Doors are one of those interior items that, at the end of their main service life, are traditionally a pity to throw away. And it is not necessary! We have collected in one article the most interesting ideas on how you can give an old door “new life” exclusively with your own hands.
If you put in just a little effort, your interior can have an unusual swing, a shelf, a mirror, a table, a large photo frame, a screen and - believe it or not - even a dressing room. All of this (and if you really want to, and not only that) can be made from old doors that you never thought about throwing away or didn’t get around to throwing away.
Working with the tabletop
Cement is used to fill the countertop to give it an original “industrial” look. To keep it securely on the covering, screws are screwed into the back of the former door (in rows or in random order). Then the tabletop and legs are carefully sanded with sandpaper or a grinding machine, if available.
Screws for better cement fastening
An old door as a frame for paintings and photographs
An unnecessary wooden door can be used as an exhibition area for photographs, paintings or notes. French doors with glass inserts or solid wooden doors, but with carved rectangles on the surface, are well suited for this. The door as a frame can either be simply leaned against the wall or attached horizontally.
Coffee table
One of the most obvious ways to use the flat surface of a door is to turn it into a countertop. In general, the table does not have to be a coffee table. The dining area may well be based on a homemade table. Imagine how stylish such a table will look if you paint it with bright paint and make it the main accent in the kitchen.
How to update an old table using concrete
Concrete is becoming one of the most popular materials in interior design. It is used everywhere, including for countertops. If you don’t know how to update furniture, update an old table, but want it to have a modern look, slightly in the loft style, then concrete will be the best helper.
You can transform an old wooden table into a very modern one with a faux concrete top. This is a pretty easy project. Perhaps you will like it. Let's do that.
In order to update an old table you will need the following materials:
Concrete mixing container
Step 1: Place your old one in a well-ventilated area. Clean the entire surface of the countertop.
Step 2: Prepare the surface by filling any existing holes and cracks, lightly sanding, and then clean the surface, it will be covered with a concrete finish.
Step 3: Mix the concrete according to the package instructions. The substance should be thick enough to stay in place but be easy to work with when applied to the surface.
Step 4: Starting at the sides of your table, spread the concrete in a thin, even layer.
Tip: Place a little more concrete at the corners. This tiny addition will give you more flexibility in your sanding manners.
Step 5: Continue using a spatula to cover the old table in a thin, even layer over the entire surface. Make a smooth surface according to your preference.
Step 6: Sand the rough surface using fine sandpaper.
Step 7: Let the concrete finish dry completely for at least 24 hours. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations. Reapply the next coat, keeping it thin while filling any existing gaps in the primer.
Tip: The wider the spatula, the easier it is to smooth out the concrete finish.
Step 8: Let the countertop dry completely, another 24 hours. Repeat the sanding process and applying three to five more coats.
Tip: When applying subsequent coats, cover the entire surface. Even if half the desktop looks perfect after three coats, make sure the surface looks uniform. Each layer of finish will have its own shade, which will be slightly different from the rest, and may look strange.
Step 9: Once you've finished and sanded the entire surface of the old table, or rather the new one, and it's thoroughly and completely dry, it's time to think about sealing the surface. Use a specific sealant (available at hardware stores), and follow the instructions.
Apply at least two coats of sealant, perhaps more if the surface will be in frequent contact with water.
Step 10: Let the sealant dry completely and... VOILA!!
Sit back and enjoy your new, modern desk.
Tip: Although the concrete surface may look a little rough, it will be perfectly smooth to the touch if you sand it well after each coat.
How do you like this option? Surely, the question of how to update an old table will no longer bother you.
Cut the boards
Once the size was determined, he set to work cutting the boards. He used boards that he cut using a circular saw and then drilled pocket holes on both sides of each board. In this way he cut 9 wooden boards.
To attach the countertop later, he drilled pocket holes in the top of each cabinet door. While drilling one of the pocket holes, the drill bit broke inside the cabinet! How did this happen? This has never happened before. Luckily he had a spare!
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Fastening the shelves
Next, the craftsman was ready to attach the shelves to the cabinet door. He attached the top and bottom shelves flush to the ends of the door. For the middle shelf, he used an extra board to keep all three sections the same size without having to re-measure. A friend used an angle clamp to hold the boards in place while he installed the first screw. He also used wood glue.
Second life of old doors: what to do
You can use old doors in the design of your home. Any model and material option is suitable for this. These can be either wooden or metal structures, old and new, solid or with windows, etc.
Our most important task will be to choose how and where exactly we want to use them, as well as to correctly play with our new decorative element.
Depending on the condition and appearance of the door itself, you can create a separate image or corner in our apartment. For example, a door has been around for a long time and there are scratches and cracks on it. There is no need to rush to polish it, but rather, on the contrary, emphasize this point. Such a door can serve as an excellent decoration in a vintage or ethnic style.
Spectacular street bench made from an old bed headboard in Vintage style
If you have the desire, as well as a reserve of creative potential, you can create a useful household item from seemingly completely unnecessary things that will inspire admiration not only among family members, but also among invited guests. In this review we will show you how to make an outdoor bench from an old bed headboard. This is a vivid example of how an unwanted object can be transformed, having outlived its first incarnation and being prepared to go to the trash.
Bench from the head of a bed (master class on transformation)
What you will need for work:
- Headboard from the bed;
- Wooden beam for the frame (two short pieces and two long pieces of headboard);
- Wooden legs from an old stool or other furniture (you can purchase new ones);
- Screws and screwdriver;
- Primer;
- Sandpaper;
- Foam rubber;
- Textile;
- Chipboard or fiberboard;
- Metal corners;
- Furniture gun with staples;
- Paint the desired color;
- Sewing machine with threads.
Stages of making new furniture from old
First, you need to clean the headboard with sandpaper or go through it with a sanding machine.
Then you need to create a frame from the timber, screw it to the head of the bed, and fix the legs from the front, which, by the way, also need to be cleaned with sandpaper.
According to the size of the future seat, you need to prepare a sheet of chipboard or fiberboard, and screw the corners to further secure it, but for now you can put it aside. Next, it is better to prime the frame of the future bench, but before that you can coat it with an antiseptic. At the next stage, the entire bench is covered in several layers of paint of the desired color.
At the next stage, while the paint on the bench is drying, you can start making a comfortable seat. Foam rubber is laid on a sheet of fiberboard or chipboard, the first layer is the size of the seat, the other with a margin so that later, when sitting, the corners are not felt. The second layer is secured with a furniture stapler. Then, with a margin around the edges, we prepare a piece of dense material. We fix the fabric with staples on the back side of the board.
Well, to make the seat look more complete, you can add edging. We draw a piece of fabric into strips of identical width, cut them out, bend them and stitch them on a machine. This edging then needs to be stapled to the bottom of the upholstered seat.
All that remains is to place the seat on the bench and screw it from below with screws into the holes of the metal corners.
This is how, after spending a certain amount of time, you can make exclusive garden furniture with your own hands. However, it is worth remembering that the seat is soft fabric, and it is better not to leave the bench in the open air, so that sudden rain does not spoil the upholstery. If the bench will not be located in a gazebo under a canopy, but in an open area, then it is better to take a closer look at waterproof fabrics for upholstery.
See you again in the next reviews! By the way, here you can see how to make a frame for a mirror from bamboo sticks, and here you can learn the process of upgrading an old fireplace.
Finishing work
To level the cement surface, it is well ground - this will help eliminate protrusions, bumps, cracks and other defects. The table is wiped with a damp cloth to remove dust, dried, and then completely treated with polyurethane varnish along with the legs. If desired, you can additionally coat the product with special wax, which will extend its service life and enhance its visual appeal. The cost of manufacturing such a table is minimal, and the result will delight you with its unusualness, practicality and durability.
Garage Door Dining Table
Dear visitors to the site “Visiting Samodelkin”, from the master class presented by the author, you will learn how you can independently make an unusual and unique dining table from an old garage door.
Not long ago, the author was renovating his garage and replaced the wooden gates with brand new aluminum ones, but he really didn’t want to take the well-made doors to a landfill, because the wood was still good and the plywood was special “marine.” So the master came up with the idea of making a new one a dining table so that a large and friendly family can gather around it.
Again, it’s a great benefit to turn trash into quality furniture, but I didn’t really want to buy a new table and spend money.
The garage door was in good condition and had several layers of white paint that had to be removed first. The collar was transferred to the workshop and laid on the workbench, after which work began on removing the old paint coating, this is best done with an orbital sander. After the paint is removed, you need to make the base of the table from a thick board or timber. The master made the legs of the table from prefabricated boards, it turned out very well.
The tabletop should be thoroughly sanded and coated with epoxy resin; for example, the author used about 6 liters of resin for the entire area of the table, as well as a hardener of 10% of the total amount. Epoxy resin as a material is quite expensive, but if the other materials were free, then the whole package is quite normal. When pouring resin, you need to be extremely careful and attentive, because dust or flies that get into it can harden and ruin everything. To expel air bubbles from the resin, it is necessary to heat it with a gas burner.
Let's look at what exactly is needed to make a dining table?
1. garage door (wooden) 2. epoxy resin 3. hardener 4. board 30-40 mm 5. screws 6. stain
Tools
1. orbital sander 2. drill 3. screwdriver 4. hacksaw 5. brush 6. ruler 7. pencil 8. chisel 9. hammer
Step-by-step instructions for creating a DIY garage door dining table.
The first step is to prepare the door.
As you can see, if you wish, you can do everything yourself. Step-by-step instructions have been provided to you, so let’s take it and do it. Be brave, friends!
That's all, thank you all very much for your attention! Come visit often and don't miss out on new items in the world of homemade products!
Ideas on what to make from an old door
And so, we have doors, and now let’s look at some ideas on how we can use them to design a room.
- One of the most popular and extraordinary ways to use it is photo exhibition area. The door plays the role of a kind of frame, which is used for gluing photographs or notes.
To implement this option, our doors can be attached both horizontally and vertically. A French door model with small windows is ideal.
- Rack and shelves .
Agree that these things are quite functional and necessary in the house. You can put books, magazines, toys and other items there. The progress of the work will look something like this: we take the door, fill it with the required number of shelves and use this structure for our home purposes. By the way, it is perfect for use in the kitchen. You can easily place dishes, pots and other kitchen items on such a rack. - Screen. Another application option is a screen made from old doors, which can help zone the space in the house. The only caveat here is that you can use them as a screen in rooms with a large square footage, otherwise they may not fit well into the overall interior.
If there are several unnecessary doors, they can be fastened with hinges and made sliding, like an accordion. By the way, you can use it not only in the house, but also outside it. For example, in the garden to hide from the prying eyes of your neighbors.
- The headboard of the bed is a very interesting idea that will make your interior very extraordinary and dynamic. Depending on your wishes, you can place two doors vertically - then our headboard will turn out to be quite high. Or mount one door horizontally.
- Table. Any of your guests will be delighted with the new “old” design makeover of the table door. This can be not only an ordinary table in the living room, but also a coffee table, a work table, etc. Any of the options can be played out in such a way that everyone will think about where you purchased such a find.
All you need is to cut out the shape and size of the table that you need from the door, and additionally attach the legs to it.
- Decorative panels . If you have a lot of old doors, you can make panels out of them and attach them completely to the entire wall. Typically, this option is not particularly practiced in apartments, but more in country houses or dachas.
- Mirror frame . Now your mirror will look very extraordinary and elegant. In general, it is believed that old frames or baguettes are great for mirrors, so why not use an old door.
- By combining the door with the desk you can get a wonderful work area . To properly play with such a design, you will need to paint these two objects the same color and give them some colorful elements or accents.
- Corner shelving. One of the most difficult options in terms of execution. But nothing is impossible. The end result will be no different from real furniture that is purchased in stores.
To implement the idea, we saw the door almost in half. One of the sides should be slightly longer by the size of the door thickness, since the shorter one is attached to the long part, and as a result the surfaces are one length. Then we cut out triangular shelves from wood and attach them to our base. As a rule, on such a corner rack you can store a comb, keys, glasses and other small parts.
- One of the favorite options among HandMade fans is a door bench . It is very popular, because with its help you can create a comfortable place to sit when putting on your shoes, as well as a place to store shoes and other boxes. Here you can play it any way you like, the main thing is that it turns out to be a useful and functional thing.
