How To Build A Wine Crate End Table

Michelle Meyer

7 years ago

My original purpose for these simple wine crates was storage. What I ended up with was a unique wine crate end table with a beautiful rustic finish. In just a few easy steps see how to build a wine crate end table of your own.

The first step is arranging the crates until the overall shape is a square or rectangular cube. I rearranged until each crate faced a direction that it could be opened.

My next step was attaching all the crates with self-tapping screws. I used four screws in each crate to ensure the cube would be sturdy enough to be used as a table. Three of the crates that were about the same size became the base. The two remaining crates that were oddly sized became the top.

I used three Amy Howard At Home products to achieve a rustic finish.

Better With Age Stain
Liming Wax
Light Antique Wax

Before staining, I used a sanding sponge (100 grit) to smooth rough spots and edges. After sanding I used a vacuum and then a damp cloth to remove wood dust. It is important to have a clean surface for staining.

I applied Better With Age Stain with a paint brush, and watched as the raw wood started changing into an aged gray color.

Staining the wood seemed to be an ideal solution to highlight the wood grain and the various ways the crates were constructed.

Once the stain was brushed on, I waited 30 minutes before applying the liming wax.

Using a putty knife the liming wax was spread on the wood going across the grain. I continued working the wax into the grain going in different directions and removing the excess. The liming wax was also applied to some hard to reach areas using a brush.

The effect was beautiful as the liming wax settled into the grain and crevasses giving an overall soft white washed aged finish to the wood.

Continuing the process, I worked on one side at a time until all the sides were stained and waxed. I let the crates cure overnight and lightly sanded the next morning using a finer grit sanding sponge (220 grit). The reason I sanded again was just to even out a few spots where the liming wax was a little too heavy. After sanding I vacuumed all sides and used a damp cloth to remove any remaining surface dust.

The final step to complete the white washed finish was applying the light antique wax with a brush. Once the surface was lightly covered, I used a lint free cloth to polish the wood. The white washed finish was silky smooth with the character of the grain showing through.