before and after table to shelf

I hauled this Roadkill Rescue all the way home from Atlanta!  We spent Christmas in Atlanta this year and my Grandpa and Grandma had more than just a gift for me – they gave me an old rickety table they have had for decades that they were ready to pitch.  Yes, they love me that much that they give me their trash {giggle}! I loved the geometric shape on the side.  Unfortunately, I don’t need any end tables nor nightstands in my home.  But I didn’t want to part with it because I really did like the shape.  So I thought and thought and decided it would make a cool stacked wall shelf in my guest room.

end-tables-turned-shelf-word

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Here is how it looked when I received it.  I am sure he was a looker in his days.  But it had definitely seen better days with a chipped finish, missing molding and cracks in a few places.

geometric shape end table

Supplies:

end table or nightstand

jigsaw

tape measure

wood glue

clamps

beadboard

brad nailer or small nails and hammer

various grits of sandpaper

paint and primer

painting supplies

1. I decided to cut it in half and add some beadboard onto the back to give it some texture.  I enlisted my friend Mike to help me think through it.  Like a gentlemen, he cut it in half for me with his jigsaw! Everyone needs a Mike!

cutting a table in half

2. I was left with two pieces.  Then we cut some beadboard to fit the back of each of the cut ends of the table to give it a little stability.

table-sawed-in-half

3.  Then I sanded the entire piece down. I also had to wood glue some of the trim back in place and a broken edge.  I certainly had to work hard to make this surface even with all the peeling finish.  I started with 60-grit sandpaper and worked my way down to a 220-grit and then wiped it clean.

4.  Next I spray primed it and then painted it with my new sprayer (product review and giveaway coming soon).

small-bookshelf

home-right-command-max-sprayer

5.  Next I drilled some corner braces (a.k.a “L” brackets) to the bottom of each shelves.

L-brackets

6. Next I positioned the bottom half of the table in place and screwed the other end of the corner brace into the wall.  Then I stacked the other half of the end table on top of the first one and did the same thing.

corner-brace

And now I have the perfect mini shelf in my guest room.  I love that I was still able to keep the geometric shape on the sides but create something a little more functional and decorative for my home.  Thank you Paw Paw and Mimi I hope I didn’t disgrace the table too much {giggle} and that you are proud of its new lease on life.  I will think of you every time I glance at it.

end-table-to-shelf2

end-tables-turned-shelf

end-table-turned-shelf-2

before and after table to shelf

Styling and some decorative pieces coming tomorrow.

Do you love my Roadkill Rescues?  Did you know I have a whole site dedicated to just that?

 

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75 Comments

  1. great job beckie! you clever girl!
    I can’t wait to find out what you think of the command max compared to your hvlp (compressor) sprayer. I love mine! 🙂
    gail

  2. That is fabulous! Absolutely unique! I have this regret now letting go of a beautiful table with fancy cutwork on the sides…my firstborn, when he was a toddler pulled on the side and broke off a piece…never would have occured to me to re-create it. Oh well, you just can’t keep them all can you? 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing your creativity, I LOVE it!

  3. I would have never thought of this! But, now I am going to be on the lookout for a table I can create into a shelf!! You are so awesome, great job!

  4. I love how you thought outside the box (as always!) It kind of reminds me of Ripley’s Believe it or not, in a stylish way 😉

  5. It is Stonewall Jackson by Dutch Boy. It is a wonderful color and I have already convinced two other family members to use it in their homes as well.

  6. I’m sorry, but I feel like you destroyed a wonderfully unique antique. The concept is wonderful, don’t get me wrong. Just, in my opinion, saving such a piece might have been better. In this age of mass production, furniture with character is harder and harder to find.

  7. Jesh I get what you are saying and if it wasn’t in terrible shape I would have loved to have restored it to its natural state. I love restoring antiques but there comes a time when it becomes impossible to do. But it was a cool piece so I can understand your hesitation on what I did to it.

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  9. How clever! I thought it would be functional and look good in a .5 bathroom over the commode. I will start looking closer for things to convert. Thanx4sharing fullmoonandhightides2u, Bev

  10. Not only atypical but so perfect – minimal footprint, open shelving (super handy for guests), and recycling a family hand-me-down. so many points!

  11. That was a beautiful table. Though your idea is clever it looks like a table cut in half and stacked on top of each other rather than the work of a craftsman. You may have been better served to simply refinish this piece.

  12. Funny you should say that since Better Homes & Gardens was just here this week taking pictures of it for their magazine. To each their own.

  13. Super cute! I’d love to do that & use it as a stand in the bathroom.

    I would like to feature this on one of my blogs (using a thumbnail photo) and link back to your tutorial!

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