|

How to Get a Stunning Finish on Wooden Crates With Stain

ByJane & Sonja

Learn how to easily transform Michaels wooden crates into rustic farmhouse storage using barnwood stain and wax! Photo tutorial included.

Learn how to easily transform Michaels wooden crates into rustic farmhouse storage using barnwood stain and wax!

Refinishing Wooden Crates with Stain

The other day I was shopping at Michael’s (which happens to be my all time favorite store) and I spotted these crates. They were wood and only $10, and if you have a coupon you pay even less. 

Unifinished wooden create from Michaels.

This got me to thinking if I could use one, and if so, where.  I came up with the idea of placing it on top of the cubby unit I just made over, and I’d use it for newspaper storage. The only problem was the unfinished wood. Today I’m going to share how I transformed that crate and got a stunning finish with stain.

I walked around a little bit more and found this stain.  It’s from Michael’s private label Craftsmart.  I really liked that soft grey color.  And if you know anything about me at all, it’s that I’m all about soft and calm this past year. So I added that to my cart.​

Close up image of a bottle of Craft Smart Premium Barnwood Stain.

Materials Needed to Stain Wood Crates:

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience.  If you purchase any of these products through the links, we receive a small commission at no extra charge to you. You can find our full disclosure here.

How To Stain Wooden Crates:

It was such an easy project. I started out by sanding the rough spots on the outside of the unfinished crate.  I didn’t bother with the inside because I had other ideas for it.

I brushed the barnwood stain (not affiliate link) on all sides and wiped back with a paper towel. Below you can see how it looked after one coat.

Michaels wooden crate after one coat of Barnwood Stain.

I used a sponge/foam brush to get into the tight spots.

Close up image of applying barnwood stain in between the slats of the wooden crate.

After the second coat it was done but I still needed to add a wax to seal in the stain.

There is actually a wax that goes with the stain, but I already had lots of wax.  So in the spirit of using up my supplies, I chose to go with the Daddy Van’s Decorative Wax in Farmhouse White.  I’m sure any wax will do just fine.

I went with the white to try and get a bit more interest in the wood color and also lighten it up a bit.

Just put it on and buff it off.

Because I didn’t sand the wood on the inside, it was not smooth and I ended up with this rustic goodness from the white wax which I’m really loving!

Now I’ve got the perfect container for my newspapers. 

I actually use them when I’m peeling potatoes or making a mess on the kitchen counter. I place them on the counter before I make my mess and then just throw them out when I’m done. A good way to use those newspapers and flyers and a great way to protect your counters.

The color is a soft grayish brown and not dark at all so it blends in nicely with the rest of the room. And it has that farmhouse look we all love so much!

I think it looks stunning, in a subtle kind of way!  In fact I love it so much, I may go back and get a few more. Have, I mentioned just how much I love shopping at Michael’s?

Barnwood Gray stain color on wood crate, #woodcrate #rusticcrate #farmhousecrafe #barnwoodstain #farmhousewhitewax #easyDIY #upcycled #paintedcrate How to get a stunning finish on a wood crate with stain www.theboondocksblog.com

This was my tutorial on how to get a stunning finish on a wood crate with stain. It was such an easy project, in fact it only took me about an hour with the drying time.  Those crates never looked so good!

​Do you shop at Michael’s?

Learn how to easily transform Michaels wooden crates into rustic farmhouse storage using barnwood stain and wax! Photo tutorial included.

Additional Ideas using Wood Stain:

<img loading=
Make your own Stain!
Laminate table makeover with gel stain

Hello, we're Jane & Sonja, sisters, moms and lifelong crafters.

We Think You'll Enjoy These Related Projects:

38 Comments

  1. Nice color Mary! I have an unfinished crate sitting around that I haven’t decided what to do with yet. The hubby has been using it in his office.
    I don’t get to go to Michael’s as much as Hobby Lobby because it’s on the other side of town. Really not far just lots of traffic. Get enough of that to and from work 😉 But I love them both!

    1. They are both great stores. We don’t have a Hobby Lobby near by but we have a few Michael’s so that makes me a very happy crafter!

  2. It looks terrific, Mary. And great for the newspapers. (I like your counter idea. I often use waxed paper to do the same but the newsies are right there if you have them!)

    1. I am nothing if not practical Jeanie. I learned this trick from a relative in Greece back when we used to buy the Sunday papers.

  3. I love Michael’s too. I get so inspired just by walking around. The crate looks superb. You took a lowly crate and made it blend with the rest of the room.

  4. I love michaels but I’m thrilled to now be near a Hobby Lobby too. I don’t know why HL doesn’t have more New York stores? Maybe it’s too liberal a state for them ;).

    1. Doreen I am now hear two Michael’s! So much choice and only so many hours in a day! I think I may have been to an HL once and it was in New Jersey. You may be right about that! Haha!!

    1. Thanks Marjan. I storage and this seemed like the logical solution for now. I may move it around a bit in the future. Still figuring out where everything goes and now with the KonMari method I’ll probably be throwing lots of things out too. Never a dull moment around here.

  10. Oh, thanks for sharing this, Mary! I love that stain color! I haven’t tried any of the stains from Michael’s, but now that I’ve seen this, I think a trip is in order. 😉 I love the combination with the white wax, too. So much better than the unfinished look!

    1. This is a really lovely color and with the addition of the white wax it became just perfect for what I was looking for.

  11. I love how your crate turned out! The color is very nice. I may have to pick up some of that stain and wax for a sign I want to make in the very near future. Thank you for sharing your craft!

    1. Thank you Erin for visiting and good luck with your sign. I think this stain will look perfect on a sign.

  13. What a fabulous finish you achieved, Mary! The crate is gorgeous. Oh how I wish we had Michael’s in the UK!
    Thank you for sharing, and for being a part of the Hearth and Soul Link Party. I hope you are having a lovely week!

    1. I’m sure you must have other wonderful craft stores in the UK April that also have great products.

  14. I love you crates, Mary! And I love the way you transformed yours. I have a few of my own that need a little bit of sprucing. You’ve got my wheels turning!

Comments are closed.