Scavenger Chic

Garage Find Bookcase Makeover

• By Joan
• August 30, 2023
• 6 Comments

Garage Find Bookcase Makeover

Today I have a fairly easy bookcase makeover for you. 

I’m starting out with this very dirty, very basic,  solid wooden bookshelf scavenged from my son’s garage. 

Having spent many years in a greasy garage, he was headed for the dump if no one claimed him.  All he needed was a little love.♥

For this bookcase makeover you will need to gather your supplies.  Besides paint, you’ll need your shelf, extra boards to add a new shelf (if needed), legs and shelf backing material.  Pallet wood would work great as a backer, as would beadboard,  painted or wallpapered plywood, it’s your choice.  You may have noticed by now that I’m a big proponent of using what you have.

There was an amazing amount of dirt on this  little bookcase. A little soapy water got rid of all the ground in dirt and the grease.

I cut a 12″ board to size and nailed it in from the sides to add  one more shelf to this tiny bookcase.  A little trim piece, mitered at the corners,  adds just a little bit of interest to this otherwise very boring bookshelf.

The whole piece got a coat of black chalk paint and  clear wax.

To the back, I nailed reclaimed, chippy finish, beadboard type wood.  It’s the same  wood I used for the backs of my twin beds.  The bookshelf will be going in the same room as the beds so now everything matches.  I thought I took a few pictures as I went along, but apparently not  🙁 

If you wish to know how I finished the chippy paint so it does not chip any further, I talked about that in further detail in the twin beds post.

Several years ago I had bought this toolbox, with all it’s contents, at a yard sale for about $5.  Knowing how expensive wooden legs are I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to add to my leg supply.  I knew I would use them one day.

Yes, you can still buy Mid Century Modern legs at Amazon but they’ll run you about $27.  So much better to keep an eye out for them at your local yard sale.

Along with the wooden legs, those metal plates were also in the toolbox.  I had no idea what they were for for the longest time but lo and behold those are the brackets that hold the legs in place.

All I had to do was screw those brackets into the corners of the bookcase…

… screw in the legs and it was like this bookshelf was meant to have legs all along.

Remember my little red wagon coffee table?  It’s now the perfect addition to this cute little loft kid’s room.

Here are the twin headboards with the same chippy green boards.  I think I now have a bedroom set. 🙂  You can just see the bookshelf peeking out from behind the chair in the corner.

The shelf is staged with all thrift store finds, including the duck, cow bowl, bear shaped puzzle, bookends and all the children’s books.

A before and after of the bookcase makeover shows the addition of the new lower shelf, legs and backing.

Until next time, stay inspired.

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