DIY Reclaimed Wood Nightstands

I am a huge fan of texture, so when deciding on a look for my nightstands I really liked the idea of incorporating some weathered wood into the design. I found an old pallet and fence boards in a back alley that were beautifully aged by the elements, and then bought these simple (but pretty ugly) nightstands on kijiji, and got to work creating my Reclaimed Wood Nightstands.

Materials:
• 1 or 2 Nightstands (mine cost $15 each)
• Old pallet or fence boards (free!)
• 100 grit sand paper
• primer
• 1 Quart of White Semi-gloss Acrylic Paint
• 4 inch foam roller and handle
• 1 1/2 or 2 inch paint brush
• Wood glue (I used PL 400 glue)
• Brad Nailer and nails (length of nails depends on thickness of your wood)
• Updated hardware if desired

Cost:
I already had all of the paint and supplies so this project only cost me a total of $40 to complete both!

(it says "FREE-with lunch" I never took them up on the lunch though... haha)

Instructions:

Before beginning be sure to remove all hardware from drawers, and remove drawers from the runners to work on alongside.






























1. Scuff sand the entire nightstand to remove the sheen from the varnish

2. Apply 1 coat of primer to the entire surface. Allow to dry fully.

I find it helps to work with a small brush to cut into the corners and get any detailed edges, and then use a foam roller to quickly fill in the large surfaces. These are the ones I use for most of my projects.

3. Apply 2 coats of paint allowing the paint to dry fully between coats (typically 6-8 hrs till recoat)

4. Cut wood to appropriate length.
I can't give you any exact measurements here, as each piece will be different, but we left about a half inch of extra length to overhang on the front and sides of the nightstand.

I don't own any sort of saw so I showed up at my brother-in-law's job site to borrow his Miter Saw to get this done. You may have to be creative about completing this part.

5. Arrange wood on top of your nightstand until you are satisfied with the appearance of the panels. I put the uncut edges facing out because I like the texture it added and turned the cut parts towards the back. Look out for any gaps between your panels and shuffle pieces accordingly.

6. Keeping your wood panels in order set them aside and apply a layer of wood glue to the surface (Since I was at the job site we used PL 400 glue, but you can use something a little less heavy duty)  then carefully place your panels back along the top. Be sure to push the seams together and create a straight line with your edges.

7. Using a Brad Nailer secure the wood in place by shooting a couple nails through each end of each piece.

8. Replace hardware on drawers if desired. I got these ones from Pier 1imports for $5 each!

This project is a whole lot of fun as it is easily translatable to many other pieces of furniture! You could do this to a coffee table, side table, bookshelf, etc. and you can also experiment with using many different types of wood or stain.

There you have it!
Let me know if you have any other ideas or variations you'd like to try, and give this project a go!