Upcycled Patio Bar Cart

One of my favourite things to do is to repurpose or upcycle pieces into something new and better – and this upcycled patio bar cart is one of my favourite transformations ever!

My friend Andy had this old overhead projector cart tucked away in a deep, dark corner of his garage.

He offered it to me to use as a mitre saw station and storage for my garage tools.

But I had a larger vision…

With lazy summer days in mind, I decided this dirty, rusty, greasy metal cart needed to become a DIY patio bar cart / grilling station.

I know you can see it too right? – it’s so obvious! lol

I contacted a couple of my favourite brands (Progressive Countertop Systems and Rust-Oleum® Canada) to see if they wanted in on this project as well.

I started out by sanding down the cart with a 60 grit sandpaper and my random orbit sander to clean off as much rust as I possibly could.  Leaving rust behind, even under primer, is a sure way to have your patio bar cart re-rust very quickly.  I managed to get a fair bit off with the sander and I scraped a bit more with a wire brush. A spray down with Rust-Oleum’s KRUD KUTTER® left me with a grease and rust-free surface to prime.   (BTW, my eldest put bubble gum in my youngest’s hair and this KRUD KUTTER® got it out without a single snip or any tears – this stuff really is fantastic!)

I know, I know, this is still a bit of an eyesore – but things always look worse before they look better in refinishing and repurposing projects.

Next up I gave the upcycled patio bar cart a coating of Zinsser® Bulls Eye 1-2-3® primer to stop future rust from surfacing and moisture from reaching the metal.

I applied two coats with my sprayer for a nice smooth finish. Zinsser® Bulls Eye 1-2-3® does come in a tinted primer if you are planning to paint in a dark colour, but at this point I was on the fence about what colour to finish it in.

I ended up going with Painter’s Touch® Multi-Purpose Brush-On Paint in a semi-gloss black – again applied in three thin coats with my paint sprayer.

You don’t have to have a paint sprayer to do this project – a mohair roller will give you a finish that is almost as smooth in just a tad more time.

It’s looking good right?

That’s partly because of the new paint finish and partly because of the granite remnant from Progressive Countertop Systems.

In speaking with Paul at Progressive Countertop Systems, he suggested granite over marble, Cambria or any other stone because it will weather well outdoors.  This piece is approximately 32″ by 30″ in a Blackberry granite – and it’s stunning.  Look at that mirror shine reflecting the flowers and water jug.

Progressive Countertop Systems upped the ante by giving it a chiseled edge all the way around with a 1″ overhang on all sides of the patio bar cart, so that it can be moved anywhere and will look as gorgeous from all sides.

My new friend Trish from HomeSense helped me to style my upcycle for the finishing touch.  (thank you so much Trish!)

Hubby would love to have an outdoor kitchen someday, but the wall of the house that holds our natural gas outlet, also has our furnace exhaust in it – so we are limited for options as far as closing in the space.

But with this little cutie:

we can sidle it right up next to the barbecue and make our patio bar cart a grilling station as well.

I removed the outlet at the side of the cart, but it can easily be reinserted should we wish to use our patio bar cart as a serving station with hot plates or crock pots on top.

Beer close at hand, room to chop and marinade, an ice bucket below, and plates close at hand.

The Painter’s Touch® Multi-Purpose Brush-On Paint is suitable for indoor and outdoor use, inhibits rust and can weather the elements almost as well as the Progressive Countertop Systems remnant.  The chiseled edging really keeps with the natural, outdoor feel while giving it a high-end look.  Who knew you could buy remnants for smaller projects like patio bar carts?  Not me.

I bet when you were sitting in 8th grade geography, you never dreamed you’d want an overhead projector cart someday.

Rust-Oleum® Canada (or international) has everything you need to make your own upcycled patio bar cart / grilling station, and to take all of your patio decor from sun-bleached to new.

Progressive Countertop Systems has hundreds of remnants in their stock yard in every imaginable colour and pattern – ready for quick pick-up when you make your own grilling station.  Check out their photo gallery for stunning makeovers and installs including the 2017 Millionaire Lottery Home.

I’m ready for summer grilling and backyard get-together’s!

(As soon as the snow is gone – we received about 5″ the day after these photos were taken)

Have a great one!

 

This post is sponsored by Rust-Oleum® Canada and Progressive Countertop Systems. I was provided with Rust-Oleum® products to help spread the word about Krud Kutter®, Zinsser® Bulls Eye 1-2-3® and Painter’s Touch® Ultra Cover. Progressive Countertop Systems provided the remnant piece of granite and created the chiseled detail for this project.  100Things2Do.ca only shares information I feel is relevant to my readers. All opinions expressed are sincere and my own. Neither Rust-Oleum® Canada  nor Progressive Countertop Systems are responsible for the dialogue of this article.

 

Linked to:

• Between Naps on the Porch
• The DIY Mommy