Thursday, June 7, 2018

Upcycled Thrift Store Wine Cart

Hmmm, to buy or not to buy, that was the question when I spied this wine cart at the thrift store.
Upcycled Thrift Store Wine Cart Before Picture
On the plus side, it was priced decently, had locking wheels, the tray was removeable for serving, it would be quick to upcycle for an upcoming show, and was in good shape. On the negative side, it is cheaply made, would be a pain to prep and paint, and was not anything unique or spectacular.

But, the need to get some things done for an upcoming show won out and I bought it. After a few tries, I came up with a plan that worked to upcycle this find.

Upcycled Thrift Store Wine Cart
I started by lightly sanding the cart, wiping it down with vinegar, and then spray painting it black. The bottom of the removable tray was a mess and started peeling when I sanded--problem #1. I decided I would add thin, reclaimed wood to the bottom because the peeling would show through paint.
Upcycled Thrift Store Wine Cart and Tray
One oversized can of matte black was not enough to cover it, problem #2. The following day I purchased another can, and it covered pretty well. I do not like spray paint--it is expensive and does not go as far as one might think, but I chose it because I knew painting the wine racks would be time-consuming. 
Upcycled Thrift Store Wine Cart
Because it was not completely covered after two cans, I decided to lightly sand the edges and then stain over the black--I love stain over black paint. BUT, the stain was removing the spray paint, problem #3 or #4? SO...

I decided to brush paint white over the black. The white was a primer and paint in one and it did cover fairly well. There were a few places that needed a second coat and I was right, brush painting it was not fun and took way more time than I had envisioned putting into this wine cart.
Upcycled Thrift Store Wine Cart
 I liked the look of the white over the black (after some sanding). After adding the reclaimed wood to the tray, i decided to add some to the back side of the bar cart. I painted the inside white, and in retrospect wish I would have left the natural wood color, but am still happy with the look.
Upcycled Thrift Store Wine Cart
I also added a handle for a towel and to push the cart made from a croquet stick.
Upcycled Thrift Store Wine Cart
I am happy to cross this project off the list. 
Upcycled Thrift Store Wine Cart

Please PIN ME!

8 comments:

  1. Great for someone living in limited space! Handles all the needs without taking up much room!

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  2. That turned out great! I never would have even given that thing a second look!

    Pinned!

    Tania

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    1. Thank you!! I started to regret buying it, but was happy with the results.

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  3. Awesome save Becky. Has "that" look about it which I would guess is what you were striving for? With some imagination could be used for other purposes than wine/glass rack? Like idea of removable tray on top.
    When I see something like that I might buy it thinking someday idea would come to me what I could do with it, usually does with right light bulb moment.
    How is it in MT? Do you have Summery weather yet? Hope so.
    Happy weekend

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    1. Thank you! We had record highs and then record lows--typical Montana. It could be a fun craft cart--keep yarn or paint bottles on the wine rack.

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  4. It looks awesome. You really have a knack for turning something ugly into something wonderful! Keep up the good work.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much. It is not the typical thing I would buy,but was finally happy with the results.

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Thanks so much for taking the time to comment, I really appreciate your kind words!