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Easy wood block crate styled paint shelving
Ever since I came home from my vacation, I’ve been cleaning.
It’s taken some time to catch up with the overgrown flowerbeds filled with weeds, trees needing trimming, not to mention the stuff that didn’t get cleaned up indoors before I left.
So on a given day when I’d had enough of cleaning, I was determined that today was the day I WOULD create something fun instead!
Before
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Except… when I went downstairs to the paint studio, the mess instantly drained away my creativity. Piles of paint supplies and a busy table with stencil paint samples filled my head instead. Ugh.
Whatever. A quick clean up, then create… right?!
WRONG.
Once I started shuffling, I decided I needed MUCH more.
Then BAM. I decided the cleaning itself would be my project today! I was about to revamp this little paint storage area into something special again while getting everything OFF the table for more table space.
Trust me… it was hard not to gut the entire room… but I pushed hard to focus on just this area this round. The table and wall was completely gutted to prepare for a fresh start.
Then I rolled a fresh coat of paint onto the worktable to cover up my ‘stencil trials.’
The wall also got filled and repainted back to a nice crisp white.
Now I needed a shelving unit of sorts…
Would a few planks and simple stacking risers work? I was about to find out.
Easy wood block crate styled paint shelving
You’ll need:
(this post contains some affiliate links)
1 4×4 wood post (I purchased new)
miter saw (check out my own saw HERE)
How-to:
- I rounded up some fence planks from my stash and gave them a good sanding outdoors.
- A quick trip to the local hardware store brought a 4×4 post home for about $15.
- I measured various paint supplies and cans, then cut the ‘risers’ so the shelves would clear the products.
At this point, I wasn’t completely sure this shelving plan would even work. Would my idea just fall over? Should I screw everything together and attach it to the wall?!
A dry fit was first… then I’d see.
It felt like stacking kid blocks! It was fun, so easy, and it was actually working!
And… I did not screw anything together. Yet. I found as long as I selected super straight planks, and the risers were cut perfectly straight, it was pretty sturdy as is!
But I desired to ramp up the ‘new wood’ with a few added details to make them appear reclaimed.
Authentic-looking shipping crate stamp stencils, coming right up!
Stenciling crate-style shelf risers
You’ll need:
Shipping Crate Stamps – find the stencil HERE
Fusion Mineral Paint’s Coal Black paint
(find a local Fusion merchant from HERE)
How-to:
- Position the stencil in random areas to add authentic looking crate stamps to the cut risers.
- Stencil with a very dry brush, and a little uneven to create an aged look.
- Allow to dry, then lightly sand to distress if desired.
(I did not yet have the new stencils on hand for this tutorial. You can learn more on how to stencil from THIS POST)
Oh my goodness friends… I’ve wanted these stencils forever!
Until now I’ve been just grabbing other stencils to mimic the look of crate stamps. However this set offers a true stencil font that was identical to some of the crates I had in my stash. MUCH more authentic!
Creating a few words, sayings, dates, images…
… got me the perfect little reclaimed wood easy-to-build shelving unit in the land!
Shipping crate style of course!
Selecting random spots, the crate stamps were stenciled in Fusion Mineral Paint’s Coal Black.
Aren’t they fun?!
You don’t need lots, just enough for impact, and a dash of authenticity.
I allowed some of the words to be cut off at the ends…
… and some to wrap around the posts.
And it’s easy to add to. If I get any more product or require different sized risers, I’ll simply cut more 4×4 posts to suit!
If I go any higher or run into issues as-is, I’d probably screw the risers to the selves, then somehow attach it with brackets to the wall for stability.
However, as it stands, I absolutely LOVE how this easy wood block crate styled paint shelving functions!
And is the perfect build for even a non-builder. No excuses now!
Instead of replacing it, I also gave my original paint shelf a bit of an update for now.
All the longer paint brushes were hung from small finishing nails along the top making them an easy grab, while the smaller brushes all fit nicely along the bottom shelf.
2 vintage and 1 Ikea stained crate served as a note station with a couple of storage drawers for masking tape and rags, easily doubling up the space.
Much like a new toy, I was dying to see what else the stencils would look cute on, so I dug up a couple of other things to quickly play on…
Oh my goodness YES!
This plywood toolbox I had in my stash was SO the perfect candidate for this look, wouldn’t you say?
It’s always been too plain, but I didn’t want to paint it.
THIS look says it all!
I also added the Approved stamp to this long, skinny crate acting as an office mail sorter.
So. Stinkin’. CUTE!
I’m all about signs anyway, however these shipping crate stamp stencils take that one to the next level for me. Imagine… anything plywood or rustic can look like it was made out of a shipping crate now!
And in my book, that’s a VERY good thing.
From a very busy chaotic before…
… to a very ready NOW I’m ready to paint after!
In fine shipping crate style of course…
What do you think of the freshened-up look? Where could you use an easy shelf like this?
Find the Shipping Crate Stamp stencils HERE
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Visit more creative shelving tutorials below:
Find more stencil projects HERE
Visit my full Amazon Store for all my fav collections HERE
Really enjoy your posts, lots of information and clear instructions to complete! Your taste is super and also appreciate the opportunity to reuse vintage items. Thanks for the inspiration, You Rock!
Thank-you Logan! Yes, vintage items are a must in my world! It would be too much work making everything new look old. LOL
Absolutely adorable. And easy. My kind of project. Love the new stencil.
Thanks Carla! VERY easy! The first shelf felt complicated to make so this round I desired something that wasn’t mentally challenging. haha I think I am still wearing a little vacation brain!
Glad you like the stencil, I know I will get lots of use out of it!
Very creative! I think I might try the shelving in my studio. Thanks for the ideas and thanks for the thought that creativity can be squelched by a messy work place. I really need to get on the ball and organize this space, again. Having a space for everything makes cleaning up much easier and then the space will not continue to become unorganized and messy, but that’s in a perfect world I suppose! Haha
Thanks Debi! I tend to make a mess when I create and don’t see it until the aftermath. So the best course of action for someone like me is to just start over every so often! Plus, it gives me another reason to try something new. 😀
And you are so right on everything having a place. I really like the Marie Kondo theory of only having one spot for one kind of thing too. It really keeps you honest about the amount of stuff you have! I mean… all those paint brushes… egads. The truth’s right in front of you! 😀
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Could you come over and do this to my workspace? LOL! Isn’t it something how work spaces can get so cluttered while we’re in the moment of creativity and then when it gets messy it sucks the creativity right out of us? I’ve been avoiding going into my basement just because my work area is now in the cluttered mess stage. Your post might be the kick in the pants I needed to start cleaning up! Thank you Donna! 🙂
DO IT Sharon! Do it while the feeling is still there. That’s the best time to spring into action!
A little trick I play on myself is to gut the space so I have no other choice but to do it right. Shuffling only gets you so far…. plus, it isn’t generally as pretty. Pretty matters when you’re a creative, so go full tilt!
Love the new look! Very organized and right at your fingertips! I’m sure you will be very happy with the new arrangement. Love the 4×4 idea too! Great inspiration! Thanks!!
Thanks Sharon, I can’t believe it worked as well as it did! Super sturdy! I might do another version of the block shelving to the other side. But first… get some work done. Then I can play more! haha
Looks lovely and functional! Happy creating!
Thanks Debbie! It truly is so functional, and feels like ‘me’.
The shelves are oh so cute and now you have motivated me to want to try and make one.
You’ve done it again. Love the new look, the new stencils, and the shipping theme style. Pinned of course and sharing.
Welcome back Donna 🙂 You must be the only person I know who jumps in and tidies a space while making some awesome. Love the new shelving (who wouldn’t) and how easy the tut was to follow. I have to order that stencil, it’s really cool.
Awesome!
Some really great ideas!
Nice and bright redo. I did think you’re stenciling that was on the wood table top was kinda cool. I’ve been into sometimes saving the older stenciling with polyurethane. But I could see taking in the whole table paint is more feasible. Love the way your brain works.
Haha, oh boy, that was a mess on the table, but thanks all the same! I miss it as my trial area already… LOL Time to find a replacement!
These are all GREAT ideas, thanks so much for sharing!!!