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April 19, 2017 · 18 Comments

Bread Box to Letter Box – Why I Always Look for Wood at Thrift Stores

Paint/Wax/Stain

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How I transformed a bread box into a letter box by looking for wood at thrift stores.

Bread Box to Letter Box - Why I Always Look for Wood at Thrift Stores - So Much Better With Age

This weirdo little bread box was a thrift store the other day and I passed it by a number of times. Finally something was telling me to go back to check it out.

I opened it up and someone had DIY’d it into a letter box!

Every time I’m at a thrift store or garage sale, the first thing I look for is wood. Furniture is the obvious wood find but sometimes that’s hard to find amongst the laminate dresser and coffee tables.

Sometimes you just want to makeover a small project so next time you are thrift shopping, make sure to check out all the wood pieces.

Of course I wanted to spruce this up French Vintage-like so I’ll show you how I gave this bread box a makeover.

Bread Box to Letter Box - Why I Always Look for Wood at Thrift Stores / before picture of wooden box - So Much Better With Age

There are so many DIY wood projects out there in the world that have been tossed aside that end up at thrift stores that no one takes a second look at.

It just seems that solid wood is getting harder to come by, replaced with cheap MDF versions.

One person’s wood shop adventure, is a treasure to me.
Bread Box to Letter Box - Why I Always Look for Wood at Thrift Stores / wooden letter box - So Much Better With Age

Bread Box to Letter Box - Why I Always Look for Wood at Thrift Stores / opened letter box - So Much Better With Age

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First, I gave it a good primer spray with my favourite primer.

Then I sprayed the inside with a grey spray paint.

After that I gave it two coats of my favourite new colour, Fusion Mineral Paint Raw Silk. It really only needed one coat of the Raw Silk but I like to do two coats.

You’ll notice that I took the hardware and door off before I set out to paint.

Because the interior was rough wood, I used Mod Podge and some scrapbook paper that resembled book pages to line the bottom of the large cubbies with.

Bread Box to Letter Box - Why I Always Look for Wood at Thrift Stores / wooden box painted white- So Much Better With Age

I added a new knob and put on the hinges and door.

I really like how it turned out. It’s a completely new letter box now.

Bread Box to Letter Box - Why I Always Look for Wood at Thrift Stores  painted white box on table - So Much Better With Age

Bread Box to Letter Box - Why I Always Look for Wood at Thrift Stores / letter box with mail on table with books - So Much Better With Age

I finished the edges of the cubbies with Fusion Mineral Paint in Algonquin to match the scrapbook paper.

Bread Box to Letter Box - Why I Always Look for Wood at Thrift Stores  / pretty plant on letter box - So Much Better With Age

 

Bread Box to Letter Box - Why I Always Look for Wood at Thrift Stores / plant on books - So Much Better With Age

Bread Box to Letter Box - Green Hydrangeas - So Much Better With Age

Bread Box to Letter Box - Why I Always Look for Wood at Thrift Stores / antique looking books  - So Much Better With Age

The dents and scratches showed nicely through the Raw Silk. I love dents – it gives texture and age to a wood piece.

Bread Box to Letter Box - Why I Always Look for Wood at Thrift Stores / book title - So Much Better With Age

Bread Box to Letter Box - Why I Always Look for Wood at Thrift Stores / closed letter box - So Much Better With Age

Bread Box to Letter Box - Why I Always Look for Wood at Thrift Stores  / letter with ribbon - So Much Better With Age

It’s going to be the perfect little find for my writing desk.

Bread Box to Letter Box - Why I Always Look for Wood at Thrift Stores / keys on table with letter box - So Much Better With Age

Next time you are at a thrift shop or garage sale, remember to look for wood pieces!

You can always turn it into something great with paint.

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Comments

  1. Shawnna Griffin says

    April 20, 2017 at 9:55 am

    hey girl- love the letter box! So cool!

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      April 24, 2017 at 4:18 pm

      Thanks so much, Shawnna.
      Hugs, Jamie

      Reply
  2. Carolyn says

    April 20, 2017 at 10:22 am

    You did a lovely job–just a suggestion. How about wrapping the paper you used around the raw edges just to finish it off a bit more. Great transformation!

    Reply
  3. Lynne Gaylor says

    April 20, 2017 at 11:02 am

    What a great idea!! I love to repurpose old things from thrift store finds!

    Reply
  4. Marlene Stephenson says

    April 20, 2017 at 2:22 pm

    What a great find. I like to look for old wood pieces too.Thanks.

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      April 24, 2017 at 4:18 pm

      Great minds think alike! Thanks Marlene.
      Hugs, Jamie

      Reply
  5. Richard (in Charlotte, NC) says

    April 20, 2017 at 2:53 pm

    Wow, what a neat find! It’s not nailed together but dove-tailed; someone really put some time into that piece when it was originally made. I don’t normally like it when real wood is painted but, your paint job makes that recycled Bread box shine. Thanks for the post.

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      April 24, 2017 at 4:25 pm

      Thanks so much, Richard. I agree, it was well made.
      Jamie

      Reply
  6. Jauquetta says

    April 22, 2017 at 12:17 am

    I adore the box, I too look for wooden things. Sick of mdf! You could have folded the paper over the edge to diguise the rough ply. Then run small stripes down the cubby edges. That is a nice color. Where do you find it? I recently found a beautifull large wooden tray, it’s a bit of a mess in the middle and I’m trying to decide what to do with it. It’s from Italy and has a lovely scroll edge.

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      April 24, 2017 at 4:26 pm

      That’s a good idea, I might still do something like that!
      Hugs, Jamie

      Reply
  7. Gilda says

    April 22, 2017 at 5:00 am

    I would’ve taken a little time to spackle in some wood putty on those plywood divider ends before painting it up…they look so ragged.

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      April 24, 2017 at 4:26 pm

      Good idea, Gilda.
      Hugs, Jamie

      Reply
  8. Pamela R LePage says

    April 22, 2017 at 2:07 pm

    Love your find, great come back. I also always look for wood pieces, but I don’t make to the thrift store very often.but i do have little cupboard door that might make a cute addition to something ..The door on your box was the inspiration. Thanks for sharing…

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      April 24, 2017 at 4:27 pm

      Thanks so much, Pamela! Aren’t little wooden cabinets the best?
      Hugs, Jamie

      Reply
  9. FrenchGardenHouse says

    April 22, 2017 at 9:59 pm

    Such a great project! Even at antique stores, wood is often a very good buy. I love the color you painted this, such a handy little storage piece, and now, beautiful and useful again!

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      April 24, 2017 at 4:27 pm

      Thanks so much, Lidy!
      Hugs, Jamie

      Reply
  10. Cheryl Atkinson says

    December 16, 2019 at 12:49 pm

    Hi Jamie. I love to makeover the old wood pieces i find at the thrift store. I think they are treasures begging for a new life. I love that wooden box letter holder. So glad you gave it a new home.

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      January 2, 2020 at 11:43 pm

      Thanks Cheryl! It’s always so fun to find them, isn’t it? Happy New Year!
      Hugs, Jamie

      Reply

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