Woman Upcycles An Old Shoe Rack Into An Outdoor Side Table With A Clever DIY
Nothing beats relaxing in your backyard in the sunshine, but even the comfiest garden chair will lose its appeal if you don't have a nearby table for your drink, snacks, and all-important reading material. If you've been looking for a small, convenient surface to place your items on while you make the most of your outdoor space, you don't have to overspend on an expensive piece of new furniture. It could be as simple as upcycling an old shoe rack.
DIY TikToker Lindsey Lauten shared this thrifty idea, and the result is so enviable. In need of a convenient outdoor table for her drinks and snacks, she repurposes an old, wooden shoe rack instead of buying new, and you can easily recreate the look yourself. The project requires little more than a jigsaw, some extra timber for the legs, and your chosen paint color, and then you have a unique way to reuse an old household item in your garden. The best part? You can easily customize this clever hack to match your existing outdoor furniture for a sophisticated garden setup.
To make her side table, Lauten starts by dismantling her two-tiered, wooden shoe rack and cutting the slatted top surface into a smaller rectangle using a jigsaw. This acts as the tabletop for her side table, and you can make this as large or small as you like. If you want your side table to be taller than the shoe rack, you'll need to cut new legs. Lauten uses scrap wood for hers, but you could also use 2-by-4 boards (it's best to use pressure-treated timber for outdoor projects to ensure durability). For a low table that's the same height as the shoe rack, simply repurpose the original legs.
Creating your DIY side table
Lauten cuts a bottom shelf for her table from a fresh piece of lumber, although you could use parts of the shoe rack to do this. She then cuts notches into the corners of this shelf before screwing all the components together. To smooth gaps and imperfections, she applies wood filler. After a light sanding, Lauten paints the table gray to match her other furniture, using black on the tabletop black for some contrast. Finally, she sprays the entire table with sealant to protect her DIY outdoor furniture project. A weather-resistant finish like polyurethane is recommended for outdoor furniture to prevent weathering.
@heyylindsey Been needing somewhere to put my bevvies and snacks. Can't beat repurposing an old shoe rack into something super cute and functional. @RYOBI Tools USA @BEHR Paint @The Home Depot #homerenovation #renovation #diy #diyproject
The beauty of this idea is you can customize the finish to complement your furniture, just as Lauten does. Choose a paint color that matches your existing outdoor dining set. Or, for a more natural look, consider staining the table with an exterior wood stain instead, which you can get for as little as $6 at retailers like Lowe's, depending on your location. Whichever you choose, make sure it's rated for outdoor use to save your outdoor furniture from rotting due to moisture or from fading in the sun.
If you want to make the DIY even easier, you don't have to have a bottom shelf on your side table, although it does add an extra, useful surface. Why not add a cute, waterproof basket in this middle section to keep small outdoor essentials like citronella candles, lighters, bug spray, and sunglasses? There you have it: A simple, practical, and eco-friendly side table that saves an old shoe rack from going to waste.