🖼️
The project:
An old bookshelf was a dumping ground for anything and everything and always looked messy even after trying to tidy it.
So I decided to upcycle it, and couldn’t be more happy with the way it turned out!
It’s now a calming feature in our home rather than the stress zone it previously was.
- Materials:
- 3 mm MDF sheets
- Primer
- Topping Compound
- Liquid Nails
- No More Gaps
- Paint
- Battery-operated downlights
- Baking soda
- Wide Pine plank
- Brown soft wax and Limed Wax for the Pine.
- Tools:
- Ryobi jigsaw
- Ryobi nail gun
- Plastering scraper.
- Step 1:
I placed sheets of MDF against the unit and drew my template around each box.
Then, using a jigsaw, I cut out my template.
I then attached the MDF using Liquid Nails and some hardwood nails using my Ryobi nail gun.
- Step 2:
I then primed using Zinsser primer and No More Gaps to fill in any joins before covering the unit in topping compound.
I also decided to add some wooden boards in random boxes which I made from Pine.
- Step 3:
Once dry, I sanded all over using a mix of 120, 180 and 240 grit sandpaper, then painted it light tan Matt. I also added a backing board.
To add some texture, I added baking soda to the paint and then brushed it on with a rough criss-cross stroke.
I also added some battery-operated downlights to some of the boxes.
To make the Pine boards look more like hardwood I used a browning wax followed by a limed wax.
- Help and inspiration:
[article footer]
More inspiration for upcycling furniture
A good sanding and fresh paint by Bunnings Workshop member lieselroberts gave an upcycled bookcase a modern look. A natural white interior paint helped highlight the VJ panelling.
Community member Herrenovation restored a mid-century modern bookcase by cleaning, sanding and applying varnish and gold leaf paint.
Get more inspiration from 10 furniture projects upcycled with paint and our Top 10 most popular indoor furniture projects.
[article footer]
