How to Make an Antique Produce Crate Bookshelf
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Reduce, reuse, recycle, right? Or, maybe this bookshelf made from an antique crate is upcycling instead.
What is the difference between recycling and upcycling? Upcycling is when you reuse discarded objects or material in a way that creates a product of a higher quality or value than the original. Recycling is when you convert (waste) into reusable material. So is this project upcycling or recycling? You be the judge. 🙂
Last summer my husband found a few dusty old produce crates at a yard sale for $1 each. Immediately my wheels started turning about what I could do with each of them.
Now that we are homeschooling for a while, this crate bookshelf will be the perfect place to store some school supplies and some books. It’s nice to have them near the dining room table where we do a lot of our school work.
Materials
- An antique crate – I have seen these at yard sales, thrift stores, antique stores and I even grabbed one off the curb on garbage day one time.
- Microfiber cloth – to dust and clean the crate.
- Small foam brush
- Matte Mod Podge
Making the Shelf
First, clean the crate with the microfiber cloth. Chances are it’s going to be dusty. Be careful of any labels that are loose or coming off.
Next, paint the Mod Podge over the entire crate. This will create a protective layer onto your bookshelf. It will also help the label to stick back onto the crate. If the Mod Podge looks white and streaky don’t worry, it will dry clear. Just be sure to use even brush strokes.
Let it dry. The wood part of the crate only needs one layer of Mod Podge but the label might need a couple of layers to help it stick.
There you have it! A new (to us) small bookshelf for our dining room.
This crate bookshelf is probably one of the easiest DIY projects I will ever post on Indigo Spring Home. But I love our new bookshelf so much I think it’s worth sharing!