Magazine rack

Breathe new life into an old magazine rack by adding a pop of colour with Resene testpots.

Resene upcycling for good with Sarah Herring - Project 71

Finished magazine rack

You will need

Wooden magazine rack or similar item
Resene testpot brushes
Painters masking tape
Resene testpots in your choice of colours; Sarah used Resene Wax Flower and Resene Kamikaze
Resene Aquaclear Natural in flat finish (optional)

Before

Finished project

Top tip: Sometimes pieces like magazine racks have a lot of moving parts. It pays to think carefully about where you apply your paint to furniture or homeware. If you are applying paint to faces that will meet, use Resene Lustacryl instead of Resene testpot paint.

Instructions

How to upcycle an old magazine rack:

Step one: Sarah found this cool old magazine rack at her local Salvation Army family store and could see that it would benefit from a pop of colour to update it just a bit.

First clean thoroughly to prep it for painting. Some timber items may need sanding but this can be difficult with a folding item such as this. If the original timber is in good condition, a good clean is usually all it needs. If the surface is especially smooth, you can apply Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer to help the topcoats stick.

Step two: Add some pattern and colour to this item by masking out some stripes. Always press your masking tape down firmly to prevent any running paint!

You will need

Step one

Step two

Step three: Apply the colour.

Sarah chose to paint both the inside and outside of the magazine rack so that there would still be visible colour when it was in use. She chose two complementary Resene colours – Resene Wax Flower and Resene Kamikaze – keeping Resene Wax Flower on one half of the magazine rack and Resene Kamikaze on the other.

Apply two coats of each colour. Paint the top panels also if you wish.

Step three

Step three contd.

Step three contd.

Step four: (optional) If you wish apply Resene Aquaclear Natural in flat finish over the top of the painted areas for a matte finish. For a higher sheen finish you could apply Resene Aquaclear in a semi-gloss or gloss finish.

Step four

Finished project

Upcycling for Good

You can find a huge range of treasures, from ornaments and picture frames, to furniture and toys at your local Salvation Army store that you can easily upcycle with a little Resene paint and some imagination.

"Our Family Stores are full of treasures generously donated by members of the public. We value these donations and try our hardest to re-purpose and sell as much as possible. We’re all about re-using and recycling, so teaming up with Resene on Upcycling for Good was a perfect match. Resene’s products and tips are a natural fit with our pre-loved furniture and accessories, which are usually great quality but could sometimes do with a lick of paint to ensure they fly off the shelves.

Each year, nationally, our stores save 16,000 tonnes from landfill. This initiative increases the value of the donated product, improves the range of goods for our customers, and furthers The Salvation Army’s mission and Resene’s community activity.” Gareth Marshall, The Salvation Army's National Family Store Manager.

View more projects

Resene Paints Ltd – www.resene.com