Hello, sweet friends! Happy Valentines Day, and welcome to Trash-to-Treasure Tuesday! Today, I’ve got a great way to repurpose a chair when it no longer functions as it should. My friends also have trashy makeovers to share, so be on the lookout for their projects at the bottom.
This makeover all started with one of these chairs that were left out in front of the antique mall where I have my booth:
You know I love FREE, but I actually did try to ignore them on my way in. I already had three chairs for my current haul, but of course I couldn’t leave without them on the way out!
The one with the blue seat is nice and sturdy and will remain a chair.
However, the one with the needlepoint seat was super rickety:
So, I knew it would not remain a chair. In my experience, it is difficult to fix rickety chairs so that they will stay solid. It turned out that one of the back legs were cracked on this one!
Since I knew I wanted to repurpose this chair in some way, I started by taking apart what I could to see what I had to work with, starting with the seat. I set that aside in case I can salvage that needlepoint at a later date.
This is what was left:
I’ve reused the backs of chairs as shelves before, and I decided that I would do that with this one also.
A Great Way to Repurpose a Chair
So, a shelf it is! This will make such a unique new shelf.
I started by cutting the chair legs with my miter saw:
I actually ended up going much higher but used the same saw.
I’ve included a few affiliate links so you can find the products I love.
Then I pulled what was left from this old bed rail to use as my new shelf and cut it the same way:
I did a dry fit to be sure everything was level and even:
Cutting the sides of the chair back so that they sit flush against the new shelf is the most challenging part, but a couple of additional cuts did the trick.
This chair was covered in bumps and dings, so next, I pulled out my corner cat sander and smoothed everything out using 220 grit sandpaper:
Clean
Once I had all the sanding complete, I cleaned up the dust with my shop vac and gave it a good cleaning with White Lightning. One more wipe down with clean water, and I was ready to prime.
Prime for bleed through
Because this chair definitely had some age to it and I disturbed the original finish, I knew those tannins would bleed through. To combat this, I gave it one coat of my favorite primer, BOSS in white:
You can see how the tannins came right on through in that second photo. Do you need another coat of BOSS? NO! just allow plenty of dry time before painting. I let it sit overnight.
Assemble the shelf
I had primed these pieces separately, but now it was time to put it together.
To do that, I lined up my two pieces and then drilled a pilot hole through the shelf and into the chair beneath it on either side, followed by a very shallow hole with a drill bit big enough to sink the head of my screw into.
Then, I screwed the wood screws in place with my drill:
And here it is all put together:
Because I drilled those larger shallow holes to be able to sink the screws a bit, all I had left to do was fill the holes in with a bit of Dixie Mud:
I am so impatient when it comes to letting it dry, but a good few hours is best. Then, I sanded the holes smooth, and I was ready for paint!
Paint
I chose one of my favorite Dixie Belle blues, Savannah Mist for this piece:
And no more bleed through! One coat actually covered beautifully over the white BOSS, but I gave it two.
Blending
I decided to go back and add a little blending with Fluff on the oval in the center and across the bottom using my continuous mist spray bottle and then my mini angle brush to blend the two:
It just adds a little highlight to those areas.
Seal
I sealed my new shelf with Satin Clear Coat using the blue sponge:
The After
Here is how my new repurposed chair shelf turned out:
As you can see, I added a hook to the center…
This would be great for a towel, bathrobe, necklaces, leashes, etc.
I had planned to add a piece of wood across the underside of the shelf for hooks, between the two chair sides, but as you can see, they slightly flair out at that point, so I decided to just leave it as is and add a single hook to the center piece instead.
This is such a pretty blue!
The hook came already painted and distressed from Hobby Lobby:
I love that I was able to reuse at least part of this chair!
I love even more that it was free!
Aside from the seat, this is all I have left…not sure I can come up with any uses for any of it, but I did keep it just in case!
Don’t forget my friends have more makeovers for you today!
(Denise is having blog maintenance done and will return next month. Jen is in the middle of a move and so I picked a fun replay of hers to share!)
If you enjoyed this makeover, you’ll love this one!
See what I did with it HERE!
I’ll be back on Thursday with this thrift store box:
See ya then!
UPDATE: See how pretty this box is now HERE!
XOXO,
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Mary Kasier says
Free is always fun! You have nothing to lose if it doesn’t turn out! Well it did turn out, beautiful! I love that color, and I love that you saved it from the landfill!! You always take the ugly ducklings and make them beautiful swans!
Christy says
Yes, for sure…free is the best! Thank you so much, my friend!! XOXO
Peggy says
I really hope you’ll keep that needlepoint..my mom did many chair covers, I just made one into a throw pillow. There are days of work in that needlepoint!
Christy says
I have saved it and will probably try to frame it in a pretty frame. It is quite tattered in person, so I think that is about all I can do with it. Great idea to turn one into a pillow! XOXO
Lilian says
You are so right.
Larissa ~ Prodigal Pieces says
Bravo!! Perfect save, perfect design, and perfect blending. My salvage-loving heart is happy! ❤️
Christy says
Thank you, Larissa! Now I will send you the rest to make over ha ha! XOXO
Janice Holt says
This made such a pretty shelf and I love the highlights. You are amazing.
Christy says
Aww thank you so much, my friend! XOXO
Judy Barrick says
Hi Christy
Just a message to say how much I enjoy receiving your emails every Tuesday here in York England.I think you have some lovely ideas and projects.You are very talented.Hope you and your family are all well and wishing you all a Very Happy New year .
Kind Regards
Judy Barrick
From York in England
Christy says
I appreciate that so much, Judy, thank you!! I hope your year is off to a great start! XOXO
Cecilia says
Ooo, that made a very pretty shelf! It’s amazing what something can turn into, when it’s taken apart and flipped this way and that! So cool.
😊Cecilia
Christy says
Thank you, Cecilia! I’m glad you enjoyed this one! XOXO
Jackie C says
Brilliant!
Christy says
Thank you, Jackie! XOXO
Karen Thompson says
I love this! I need to get braver to use the power tools you use! You always do beautiful work.
Christy says
Thank you, Karen! I appreciate that so much! I used to have my hubby do all the cutting for me, but I eventually got tired of waiting for him ha ha! XOXO
Marcie Lovett says
Now that was truly trash to treasure, Christy! I love the shape of both chair backs and I’m so glad you were able to repurpose this one. I see future projects utilizing the leftover bits as box handles and the seat cover becoming something I can’t even imagine 😁
Christy says
Thank you so much, Marcie! I am so glad I found a use for this one too, and yes, those parts will end up somewhere lol! XOXO
Shari Clines says
Oh my goodness! I love this! I need to be looking for old chairs!
Christy says
I’m so glad you like it, Shari, thank you! I see lone chairs out there all the time…good luck in your search! XOXO
p says
I love your creative carpentry 🙂
That IS a very pretty blue, and the fluff shading add a nice softness.
Thanks for sharing.
p
Christy says
Aww thank you, P! This blue is one of my favorites. Have a great week! XOXO
Lizzy says
It’s adorable, and I love the paint color and blending effect.
Christy says
Thanks so much, Lizzy! XOXO
Rose Lefebvre says
I LOVE SEEING OLD CHAIRS BEING REPURPOSED LIKE THIS!
Christy says
Aww yay! I’m so glad you enjoyed this one, Rose! Chairs really do have some fantastic parts that can be reused! XOXO
Sharon L Austin says
Love it!!
Christy says
Thank you, Sharon! XOXO
Michele M. says
WOW!! How you envision things to re-create boggles my mind. How awesome to “save” that wooden piece. Will you do anything with the needlework? Maybe make a pillow? Someone worked hours on it, to be sure.
Christy says
Aww thank you, Michele! The needlepoint is a bit worn in person actually, but I thought someone might enjoy it just framed? I really appreciate the time put into it, so that is probably what I’ll do with it! I’ll share it when I do! XOXO
Denise Zdziennicki says
I love the blue and the repurposing of this chair, brilliant Christy! XOXO
Christy says
Thanks so much, Denise! We missed you! XOXO
Geri says
Love it!!! I pass up on those free chairs all the time!!
Christy says
Thank you, Geri! At least if they’re free and your plan doesn’t work out, it’s ok ha ha! XOXO
Annod says
Beautiful job finding a new purpose for that chair.
HOARDER is what my hubby would call me if I kept the chair parts you did not use.
Christy says
Thank you, Annod! Ha ha funny you mention that because I almost wrote, “I’m saving these just in case I find a use for them, or until my hubby declares them garbage and tosses them!” Lol! XOXO
Sharon Wine says
Amazing transformation! I love, love everything about this!! You have special vision!! Thank you for the inspiration! XXOO
Christy says
Thank you so much, Sharon! XOXO
Tracey A. says
CLEVER!
Christy says
Thank you, Tracey! XOXO
Nancy @Artsy Chicks Rule says
This is so brilliant!! And pretty too, love it!! xo
Christy says
Thank you, my friend!! XOXO
Cheryl Atkinson says
Hi Christy!! The chair turned shelf came out so pretty!! I wish I had your eye for thinking outside of the box!!
Christy says
Thank you so much, Cheryl! I’m so glad you like it! I was happy to be able to salvage some of it! XOXO
Becky says
This is absolutely gorgeous! I’m pinning it just in case i ever come across a good broken chair. 🥰😁
Christy says
Thank you so much, Becky! This is a fun way to still get use out of those broken ones! XOXO
Caye Cooper says
Free is wonderful, and you passed it on to the chair by freeing it from oblivion! Great job, very cute project!! Thanks for the inspiration.
Christy says
Thank you, Caye! And yes ha ha, I sure did free it! XOXO