This kitchen makeover Tacoma customer Heather shared with us is a perfect example of what you can do with a creative eye, some patience, and of course the bevy of reclaimed materials you’ll find in our stores!

Heather was excited to point out all of the tasty salvaged tidbits she cooked up in her kitchen:

“Stuff from the Tacoma Second Use is all over our kitchen now!”

“First came the cabinet handles. Then we found the live edge acacia butcher block and the huge sink. Then we found the subway tile and the edge trim bits. The latest was ripping out the ancient uppers and replacing them with open shelving made from reclaimed high school bleacher foot boards.”

“Bonus that we found the chicken on top of everything and bought it on a whim!”

Heather did a great job incorporating reclaimed materials into her project and so can you! Stop by, get inspired, find that DIY spirit, and email you project photos to customerprojects@seconduse.com, for a little store credit as a ‘Thank You!’.

For a long time I’ve wanted to convert my back entryway into a small mudroom. It was a nonfunctional space with no place to hang a coat or put shoes on.

I had the idea to build a bench seat in this area and clad the walls in beadboard, but when I priced beadboard at the local lumber yard, the cost for the nice tongue and groove stuff was pretty hefty–more than I could justify spending on a little mudroom.

Luckily for me, I found some really nice fir beadboard at Second Use Tacoma ( https://www.seconduse.com/?post_type=item&p=3593825 ) at a good price, and my little mudroom project began.

My first step was to draw a level line around the room where the top of the beadboard would go. Then I removed all the drywall below this line and replaced it with some 1/2″ plywood. I did this to have a clean, solid surface to nail my beadboard to.

Next I built a bench seat with finish-grade plywood. I built this a little smaller than the space it was going into for ease of installation. The beadboard was 5/8″ thick and would cover any gaps between the wall and the bench seat.

After that, I began installing the beadboard, which was the simplest part of the whole project. I first nailed up the trim cap along that level line I drew earlier, and used that as a guide to keep each piece of beadboard straight. Then I just cut each board to length, butted it to the trim cap, and nailed it off.

The item description on the Second Use website mentioned that the boards varied slightly in thickness, but I only had two boards (out of about 25) that were slightly thinner than the rest. Luck of the draw maybe. I sat them aside and used them on shorter walls where their difference in thickness would not be a problem.

Once the beadboard was installed, I added some baseboard to cover my nail holes, then caulked and painted. I’m very happy with the result. All in all, a very fun project!

Customer Sagar was kind enough to not only share their fantastic DIY project, they also included step-by-step instructions (With Pictures!) of the process they used! All words and photos are courtesy of Sagar.

It all started when I purchased this interesting looking antique oak heating grate from Second Use, sometime last year.

It was really cool for a heating grate (pun intended), but it stayed in my garage for months as I couldn’t figure out what to really do with it.

Recently, I was watching how the Japanese Kumiko lanterns were made and that’s when my bulb went on. Instead of making those small Kumiko style lamps, I decided to make a floor standing lamp. 

The build was pretty straight forward – make a box to hold the grate. I had a bunch of leftover birch veneer plywood from another project, so decided to use that to make the shell.

As the overall piece was pretty lightweight and doesn’t have to hold a ton of weight, I decided to just glue it. My wife was kind enough to let me use the kitchen counter as my work bench as my garage is not conditioned and glue needs a certain minimum temperature to cure properly.

The basic form was complete.

Next, it was time to clean up the grate. I used Krud Kutter and a toothbrush to scrub and clean up all the gunk accumulated in the grate over its lifespan. I waited for a day for it to completely dry off and then applied a coat of Spray lacquer to finish it off. For the plywood, I applied a coat of Osmo hard wax oil.

It was time to work on the light now. I purchased an off white Shoji paper and rice starch based glue to cover the grate from inside. The rice starch glue is important as it allows for easy removal and replacement of the paper in case of any damage in the future.

I used a paint brush to apply the glue on the grate. I didn’t apply on the whole grid, just on the outer corner and the middle intersecting pieces. Then I rolled the shoji paper and trimmed the excess.

As I wanted a soft low light with even dispersion, I opted to use a low 5v LED strip which doesn’t get warm and can be safely mounted directly on the finished wood surface.I tested it in the dark  to make sure I’m happy with the LED light.

That was it! Did you like it? If you’ve any comments or feedback, do share it! -Sagar

sagarnshastry@gmail.com

They have created a stunning accent wall that adds a distinct pattern and lots of warmth to this cozy bedroom. A paneled wall is a great way to add some personality and a bit of a Midcentury vibe to your small space.

New Veneered Door Stop, Item #630922, is still available (while supplies last) for just $2. each at our Tacoma store. Pick some up, get inspired, and send some pictures to outreach@seconduse.com for a special treat!

Soak your hardware on medium heat for 2-4 hours. It may take longer if the paint is very thick.

With a plastic or silicone scraper, simply peel off the offending paint. Avoid using metal or anything that will scratch your hardware.

Pro-tip: a rounded or well-worn edge is less likely to scrape or damage the metal.

For brass and bronze: mix 1 part baking soda and 1 part lemon juice or white vinegar into a paste. Spread the paste over the piece and let it set for 30 minutes. Wipe clean with a soft damp cloth. If you want to get a newer, cleaner finish, you can use steel wool or a wire-bristle brush to get a little more shine from your hardware.

For plain copper, the same process can be used if you want to remove any patina or discoloration. However, if your pieces have a finish, like “Japanned” copper which uses heat and chemical treatments to achieve a striking mottled black finish contrasting with copper. This type of finish is easy to damage, so avoid using sharp tools or any acid that will corrode the color.

To remove rust, wipe the area with alcohol on a soft rag. If the rust is stubborn, a toothbrush is your answer. Most nylon bristles are fine to use on a softer metal like copper.

Once all the icky is removed, you can burnish your cleaned hardware with some beeswax and a clean soft cloth to seal and restore some luster.

Pro-tip: Place your beeswax puck on top of your crock pot lid to soften it up.

Most importantly, peeling old paint off of hardware is really satisfying. Be safe, don’t drink your chemicals, and have fun!

Here is a video going over these steps. Seeing the paint come right off after boiling really is quite satisfying to see!

Item #617597: Steel Shop Cabinet, $195

This sturdy shop cabinet has 27 drawers ready to store all your tools or knick knacks! With a little clean-up and a fresh coat of paint, this piece would glow with industrial chic charm! We love how the project below enhanced a similar cabinet with a bold color, painting over the existing details.

Item #617365: Low Shop Cabinet, $45

This sturdy plywood cabinet may not look like much, but with a little heavy metal, it could easily be your next entertainment stand! Add some wire locker baskets for extra storage capabilities!

Item #617599: 1950’s Mechanic Locker, $245

The handwritten notes on the doors of this locker dating back to 1953 are enough to make us swoon! We love the idea of using a multiple door locker for both hidden storage and open shelving, like the project below. Not ready to get rid of the visual history on this piece specifically? Find a space on your wall to repurpose the doors as decoration!

Item #612921: Slanted Top Locker, $95

Is it just us, or would this not make the PERFECT broom closet? It’s the perfect height, and is already painted a sweet light green. Store away!

See something you like? Give us a call to put items on a 24 hour hold any day of the week, 9am to 6pm!

Seattle: 206-763-6929

Tacoma: 253-267-0820

Check out the following resources for Tips, Tricks, and Home Improvement Ideas on creatively, beautifully, and affordably decorating a small apartment, as well as the Second Use inventory for materials.

We even have complete efficiency kitchen units (check out our blog post here for more details) in stock and ready to be installed!

And for the very handy- we’ll leave you with these two multifunctional items we can’t get enough of.  If you manage to create the “sleep desk” found here or clever kitty litter box found here from salvaged materials, please do share!

We put together this incredibly helpful guide a while back.  We hope you can appreciate our earlier branding and learn all about how to take that painted over Eastlake strikeplate, or peeling, multilayered maybe-this-is-japanned escutcheon back to its original glory.

As always, be careful about lead paint! Learn more about the hazards of this paint additive that is common to older paint here.