Antique Toolbox Makeover: DIY Project Tutorial

Remember a few weeks back when us rookies visited the Kane County Flea Market? (Read all about our flea market trip here) Well, I never showed you my big purchase from that trip.

Here it is…

You’re probably thinking. “Ugh, ew Casey, what’s with the dirty toolbox?” Why spend any money to lug that thing back home?

Well, when I spotted this little guy tucked amongst the flea market goods I couldn’t help but envision a new life for it. So I negotiated with the vendor (Originally $12, down to $10!) and happily brought it home.

I had to come up with a way to get rid of all of the gunk, residue, and general nastiness that this toolbox had going on.

I scrubbed the wood thoroughly with a water & vinegar concoction, to get rid of the gunk and unpleasant funk that had built up over many years.

Then, I got out some white paint that I had leftover from my media console makeover project. And gave the piece 2 thin coats of white.

I’m a sucker for all things bright white and clean. But, I wanted to take a small step out of my comfort zone. I decided a white distressed wood would look pretty dang cool on this old toolbox.

I used a medium grit sanding block and paper to rough up the piece.

I concentrated on the edges and sanded down until I exposed some of the original wood.

Once it was aged to my liking (I feel like I’m talking about a fine wine here), I had to figure out a way to brighten up (and cover up) the base of the toolbox…

The liner is incredibly easy to apply. Just cut to fit the piece, and carefully smooth out any bubbles as you go along. The best part is that you can easily reposition the liner if you mess up, and then realign it until it is exactly in place. It only took me about 5 minutes to get it fit into the base of the toolbox.

SIDE NOTE:

When I cut the shelf liner I cut it a little larger than the dimensions. I then had a few scraps of blue liner leftover…so I put them to good use!

I simply wrapped a piece around a mason jar for a cute spring vase.

Okay back to the toolbox makeover…

The toolbox found a new home on our kitchen table. It acts a table runner and holds all kinds of kitchen goodies.

I like how it is so easy to pick up and move if we need to use the entire table. Just one quick swoop and you have a large table to work on.

The blue liner adds a great pop of color to the space.

I’m really digging the distressed white wood look too! Look at me, stepping outside of my comfort zone!

P.S. Tomorrow is my Dad’s birthday! Happy Birthday B-Rad! I love you! <3