Upcycling the Milk Crate Table

Upcycle your vintage-looking wire milk crates into a DIY milk crate table. An old crate can be transformed into a beautiful piece of outdoor decor.

Upcycle your vintage-looking wire milk crates into a DIY milk crate table. An old crate can be transformed into a beautiful piece of outdoor decor.

The finished wire milk crate table with a drinking cup, lantern and driftwood in a jar placed on top.

I have a big balcony and it takes a lot of furniture to fill it up. So I’m always looking to repurpose things and turn them into outdoor furniture.  Last year I had gone to my trusty basement and found some vintage metal milk crates.  I used the smaller one and made a stool with it.  As for the two bigger ones, I turned them into an outdoor table. 

The wire milk crate table before the upcycle.

This is what the milk crate table originally started out like. You can see the full tutorial here. 

Wire milk crate with rust.

​My milk crate table was beautiful and I was very happy with it.  But I made the mistake of leaving it outdoors all winter long. The rain and dust did quite a number on it and so I must upcycle this old milk crate table.

Top of the milk crate table made of plywood.

​I removed the twine and gave it a good sanding. 

Sanding the plywood top of the table.

Then I  painted it white using this product I picked up at Lidl. 

Painting the plywood top white.

It’s colored varnish.  How cool is that? It gives me color and protection at the same time. Again I am not being compensated for this product in any way, but I think it is great. If you have a Lidl near you keep your eyes opened.

paint can of white paint with instructions written in Greek.

After three coats of paint/varnish, I put it back on top of the crate and wrapped it with the twine. 

The finished wire milk crate table with a drinking cup, lantern and driftwood in a jar placed on top.
Close up of the white top of the table with a drinking cup, lantern and driftwood in a jar placed on top.
Close up of the white top of the table with a drinking cup, lantern and driftwood in a jar placed on top.

​

Close up of the twine which binds the two crates together.
Close up of table top items, including a blue lantern, a drinking cup and driftwood in a jar.

This has to be the easiest upcycle I’ve ever done. In fact, the threading of the twine took longer than the actual painting. 

A wire milk crate table.

How was that for upcycling the milk crate table? It’s all ready with a fresh new look and a new lantern to give it some color.  Have you started preparing your outdoor spaces? 

If you’d like to see all my outdoor projects click here and go to Summer.

Picture
The finished wire milk crate table with a drinking cup, lantern and driftwood in a jar placed on top. Overlay says upcycled milk crate outdoor table."

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82 Comments

  1. What a clever idea! Love the crate so much…surely would love to run across one around here. Haven’t visited in a while…I simply must correct this! Miss you!! XO Susie from The Chelsea Project

    1. Susie, we are all so busy I know it’s hard to visit. There aren’t enoug hours in the day. Thanks for dropping by!

  2. Mary, I love your milk crates! And the table turned out so cute too. How exciting to live in Greece! I visited there once. Which town do you live in?

    1. Hi Florence, Between my stool and table I think I’m all set with my balcony decor. I live in a small town near Patras in Peloponnese. Where did you go in Greece?

      1. We spent a lot of time in Athens. Also went to Mykonos, & Crete…I can’t remember all the places. I went with my Mother & we just went on our own…no tour or tour guide…only a guidebook. We had a wonderful time. This was in the 70’s..which is why I can’t remember anymore!

  3. I love a quick and easy craft and you delivered big time on this one! We love it when you share multiple links with us at Celebrate Your Story and appreciate you joining us each week.

    1. Sandra I love to visit your party and to share as much as I can. I hope you have a fantastic memorial day weekend.

    1. The white really brightens it up a lot. And t his summer I’m doing the balcony in shades of blue so the table looks great next to the blue. This stuff is great, they have it periodically at Lidl. (They should pay me for mentioning them so much , right?)

  4. I love this idea. Milk crates make great furniture, just ask any college student. I loved it so much, you’re my choice for featured blog on the Over the Moon Link Party. Come back Sunday evening to grab your badge.

    1. Thank you Sandy. I tried to preserve the farmhouse feel of the piece and not make it look so modern or industrial. Thank you so much for the feature. I will see you Sunday. Have a great weekend.

  5. This would be great for my front porch challenge I am doing!re desiging everything. Very easy to do. Need to add this to my list of potential side tables DIY.
    Thanks
    Maria

  6. You know I love the old milk crates, but even more I love the way you’ve repurposed them! I think that those who lived in the 1950s would be amazed! LOL And to think, they only used them for milk bottles.
    Wow! What a great find, stain and varnish in one product? Great time saver, and it really looks great!

    1. I can just imagine the folks from the ’50s looking at my home and shaking their heads. Or maybe they would be proud. Back then people were not as consumeristic as they are now and things were not disposable.

  7. How cool! I love old milk crates, but I’ve really only seen them used as storage, so I love this is as a new, creative way to reuse them.

    1. Kayla I keep on hearing that but it would be so hard to store things in this. It has such small compartements. And the metal is all warped on the inside. Part of it’s charm but still not functional. When I first saw these my instinct said “table”.

  8. I find any recycling of milk crates, old metal or new plastic, interesting. I’m also interested in the “varnish paint”.

    1. This was such a fun project for me I really enjoyed the rust.The paint was found at the Lidl stores here in Europe. Thanks for stopping by, I wanted to know if you have a blog so that I can also visit.

  9. Thanks for hosting the party this week and LOVE this neat table made out of milk crates. I’ll pin it. Enjoy the weekend and be well. Nancy A @ obloggernewbie.blogspot.com

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