Old door to new desk | Upcycle DIY

November 1, 2012 by Kelly Whitman 5 Comments

I simply love taking something old, unwanted, ready to be thrown away and turning it into something useful, (also known as upcycling).   For this particular project I took a door that was originally from the main door in our house and turned it into a desk for my home office.   I now have plenty of space to create, work, and even made the desk fun for my children , by adding mini chalkboards within the desk itself, which also doubles as an area for me to take notes & make lists.

What you need:
Find an old door, any old door will do. Find what you will use for your table legs, in this project I used old shelves that my dad had made when I was a child.  Be creative, you can use old sawhorses,  buy new table legs from any home improvement store , or  shelves, or file cabinets .  If desired, find a piece of glass that will fit on top of your door to make a more even workspace, you may have one cut to size at a local glass shop, or you can do like I did and use glass out of an old window-for no cost.

Project Cost: Under $30

Project Level: Medium

Project Supplies: Old door, shelves, glass.

Project Tools: Wet rag, Krylon Spray paint, Krylon chalkboard paint (if desired), painters tape, sandpaper (if needed)

Project Steps:

1.) Clean your door to rid it of any dirt, if needed softly sand down the door prior to painting.

2.) Tape off any hardware that you would like to keep on your door.

3.) Spray paint your door, using short back and forth strokes.  Allow to dry completely before adding second coat of paint.
(Optional:  Tape off sections of door to allow a few of the panels to become chalkboards.  Spray panels you desire with chalkboard paint -using 2-3 coats.  )

4.) Spray paint your shelves  or table legs. Again allowing enough dry time between coats.  About 2 coats of paint on all pieces should be plenty.
(Optional: Find some old chairs and paint them too for a whole new look in your home office)

5.) Once table and legs (aka shelves, sawhorses etc) are completely dry and aired out, bring to the location you want to set up your new door desk, place your table legs where you would like them, and simply set the door on top!

As always with any project you find here at The Pink Hammer blog, feel free to change, simplify or customize this project to fit your specific needs and have fun!

Completing this simple & fun project  will leave you feeling empowered and ready to start working at your beautiful upcycled desk!

Thanks for reading,

~Kelly

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Products I love that made this project easy to complete and were a breeze to use;

Krylon Dual paint + primer spray paint:

Dual Paint + Primer in One. One can. One Step. For a great finish that lasts like you primed it.

• Paint and primer in one can
• Provides the performance of a primer and the durable, smooth finish of a paint in one easy step.
• Features EZ Touch 360° Dial Spray Tip
• Outdoor use, available in Gloss, Satin and Flat

Dry to Touch

25 minutes or less

Dry to Handle

2 hours

For use with

Wood, Metal, Wicker, Glass, Ceramic, Fabric, Concrete, Masonry.

Krylon Chalkboard paint;

Smooth, slate-like finish, perfect for creating or resurfacing chalkboard surfaces.

• Creates a tough, slate-like chalkboard surface
• Easy application
• Durable, long-lasting finish

Dry to Touch

15 minutes

Dry to Handle

Fully dry 3 hours

For use with

Wood, Metal, Glass, Plaster, Ceramic, Paper, Paper Mache.