Crafts & DIY
She bought a beat-up chest then upcycled it into a great looking piece for cheap
It turned out beautiful!
Marco Valens
10.30.20

Have you ever dreamed about owning a treasure chest? They are incredibly fancy, practical, and give your home space that old pirate ship appearance worthy of Captain Jack Sparrow!

Genuine pirate chests are rather difficult to come by and they can also be pretty expensive but don’t worry, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to acquire your own treasure chest. You can make it yourself at your own home with little skill and imagination.

Pixabay
Source:
Pixabay

Bianca had an old beat-up wooden chest that wasn’t of much use, but she came up with an idea to convert it into a treasure chest

This old chest looked like something you’d usually keep in your attic and serves no purpose, other than to be a home for spiders and old forgotten things you have no use for anymore. It was the case with Bianca’s old wooden chest.

She picked up the old chest from Goodwill for $25 but it was full of scratches and imperfections that rendered it useless; certainly not a type of chest you’d want to keep in your living room!

YouTube video screenshot
Source:
YouTube video screenshot

She decided to save money buying a cheap old chest instead of a new one and she had a plan on how to convert trash to treasure!

“I knew that if I bought a brand new chest it would be way over $100, so I knew I could make this look really nice for only $25.”

Bianca had the right idea, now it was time to convert this old chest into something a pirate would store his stolen treasure in! The makeover could begin!

First, she proceeded to send down the whole chest. Step by step, she

“I have a hundred grit paper on (the chest) so for the lid part I’m going to restain it.” She decided on doing the brown stain and painted the rest of the chest white.

YouTube video screenshot
Source:
YouTube video screenshot

Now when the first stage was done, it was time to give the old chest a brand new look

For the lid, Bianca opted to use Jacobean stain which would lend her chest that rustic appearance. She made sure she did it first because stain takes a long time to dry, which is something you should keep in mind in case you’re planning to make your own treasure chest.

Now it was time to paint the rest of the chest! For that purpose, Bianca used Rust-Oleum chalked paint which really looks great. Painting is really the fun part of any makeover! Just make sure you use the right brush for painting tricky areas, such as striped crevices on Bianca’s chest.

YouTube video screenshot
Source:
YouTube video screenshot

Voila, Bianca turned an old ugly chest into a beautiful piece of furniture that fits perfectly into the decor

We’re really impressed with how Bianca managed to upcycle an old chest and convert it into a beautiful and functional furniture item for only $25. It’s really easy and all you need is a wood stain and paint. Alternatively, you can try to make a chest out of cardboard or an old shoebox that’s ideal for kids looking for a real pirate adventure!

YouTube video screenshot
Source:
YouTube video screenshot

Here’s how you can make a treasure chest out of a shoebox:

You’ll need:

  • A shoebox with a lid
  • Paint and brush
  • Embossing Foil
  • Paper fastener

Instructions:

  • Cut your strips of foil and glue them on to the box
  • Poke fasteners into the box
  • Print a decoration of your choosing and glue to the box

Alternatively, you can use the chest as a safe, it’s really nice as a decorative item and can be a great addition to your kid’s room.

Watch the video below and see how Bianca turned an old chest into a modern piece of furniture and don’t forget to like and share!

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