Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Free Bed Frame Crackle Makeover




We found this bed frame at the local landfill and decided to rescue it.
This particular frame must have been insanely popular at some point because I've seen a lot of them through the years.
In any case, I had a spare room that needed a bed and this one was complete with the headboard, footboard and 2 side rails.







Striving to keep this project free, I gathered supplies I already had and discovered I had everything I needed for a crackle finish.

The supplies I used:

Sandpaper
Gray spray paint
White latex paint
White glue
Paint brush
Fancy brush cleaner ( recycled milk jug filled with water )





I also had a project supervisor. If you don't have a cornish cross hen, any breed of chicken will work fine. Do not substitute with a duck, they're too impatient and bossy.  





I lightly sanded the bed frame just to scuff up the shiny finish. 






I sprayed the front of the headboard and footboard with gray spray paint. I did not spray the back or the side boards because I didn't have enough paint. I wanted this project to be cost free so buying paint wasn't an option.






Once the paint was dry, I coated it with white glue. I applied the glue in small sections and immediately painted the white latex on the glue. This was necessary because the glue was drying too quick.





We have crackle!






I just repeated the glue and paint process until the front of the headboard and footboard were completely covered.

I painted the back of the headboard and footboard with the white latex paint.  I also painted the outside of the side boards with the white paint, leaving the inside untouched.

Yay! We now have a free updated bed frame that looks very shabby cottage chic!

Of course the rest of the bed wasn't free. I purchased a 6" mattress (bed in a box) from Walmart for $89.00. While at Walmart I also purchased a mattress eggcrate topper for $14.00 and 2 pillows for $5.00 each. I already had sheets, blankets and pillow cases.

I measured the inside of the bed frame and went to Lowes for plywood. I selected the plywood and had them cut it to my measurement. The cut was free and the plywood was $14.00.
I don't know what the bed frame originally had under the mattress. Perhaps it was slats or maybe just a box spring.

I placed the plywood in the frame, resting it on the ledge that ran down both side boards. I put the mattress on the plywood and the egg crate was large enough to place it on the mattress doubled over.

I was really pleased with this project. The pictures don't convey how very sweet this bed looks. But...what good are looks if a bed isn't comfy? My sister, who suffers from severe back problems, was my first guest. The bed felt great to me but I only tried it out for a few seconds so how would it feel to someone with back pain after an entire night? When I asked my sister in the morning she said it was very comfortable!




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