Don't Pass Up An Ugly Door....It's A Real Beauty

I'm often asked where I find such great doors for projects.  I'll share a little secret; they don't start out that way.

It's the ugliest door that has the most potential.  Believe it or not, they usually start out like this simple single panel door.  I prefer a door that has been painted several times over the years in different colors.  If you want a lot of character look for peeling paint.             

Start by scraping off the loose paint.  Then sand the door feathering the scraped edges to prevent further chipping.

I use Fiddes Supreme Wax (my favorite color is Rugger Brown) to finish the door giving it an antiqued look highlighting the layers of paint, accentuating any naturally occurring crackling, and warming up an otherwise less than appealing color.  If you're happy with the original color, use Fiddes Supreme Wax in Light which is actually clear.  You'll get the soft finish without changing the color.

There are many types of old paneled doors.  A four panel door like the gold one is a perfect candidate to be cut in half down the center for a corner shelf unit.  Simply refinish the old door as described above.

Before putting the two halves together, I added the shelf supports to each side of the door while I had them lying side by side so they would be in perfect alignment.  

Then, using a piece of square stock the thickness of the door, screw the two pieces together from the back.

Finally, starting from the bottom, screw the shelves to the supports.  It's a simple way to make a unique corner bookcase using a reclaimed door.

Vintage Door Marries Vanity Bench

I happen to be one of those people who absolutely love old doors.  I especially like odd sized ones that have been painted many colors over the years and now have lots of chippy paint... or shall we say, patina.

A few years ago, I purchased eight old doors from a local antiques store that had been salvaged out of the first motel in California located in San Luis Obispo.  This skinny minty green door was one of those doors.  I also had a vintage vanity bench that was just a bit wider than the door.  One day, they were sitting together in my workshop and at a glance looked like an oddly proportioned chair....another fetish of mine...  I had a lightbulb moment and decided to marry the two creating a functional hall tree narrow enough to fit just about anywhere.

Giving an old door a "furniture finish" is accomplished by scraping off any loose paint and sanding the whole thing feathering the edges between the paint and raw wood to prevent further chipping.  Apply a coat of Minwax Gel Stain in Aged Oak to warm up the color and highlight all the distressed details.  I love working with Gel Stain because it allows plenty of working time to soften all the brush marks and gives the door a beautiful lasting finish.

Turning the door upside down allowed me to use oversized cast iron hooks which required the larger  bottom panel of the door to mount the top hook.  

The vanity bench just needed a good sanding and a coat of the same Aged Oak Gel Stain which resulted in a nice driftwood finish.

A gorgeous piece of fabric left over from a custom bedding ensemble project (see inset) was used to reupholster the bench seat (which happened to be removable offering a little extra hidden storage).  The chocolate browns and minty green in the fabric were the perfect compliment to the "enhanced" patina of the door.

The bench was screwed to the door from underneath for safety and stability.

And there you have it....a truly shabby chic hall tree that can function just about anywhere.  And yes, those are Santa's cowboy boots.....