Scavenger Chic

Dartboard Cabinet DIY

• By Joan
• October 8, 2014
• 9 Comments

DIY Dartboard Cabinet

Ok, this is the third time, and more than likely not my last, that I’ve mentioned the Route 11 Yard Crawl  that I went to with my 2 sisters and my youngest son, Nathan.  I’ve already completed 2 projects, my rusty tin can lanterns, and a cool orb light made from the wooden basket hoops.

Well this project isn’t mine, it’s Nathan’s.  Before we even got to the yard sale I had given Nate one dollar to spend on anything he liked, go crazy, knock yourself out.  It was sort of a joke, I knew if he really wanted anything he would come back with his hand open asking for handouts.  We weren’t even a half hour into our day before he finds a dartboard (it’s on top of the table).  It wasn’t old, and it was barely used, judging by the number of dart holes….unless the previous owner was a really bad aim and couldn’t hit the board….and it was the right price, $1.00.  SOLD

So now, his wonderful Aunt, feeling sorry for him, having spent his whole dollar, gives him another dollar.  Woo hoo, he is having a good day.

So back to the dartboard.  Nathan has great plans for that dartboard, he actually wanted to use it as a tabletop. He spent the rest of the day looking for legs, and that is where the small table above comes into play, that was $5.00. Now you’re saying, but he only had $1.00.  That was true, up until the time he happens to find a $20.00 bill lying on the ground.  That’s what you call lucky.  His Aunt wanted her dollar back.

So now it has been a month and he has decided to use the dartboard as a dartboard and the table as a table.  I was in on the process to let him know what wood he could use, to take pictures, and to suggest a few techniques but the project was his own.  That’s my boy!!

Measure wood for Dartboard Cabinet

First things first, he measured out the wood to fit the dartboard, space for a 2×4  edge, a drawer on the bottom, and a little border around the dartboard. The boards measured  29 x 26 inches.  I say ‘the boards’, because we didn’t have scrap pieces of wood large enough for the entire backing so he used 2 pieces of plywood.

Create 2×4 Frame

With a miter saw he mitered   the  2×4’s and framed out the entire piece.

The 2×4’s were connected in the corners with first, wood glue, followed up with finishing nails from the nail gun.  Nathan loves the nail gun.

The frame was attached to the backing boards from the back with the nail gun.

Create Opening for Dart  Drawer

Another board was cut to length and inserted inside the box.  This will be where the drawer will fit in.

Just doing a dry run.  He wanted to use pallet wood as a backing behind the dartboard, just checking to see how it would look.

Using a paint and stain combination, Varathane, Dark Walnut,  he gave his dartboard cabinet 2 coats.  The more coats you use, the darker the application becomes.

Dartboard Cabinet Drawer

Measuring out the wood he was going to use for his drawer.  Nathan wanted a drawer to hold darts as well as scoring chalk.  The drawer was just a simple box, glued and nailed together, with a piece of leftover molding used for the front.  The front was larger than the hole so that it would sit on the front, not inside the hole.

Dartboard Cabinet Doors

Now onto the front doors.  The front doors were the measurement of the entire cabinet cut in half.  He (we) decided that  they didn’t look so great  being left plain, so he (we) decided to use leftover wainscoting trim and a piece of rusty galvanized tin his scavenger mom had found in the woods. The trim was measured to length and corners cut with a miter saw.

Using tin snips he attempted to cut the corrugated tin.  Being as rusty as it was, you would think it would have just fallen apart…noooo, that tin put up a fight.  Ended up cutting most of the tin with a handheld jigsaw.  I didn’t care if we were going to have to get a new blade, it was a lot easier than by hand.

Spray painted the trim and hinges with black spray paint.  The hinges were left over door hinges.  

The tin was attached to the door with a building adhesive, liquid nails, and the trim was attached with finishing nails.  The nail holes were filled, sanded, and then the trim was given a final coat of semi-gloss black paint.

Pallet Wood Backing

For the backing,  pallet wood was measured, cut, and nailed into place.

With painters tape, masked off an area on the inside of the left door to use as a chalkboard for scoring.  The chalk board was given two coats of a chalkboard spray paint. 

 Hinges and knobs were attached.

 Added a small wood trim around the chalkboard ,  trim was painted red and the corners were mitered. This was also glued and nailed into place.

 All ready for hanging.  Final cabinet was hung using a metal french cleat.

So proud of Nathan.  I told him that the only problem I had with the cabinet was, that when he eventually moved out, he would probably want to take the cabinet with him.

Shared at  The Handmade Hangout Party , Funky Junk  Party Junk , That DIY Party,

 Make it Monday  , Metamorphosis Monday  ,  Wow us Wednesdays and Furniture Feature Friday

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