Old Typewriter Desk gets a Makeover
- By Joan
- August 23, 2015
- 21 Comments
Last year I wrote about the Route 11 Yard Crawl in Virginia and earlier in the month I had the pleasure of returning. This time I was accompanied by not just my 2 sisters, but 2 sons as well as a daughter in law. It is advertised as over 40 miles of yard sale goodness and after 2 days of crawling, we not only came out alive but I think we found some good deals too.
I must say, that after the first day, the 2 boys abandoned the ladies in favor of golf, but not until my oldest son scored big with a $10 table top saw.
I think his wife had the second best deal of the day with a solid oak desk chair. She had spent the entire day looking for a smallish office chair and we spied this one just as it was about to be loaded back on a truck. It was marked $10 (which I thought was a great deal) but she asked if they would take $5. Sold!! Walking away, the dealer threw in a yoga mat, she didn’t particularly want a used yoga mat, but he did seriously throw it at her. We decided their dog could probably make good use of the mat.
With a drizzle, the first day was not that crowded but with a beautiful sunny day, the traffic definitely increased on the second day. Judging by the traffic, it’s not a well kept secret.
This is the house where I came upon my typewriter table. For some reason pumpkin man was very memorable and he was for sale too. Just didn’t have enough room in the car, such a shame.
And here is what my vintage typewriter desk looked like in his before photo. The purchase price for this baby was $15, I thought it was a good deal but it did need a little makeover.
This is an idea of how a similar desk would have been used. Amazing, there is no place for the printer, monitor or tower. 🙂
I loved the I-shaped detail on the bottom of the desk where someone would stick their legs. Since I’m not going to use it as a desk, but as a table, a shelf down there would be far more practical.
Not wanting to cover up the metal (which would have been so much easier), I decided to make a shelf to go around the detail. I made a pattern by just rubbing over a piece of paper with chalk, then cutting out the pattern.
The pattern I had just created was then traced onto old oak hardwood flooring boards and cut out with a scroll saw. Any little tweaks to the cut were made now so that the flooring boards would fit snugly.
Can you tell this was well aged oak flooring? It just needs a little TLC.
The four boards got a nice sanding with a palm sander followed by 2 coats of Varathane. I love Varathane, in that it is both polyurethane and stain in one container and has water cleanup. The finish I used was a dark walnut…you’ll see it in just a second.
A thin piece of mdf was then cut slightly smaller than the floorboards, I didn’t want any of the mdf to be peeking out.
The newly finished floorboards were then attached to the mdf with builders adhesive. You’re not attaching it yet to the typewriter table, but hold it up to the table when you’re placing the boards to get the tightest fit possible. Allow to dry.
While the adhesive is drying, you can start working on the table.
Began by giving the table a good sanding with a palm sander. All that rust had to come off before spraying with a couple of coats of black semi-gloss Rustoleum. Before painting make sure you wrap the casters in masking tape to prevent overspray.
Turning the desk over, there really is nothing to attach my great new shelf to.
Decided to fill the space with some scrap wood using builders adhesive to secure.
Another good dose of builders adhesive on top of the scrap wood and now I can attach the shelf I made.
The shelf was clamped into place and let dry overnight.
Right now it seems pretty secure, if it loosens at all I will have to add a few screws thru the metal to hold the shelf in place. With the scrap wood inserts, there would now be something to screw into.
Finished up with a stencil on one of the drop leafs. Stencil was secured with masking tape then given a light coat of a bronze spray paint.
While it was a lot more work to cut the oak flooring to go around the knee cutout, now I’m happy I took the time.
I have a couple more gems from the flea market I’m working on so I hope you can come back and check in on my progress. Have a wonderful week.
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What a fantastic find!!! You did such a great job turning it into a beautiful piece of furniture. I especially love how adding the wood just finished making the piece, it’s like it should have been that way all along.
What a great idea to use the flooring around the metal of the typewriter desk!?! Impressive!
Love it! You always come up with such creative ideas! I love the wood cutouts on the bottom. It adds so much to it! Your posts keep inspiring me!
awesome and gorgeous love the metal and wood xx
I have this exact table and have puzzled what to do about that lower area….right now the table is holding my printer, and a ream of paper is precariously sitting on the “T” of the lower “shelf”. What luck you have shown me the solution! Oh happy day, oh happy day…. ‘Scuse me, I got carried away 🙂
I bet you found many more great things! I have seen that “trail” on HGTV a few times and they get some great items. I wonder if you have seen the show FLEA MARKET FLIP. It is so great! You would love it!
I love flea market flip, it’s one of my favorite shows. I could never do it, having to come up with 3 projects in one hour would be stressful, I would need all day.
I’ve never seen the Yard Crawl on HGTV, though I could have missed it, but usually it’s larger cousin, the 690 mile Route 127 Yard Sale. The 40 mile yard sale was long enough..
WHat a stunning piece you found…and it turned out just amazing. Love it!
That is SO inspired AND inspiring! I wish I had the old typing table that I used when I was in high school. It actually had belonged to my grandfather and then my mother. I think it went on auction after my mom died. I didn’t have a clue then what I could use it for or where I’d put it. Oh, well, maybe another one will come my way some time and I will snatch it up an remember how you transformed yours. Good job!
You are one clever gal Joan! I think I used to own one of these typewriter tables back in the 70’s. Excellent decision to keep the metal exposed and add the rustic floorboards on each side – adds so much character to this piece. Love it!
I adore this – especially the new shelf with the cool metal showing through the metal – that was a stroke of genius! Thanks for sharing it at the Vintage Inspiration Party!
Very cool!!!
I LOVE the wooden insert to make the bottom shelf. This piece is so way cool. I’ve got to find one to make for myself!
beautiful transformation Joan!
I LOVE how you added the wood to the bottom to make the shelf, and how the stain looks against the black. PERFECT!
pinning!
gail
WOW! Your extra work was worth it — the oak flooring looks stunning with the metal! Great tutorial too. Thanks for sharing! Cynthia
[…] Upcycled Typewriter Stand – Scavenger Chic […]
The table is so pretty. I got an old typewriter table this summer, too. Not as old as yours, but all metal. I don’t really have any plans for it at the moment, but you’ve really given me something to think about.
[…] Super cool typewriter desk makeover from Scavenger Chic […]
Joan! Thank you for linking up your Old Typewriter Desk to Friday’s Furniture Fix last week. I have a weak spot for industrial furniture and your makeover was a personal favorite of mine! I hope you’ll link up again really soon!- Carrie
http://www.thirtyeighthstreet.blogspot.com/2015/09/week-6-fridays-furniture-fix.html
I bought the same table for $5 and was puzzling over how to re do it if at all . I LOVE what you did here especially the brilliant lower shelf! I love that you can still see the beautiful curve of the metal. THANK YOU!!!
This is fantastic! I think I’m gonna try it myself. Thanks for the step by step! ?