THIS CURBSIDE WOOD MAILBOX GETS UPCYCLED INTO A SIMPLE DIY SPRING PLANTER BOX | YOUTUBE VIDEO

Hi creative friends! Welcome back to another Trashy Treasure Tuesday! I recently cleaned out my garage and there were a few pieces I’ve held onto to upcycle, this salvaged mailbox being one of them. This curb-shopped mailbox has been waiting patiently for the last 12+ years for its NEW makeover. I kept this makeover simple as I’m trying out a NEW Southern Collection Dixie Belle paint color. I like testing out these sample colors before deciding which ones I’d like to order more of and before using them on a large piece of furniture.

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I’m looking forward to seeing what our TTT crew have created and I hope you join me on today’s tour as well! I’ve included their before’s and links to the after’s down below.

Here’s the wood mailbox I started with.

It is a solid wood piece. Structurally sound. But soooo filthy!

The scrolled wood on the bottom is a great detail but I wasn’t overexcited about the graphic design on the front. It looks very 90s’ to me. What do you think?

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WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Wood Mailbox  – SALVAGED
White Lightning Cleaner
Scrubby Soap
Bosch Sander
Paint Brushes
Artist’s Brushes
Bonding Boss Primer
Thicket Chalk Mineral Paint
Moorish Tiles Rice Paper
Satin Clear Coat

WOOD MAILBOX MAKEOVER

Here’s how I salvaged and upcycled this salvaged mailbox into a DIY Spring Planter Box.

CLEAN & PREP

To start prepping this piece, I removed the top and the back board that was attached with 5-inch nails. Because this mailbox has been sitting around for a number of years, removing the rusted nails and screws from the piano hinge took a little finangling.

Now it was time to give it a good cleaning on the inside and outside. I used my all-purpose White Lightning. I also used Scrubby Soap. I also used Disinfectant Wipes and a scouring brush. I came at this piece four different ways to get all the grime off.

FILL AND SAND AND PRIME

Once it was all clean and dry, it still looked pretty rough. I busted out the Bondo to fill in all the holes. I did leave the two screw holes in the bottom open for drainage.

While the Bondo was drying, I grabbed some Bonding Boss Primer and brushed on a coat. I figured the sooner I started covering up all this stained wood – the better! After the primer and Bondo had dried, I smoothed out the repairs with my orbital sander and a 120 grit sandpaper. Then applied another coat of Bonding Boss and let that dry overnight.

PAINTING

The next morning it was time to pick a paint color. Dixie Belle has seven brand new colors they’ve introduced in their new Southern Roots Collection. I’ve already tried the Magnolia and Olive Wood on this Peter Rabbit Table – and I LOVED both colors so much! So I went for this NEW Thicket Chalk Mineral Paint – a lovely organic, earthy green. To give the mailbox full coverage took two coats. This paint dries quickly so the second coat was applied within 2 hours of painting the first coat.

To get into all the crevices in the details, I swapped out brushes to an artist’s brush. Over the years, I’ve learned to use the appropriate size brush for the size and or detail of the surface being painted. I still sometimes roll my eyes when I have to grab another brush (because I try to keep all my cleanup to a minimum – and this includes cleaning paint brushes) but it really makes ALL the difference in the painted finish.

TILE DECOUPAGE + TOPCOAT

To cover up the existing design, I used this Moorish Tile Rice Decoupage Paper. I love using these designs. They are super inexpensive, can be used on multiple projects if you cut them up, and they are very simple and easy to apply. I started by cutting out the three tiles I wanted to use. Then I brushed on a coat of Satin Clear Coat topcoat. I laid the design exactly where I wanted it and pressed out any bubbles and creases. Then I brushed on another coat of Stain Clear Coat and let it dry. Once totally dry and adhered, you can add another one or two coats to finish and protect the entire piece.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to stage this outdoors, which is where I want to put it in the next few weeks when the weather warms up. Just last week, we had a snowstorm. Luckily, all the snow melted within a couple of days, but the weather here is still cooler temps and unpredictable. In a couple of weeks, I’m sure it will be mild enough for me to take this outside and hang it on my fence or under a window. I’m curious how this decoupage and topcoat will hold up over the summer months.