Reduce, Reuse, Restore:

Upgrade a Salvaged Storage Cabinet

Who said you need a big budget for brand-new furniture? When you decide to reuse and restore, you can create brand-new pieces for a fraction of the price.    Learn how to upcycle a discarded furniture item in a few easy steps using some creativity, scrap materials and a powerful adhesive.

HOW TO UPCYCLE AND RESTORE A DISCARDED CABINET

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure! And that’s definitely true with this project. Our friends Chris and Yvonne (@reclaimedkarma) were able to make treasure out of a cabinet they found while dumpster diving. All it took was a creative touch to make this cabinet sparkle again.

Watch Chris and Yvonne’s process in the video below.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

For a written breakdown explaining how they tackled this project, check out these steps.

 

Directions

1. GATHER YOUR MATERIALS

Part of the fun in reusing and restoring is salvaging a furniture piece to use in your project! Chris and Yvonne were able to find a cabinet in a dumpster that had long been forgotten. Not only is this cost-effective, but it reduces the waste that goes into our landfills.

2. PUT TOGETHER A PROJECT PLAN

Now that you’ve gotten your hands on a piece of furniture, it’s time to let your imagination run wild. Where do you want to put this item? What style are you going for? How will it be used? These are all important questions to ask when planning an upcycle project.

Chris and Yvonne knew they wanted to use this cabinet for bathroom storage, so they used materials and colors that would pair well with their bathroom.

3. MAKE REPAIRS AND CLEAN UP

Your salvaged piece is bound to have some wear and tear. Yvonne was able to use Loctite Power Grab Ultimate Crystal Clear Construction Adhesive to make some small repairs to the cabinet. She also wiped it down to get rid of any dirt and grime in preparation for painting.

4. MAKE A COUNTERTOP AND CUT BLOCKING

Since Yvonne is restoring what used to be a kitchen cabinet, the item had no top. She took this opportunity to make a countertop out of some extra wood in her garage. After cutting to the correct measurements, she secured the countertop to the cabinet using Loctite Power Grab Ultimate Crystal Clear Construction Adhesive.

She also cut and secured wood blocks to the bottom using the same adhesive, prepping the cabinet for legs later.

5. ACCENT WITH TRIM

Adding materials like leftover trim will really bring your project to the next level! Yvonne was able to add some to her cabinet using Loctite Power Grab Ultimate Crystal Clear Construction Adhesive.

6. TIME TO PAINT

It’s time for the best part: painting! Yvonne chose a bright white for her cabinet. She also grabbed some scrap hardware and spray painted them a beautiful gold.

While rummaging for hardware she found some extra accents, gold butterflies! These looked perfect with her hardware, so she secured them to the front of her cabinet using Loctite Power Grab Ultimate Crystal Clear Construction Adhesive for a special touch. 

7. ASSEMBLE HARDWARE

Now that your hardware is dry, attach the knobs and legs to your cabinet for the final look! All that’s left to do is move your cabinet to your desired location and marvel at your beautiful work.

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