Home » Furniture » Recycle A Fish Tank Stand Into A Cute Table

Recycle A Fish Tank Stand Into A Cute Table

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reclaimed wood comes in handy when you want to recycle a fish tank stand. For this cute table I painted and white washed the wood. I also filmed a short video so you guys can see how I did the white wash.

This is my fifth or sixth aquarium/fish tank stand recycle. Not quit sure of the number but I’m going to find them all and do a roundup one of these days. Those metal stands are easy to find at junk shops and flea markets so be on the lookout.

Recycle A Fish Tank Stand Into A Cute Table

Since I have plenty of old table tops, cabinet doors, and odds and ends of reclaimed wood it’s easy to make a table using the metal stands. as the table base. I usually make the plan for the table and the JTS cuts the wood and makes it happen.

small aquarium stand

We worked on two fish tank stand tables this week and this is the first one we finished. I bought the small stand at my favorite junk shop and I’m sure the price was $5 or $10. Ten dollars is usually the max price at the junk shop.

paint a metal aquarium stand with Rustoleum spray paint

The stand was a little rusty and I applied a coat of Rustoleum Black Primer.

white spray paint

Then I painted the stand white with some spray paint the hubby bought at an auction. The paint is great and he bought a case (six cans) of it.

cutting reclaimed wood for a table project

The wood for this table is a  combination of two pieces of old table tops. 

making a small table with recycled wood

One reclaimed piece was cut up to go on the top of the table and one was cut up to make the bottom shelf.

making a small table

These are the pieces all cut and ready to be attached to the metal.

wood table project in the works

The JTS drilled holes and countersunk the screws into the wood.

filling furniture holes with wood putty

I filled the screw holes with wood putty then sanded them flush with the wood once the putty dried.

sanding wood filler flush with wood

After all the sanding I cleaned the wood with Simple Green.

use painters tape to protect wood from paint

Before painting the wood I taped off the painted metal stand with 3M painters tape.

painting furniture with Beyond paint in soft gray

Then I applied two coats of Beyond Paint, color Soft Grey.

Recycle A Fish Tank Stand Into A Table

The next step after the gray paint dried was to apply a light white wash over the paint. I have a video of that process below….

How To White Wash Painted Wood

how to remove painters tape

I removed the painter’s tape after the white washing was completed. 
how to distress painted metal

Last thing to do is a bit of distressing on the spray painted metal (you knew this was coming). I sanded the paint by hand using 3M flexible sandpaper (my favorite).

 

Transform a fish tank stand into a cute table 2

How pretty. Light and airy and just the right size for a small space. 

reclaimed and upcycled metal fish stand makes a cute table

The wood, the distressing, the paint finish…..all perfectly imperfect.

how to distress spray painted metal furniture
The distressed paint is my favorite part of the whole project. Maybe it looks so good because of the black paint under the white??

Where would you put this table? Maybe on the porch or patio….as long as it’s in a  covered area. You would need to apply an outdoor sealer to the table if it was out in the weather.

It’s Furniture Fixer Upper Day tomorrow and my furniture project is very colorful. Can’t wait for you to see it. Until tomorrow, Kathy

Kathy Owen founder of Petticoat Junktion

Author: Kathy Owen
Kathy Owen is the founder of the home decor blog Petticoat Junktion where she shares tutorials on painting furniture and upcycling thrifty finds into unique home décor. Her DIY projects have been featured on the Home Depot Blog, Plaid Crafts, Behr Designer Series, and in numerous magazines.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

8 Comments

  1. When you do your grateful prayers tonight, be sure to thank God for the eye you have to see the beautiful possibilities in things. Some of us don’t have that and wish we did. But, I can watch you!!

  2. Kathleen Rizer says:

    This is tall enough that I’d put it in front of a window to hold my succulent plants.

  3. Thank you. Apparently I’m doing my best work lately. I get a lot of this is my favorite piece the past couple of weeks!

  4. Loving it! & kicking myself for passing up a stand at an auction for $1

  5. That table is wonderful–one of my favorite projects you have shared. Thanks!

  6. Sherry Martin says:

    I love anything metal!! I think it would make a perfect side table anywhere. Maybe a nightstand.

  7. angela carrera says:

    LOVE IT!!!!