Upcycle: Trash to Treasure

September 16, 2019

Upcycle: Trash to Treasure

I love art. I love painting and playing music and decorating. For as long as I can remember, I have always enjoyed taking something worn and making it new. It’s no surprise that I enjoy zero waste living so much!

What is upcycling?

Upcycle means to reuse discarded materials in a way that creates a product of a higher value than the original.So, you literally make someone else’s trash beautiful and desirable. Zero waste aside, I think upcycling is one of the most gratifying artistic expressions. Not many things make me feel more like a badass than the before-and-after photos of my upcycled furniture. It is better for the environment than buying new. And it is almost always cheaper than buying new. I have a special love for my upcycled pieces, and I want to share with you how easy it can be to make your own. Below are the steps to upcycle old wood furniture.

3 upcycled items in this photo!
Chair, shelves, & the wood crates

Four basic steps to upcycling

1) Find your piece

I think this is the hardest part because it often requires the most time and patience. I have walked into a vintage store or Goodwill, and found exactly what I wanted the first try. Most often though, I search for a few months before finding the right piece. In my defense, I do this when I buy new items too. The point is that you want to take your time and find a piece you like. Search in these places: Garage sales, estate sales, secondhand shops or stores, Goodwill, dumpsters, antique shops, vintage shops, driveways with “Free” signs. For LA folks, Loveseat is a great secondhand shop, and the Goodwill on Fletcher is my favorite.

2) Clean or Powerwash

Once you have found your piece, the fun part begins. I always start by giving the piece a good cleaning. Some items need very little maintenance, a simple scrubbing with gentle soap and water can fix them up. Others need more. When dirt or mold has stained a furniture piece, I strongly recommend power washing it. You can rent a power washer, or borrow one from a friend. You can even buy power washers for under $100. If you own a home, they are surprisingly useful. If you cannot get a power washer, try a hose at close proximity or scrubbing with vinegar, baking soda or hydrogen peroxide. Bleach and stain stripping agents are harsh chemicals, and I don’t like to use them on projects.

3) Sand and clean again

After your piece is clean, sand it thoroughly either by hand or an electric sander. I have a handheld sander that works for almost every project. Sand the difficult to reach places by hand. Sanding should remove any leftover dirt and smooth out the imperfections in the worn furniture. It also creates a smooth, new surface for the final step. I start with a coarse grain, then a fine grain, both over the whole piece. If your furniture is already very clean and smooth, you can get away with just a finer grain. After sanding, wipe your whole piece of furniture with a damp cloth to remove the debris, and let it dry.

4) Paint, Stain, or Varnish

You are almost done, and this is where your personality and creativity shines. After all your hard work, your furniture needs to be sealed to maintain its new makeover. This step is difficult to do with a zero waste mentality. When using paint, make your own or buy the smallest amount needed for your project. You can always get more if needed. And look for proper paint waste drop-off sites for unused paint. Also, you can use eco-friendly paints, stains, and varnishes.

Here are some before-and-after pictures of some of my projects to motivate you. You got this! Comment below with your favorite secondhand and up cycled things!