Old Made New: How to Upcycle an Old Vintage Bench into a New Primitive Treasure

Old Made New: How to Upcycle an Old Vintage Bench into a New Primitive Treasure

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Ever since I was a child, I have always had a knack for turning trash into treasure. My mom would get so annoyed by me because I would often pull things out of the trash and bring them up to my room to upcycle. Old shirts became clothing for my dolls, soup cans became painted holders, and old decorations were remade. As an adult, my passion for making old things new has only grown, and I find myself both upcycling and recycling on a regular basis.

Over the years, I have become the first person most people ask before getting rid of something. Often I take on items that are so hideous, or seemingly beyond repair. My husband gets mad a me, but I can always envision the new. My most recent project was turning a vintage deacons bench from my husband’s grandmother (who has since passed) and turning it into a primitive decor bench.

My project was super easy for me because I actually went to school for painting and decorating when I was younger. The bench was completely done is less then 2 hours, and is a focal piece of my main living area. My supplies cost was so low that I can confidently say this project cost me $10! That is why you should never decline a free piece of old furniture because upcycling it takes very little effort, and produces something new, and one of a kind.

Speaking of turning something old into something new, the folks at Energizer have me really excited as of lately. They have created the first battery on the market to use recycled batteries and materials. For years, I have consciously saved all my old batteries to bring them to local battery recycling centers. It is so awesome that Energizer’s new EcoAdvanced Batteries are their longest lasting alkaline batteries ever!

I have to say, I really, really love the outcome of this vintage bench turned primitive treasure. It was so easy to do, and I hope I inspire you all to remake something old into something new!

Here is the materials I needed for this upcycle:

• 1 can of American Decor White Chalk Paint
• 2 pieces of 120 grit  sandpaper
• 1 paint brush
• 2 rags
• screwdriver to remove hardware
• drop cloth

The first thing I did to this piece was wash it down with a damp cloth. I used plain water because I did not want to add any additional oils to this piece. After the damp rag wipedown, I gently sanded any areas that has residue on them. I think someone may have stuck some gum on this years old so I removed that, and a few tiny bumps.

Next after lightly sanding the piece, I wiped it down with a rag before painting it. I used two coats of the chalk paint  because this piece has a lot of knots and tannins. I was not too particular though because I wanted the rustic or primitive look so a little sneakiness is fine.

After painting, I allowed it to dry which took about 3o minutes. After that, I gently sanded the edges, corners, and a few spots on the surface of the bench. I wanted the faux weathered look so this worked out perfectly, and was very easy to achieve.

Once the sanding was done, I lightly dusted the piece, and it was ready for the star. It is funny because the star I used was also upcycled from a door hanger I had. I took out the rivet, and hanger and tapped it flat. To adhere the star to the front of my bench, we used finishing nails.

After the painting was done, I added some small accent pillows, a runner, and my lighted bunny for that spring and Easter feel. The Energizer EcoAdvanced Batteries worked perfectly, and I anticipate them to last through Easter since it only goes on at night.

Overall, I had a blast upcycling this vintage bench into a primitive treasure.

I hope you enjoyed it, and found inspiration to make something old new in your home! If you are like me and love companies who care for our environment, consider purchasing Energizer EcoAdvanced Batteries from your local Walmart Store.