How to Make a Sled into a Shelf

In my Thrifted Finds post on Friday I showed you a vintage sled that I found at the dump.
I decided to give it a makeover into a little shelf.
How to Make a Sled into a Shelf

Here’s how it looked when I brought it home.

How to Make a Sled into a Shelf
How to Make a Sled into a Shelf
I measured the areas where the two shelves will be and made cardboard templates.
How to Make a Sled into a Shelf

 

I traced the templates onto the back of some free salvaged sheet metal and cut them out with tin snips. (I know… I should have been wearing gloves, but I was too lazy to go downstairs and get some.)

How to Make a Sled into a Shelf

Here are my two metal shelves.

How to Make a Sled into a Shelf

I drybrushed the sled with Christmas Red acrylic craft paint, took it outside and sanded the heck out of it, and added my shelves for a dry fit.

I didn’t touch the metal at all. It’s naturally rusted in places, and I love it that way.

How to Make a Sled into a Shelf

The shelves look too brand spankin’ new to me so I decided to try to age them. All I did was sponge on black acrylic paint with wadded up paper towels until it looked good to me.

I did some searching on the internet about aging metal and apparently there’s a salt & vinegar solution you can use, but I didn’t want to try it this time, and I really didn’t want to mess with any kind of acid solutions either.

The paint worked just fine for me. Here’s what it looks like beside the original sheet metal. Not bad.

 

How to Make a Sled into a Shelf

 

I didn’t have any matte spray poly sealer (I only had gloss) so I simply used a matte Mod Podge. It goes on milky white, but it dries clear. I gave each shelf several coats.

 

How to Make a Sled into a Shelf

I bought these decorative tacks at the hardware store, and sponged them with black paint also because they were way too shiny. I gave them a few coats of MP too.

How to Make a Sled into a Shelf

I put my shelves in place, measured and marked where I wanted my tacks to go, and drilled holes through the metal and just a bit into the wood to get the tacks started.

How to Make a Sled into a Shelf

And here’s my finished sled shelf.

 

How to Make a Sled into a Shelf

Here’s how it looks with my baking pan shadow boxes, which holds my collection of vintage pixies. If you missed that post you can find it here.

 

How to Make a Sled into a Shelf

 

Here are some close ups with a few members of my snowman collection.

 

How to Make a Sled into a Shelf
How to Make a Sled into a Shelf

Here’s my sled before.

How to Make a Sled into a Shelf
And after.
I can’t believe I’m getting some Christmas stuff out so early this year. I’m usually way behind
How to Make a Sled into a Shelf

If I ever change my mind, as I have been know to do from time to time, and want to use it lying down, the shelves aren’t in the way at all.

I’ll be posting more often than usual between now and Christmas because I just have so many projects I want to share. Now that the garden chores are put to bed for the season, there’s more time to play inside. Yay!

Speaking of playing… tomorrow I’m over at the Inspiration Cafe doing a guest post for the Junkin’ Jewels series. I hope you pop on over to check it out.

 

Have a fabulous day, and thanks so much for reading!

XOX

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14 Comments

  1. I am so doing this with my sled when I move! I love it Tuula! When you first mentioned it, I envisioned it sideways and mounted on a wall. This is too easy and way cute!

  2. What a lovely creation, Tuula! So unique and perfect to go with your shadow boxes. I would never have envisioned this for your sled. Your creativity abounds!!!

  3. Now I never would had thought about doing something so unique like that. You have a very creative mind. My only thought was sitting it on the floor, maybe under a tree and putting a basket of pine cones or something on it. I'm not very creative.
    You done a great job and looks so cute there under you shadow boxes you had done.
    ColleenB.

  4. You skunked me good again. This idea I did not envision. But give me a break, I have never seen a sled like this and did not know they stood upright. Love the red against the green wall. It makes a lovely vignette with the boxes for the pixies and snowmen.

  5. Now if that isn't the cutest thing and perfect for displaying snowmen! I don't know how likely I am to find a vintage sled in Florida but you never know! It would look great hanging on the wall as well…love it! I sent out ornament exchange names earlier so be on the lookout! Let the fun begin…:) Blessings, Vicky
    Life On Willie Mae Lane

  6. What could be more perfect than that? Such a wonderful way to use that sled. I still believe someone just dumped it!

  7. What a beautiful transformation Tuula – LOVE
    John found an old antique one last winter – hmmm…………..
    xxx

  8. This is awesome! I love the metal shelves which were totally unexpected and the tack heads finish it off beautifully!! Good project Tuula!!