth: painting and staining gets messy.
>Patience: lots of it.
After I found the trunk, I cleaned the outside & inside using a wet cloth. Once it dried, I used steel wool to remove all the rust on the hardware. This took a while. And a lot of elbow grease. My dad made fun of my work ethic after I joked I could rub no more. So if I can do it, you can. Forty years of rust is no match for a little elbow grease and a good movie to pass the time.
Here's some before/after photos of the rust removal >>
>> Next is taping off the hardware. This part is just plain time consuming but oddly rewarding. Using painters tape and an exacto knife to cut off extra tape, all hardware needs to be taped off. Growing up my dad always said "it's not worth doing unless you do it right" etc etc. Therefore every piece of hardware on the trunk was taped off correctly. And you can't help but the time it's dry enough to rip off the tape! Thanks for engraining those words of wisdom, dad.
>> Using the Kilz primer, spray a foundation layer before you begin painting the color.
>> I chose to paint the trunk the color Barely Mint so it would subtly pop in my room -but any color would work! I used the brush to paint on two separate coats. This part's slightly time consuming because you have to paint two coats and then flip it once it dries to paint the bottom.
>> While the trunk was drying, I sprayed the wooden legs with a sealant coat. If you're painting the legs, it's the same idea.
>> Let the trunk/legs dry for a solid 24 hours, if not longer. I couldn't wait and pulled off the tape around the metalware about 4-5 hours later, but don't start to use it until it's fully dry. The last part is fairly simple. Using an electric drill, I drilled four holes into the bottom corners and screwed the wooden legs in.
>> AND VOILA! an updated trunk that hides all my shoes!
I hope you enjoyed my first DIY blog as much as I did!
cheers-
