DIY: Weathered Crate Side Table

My Chicago apartments were furnished on the fly, mostly with stuff I bought from Craigslist for cheap, as well as hand-me-downs from friends and family. As a result, I ended up with a lot of mismatched furniture— but it was okay, I reasoned, because it was my "starter" stuff. My eighteen year old self thought nothing about buying a more-than-slightly crooked floor lamp with a dog-eared cord. It was only $10! Lucky for me, it didn't burn my house down (although it did shock me twice.) That lamp would later be retired to my parents' garage, where it served as a light source for a "girl cave" when I stayed there and needed to drink a tecate. I also slept on a futon for two years because I didn't have a bed. My standards of youth were high, let me tell you!

Since I've gotten further into my twenties, I have begun to buy things that will last rather than things I need out of convenience. Last month, for example, I decided I needed to throw a deep-fry party and immediately began researching personal deep fryers online. I went to Target and was disappointed to learn that they were out of stock; apparently the demand for personal deep fryers had surged that very day. Fine. Whatever. I went home and researched alternatives. I learned that things can be deep fried in a dutch oven. Wonderful!

I bought a cast iron dutch oven with a lifetime guarantee instead. That thing is heavy. But it's awesome because not only can I deep fry stuff— I can make soups and stocks and deep fry empanadas all with the SAME POT. Basically, Target being out of deep fryers ended up being a blessing in disguise because I bought something that's going to last me a looooong ass time.

Also, I haven't deep fried anything since.

So, when I was packing up to move here, I decided most of the items I had purchased in the folly of youth were to be donated or tossed entirely. I had no more room in my heart or my car for that floral print area rug that was totally cool but didn't match anything. Or the blue lava lamp I begged my mom to buy me when I was eight. Or the cheap white bedside table that I stole from my sister's room when she left for college.

That left me with a lot of empty space in my new bedroom. My pillow-top bed was my first purchase upon getting here (I wasn't kidding about not having a bed for two years.) The sheet set, comforter and duvet were next on the list, and after I assured myself I'd be sleeping well, I realized I had a serious storage problem.

I clearly needed a bedside table.

ugly ugly ugly what is even happening in that pile of STUFF

I knew the look I had in mind: rustic meets industrial because that's the look my roommate, Megan, and I are going for with the rest of the house. She needed a table and dresser too, so we hopped in the car and rode into the sunset AKA Pier One Imports where everything's cute but where wallets go to die.

OBVIOUSLY we left without spending $300 on a hallway mirror or $700 on anything we needed.

I looked on Craigslist and recoiled in disgust. That's it, I vowed. No more Craigslist furniture, ever (unless I can upcycle it into something cool— that's a different story.)

So we went to Home Depot, because I decided I'd just build it myself! She agreed. We also decided we liked the idea so much that we'd build two end tables for our living room using the same materials.

It turned out so cute, and for about $42 per table

What you'll need:

• 1/2 inch copper pipes cut into the following sizes:
• TWO (2): 23.5 inch pieces
• ONE (1): 15 inch piece
• TWO (2): 12 inch pieces
• FOUR (4): 8.5 inch pieces
• TWO (2): 7.5 inch pieces
• Pipe cutter (or nice fellas at Home Depot. We got both.)
• Wood crate
• Wood stain (I used one called "weathered oak" for the table pictured"
• Spray paint*
• TWO (2) 1/2 inch copper tube caps
• EIGHT (8) 1/2 copper straps
• TWO (2) 1/2 inch copper T-connectors
• SIX (6) 1/2 inch 90 degree copper elbows**
• TWO (2) 1/2 inch 90 degree copper street elbows**
• Small wood screws (the shorter, the better, just make sure they'll fit in your straps

*We got two colors in two shades of grey. One for the frame and one from the straps because we like the look of industrial contrast. You can use the same color if you want. Also, get a matte finish to seal it when you're done. 

**Be careful with these. Elbows have two expanded openings, while street elbows have just one. Here's a photo so you can see the difference. The street elbow is the lower one. 

How to do it:

Cut your pipes into the necessary sizes. We bought 10 foot pieces and cut them down with a cutter we bought for $10. We didn't know how to use it, but luckily some nice Home Depot employees helped us... here's Megan instructing them while and them staring at me dubiously.

Once that's done, stain your crates.

Here are our crates in all their virgin glory.

While you're waiting for that to dry, Get all your copper pieces together.

Put your frame together with superglue or liquid nails. It'll look like this:

The sides (23.5 inches) connect with the T-connectors to the middle piece (15 inches). Put your street elbows in the top opening of the "T" and connect two of the top pieces (8.5 inches) into that. Cap those two pieces. At the bottom, connect your side pieces with 90 degree street elbows two the bases (8.5 inches), add two more 90 degree street elbows for your two front legs (12 inches). Add two more 90 degree street elbows, and connect your two pieces (7.5 inches) where the crate will rest. Voila! 

Once you've put it together, spray paint your copper piping and straps. (THIS IS WHERE WE USED DIFFERENT COLORS, FOOLS.) Let that dry for 24 hours, at least, unless you want spray paint all over your hands and house. Ew.

After it has been deflowered and changed to the color of my soul.

Insert your crate and put two tube straps on each bar on the top and on the bottom. Screw that shit in.

Here's the bottom with one tube strap on each side.

Add your stuff and you're done. Now you've got a little accent or bedside table that's way cooler and nicer and didn't cost you five million dollars. Say bye to Craigslist forever!