How to Repurpose an Old Wooden Toolbox

With a few supplies, you can repurpose an old wooden toolbox into a useful piece of farmhouse storage for your home! This is an easy project!

Let’s get started!

As an Amazon Affiliate (and other companies including Dixie Belle Paint Company), we earn a small commission on products sold through affiliate links. Your purchases through those links help support this blog at no additional cost. In purchasing the supplies we use and recommend via our links, you help to support the free tutorials we offer you and our other readers. Thank you so much! Read my full disclosure here.

graphic for Pinterest showing repurposed old wooden toolbox

Old wooden toolboxes can be found in several places, one being your grandparent’s workshop or shed.

These boxes hold so much worth and value in my opinion.

They represent hard work and quality workmanship.

old wooden toolbox with casters, book and plant on top next to a rocking chair with wall art

a little prep

Even though I can’t remember exactly where we came across this wooden toolbox, I could tell it had been well-used over the years.

The first thing it needed was a good cleaning. The wooden toolbox received a good scrubbing with a solution of Simple Green and warm water and a good hose rinsing afterward.

A day in the sun was all this toolbox needed to completely dry.

quick video

Let’s watch the easy process of lightening the original dark paint on this box. Be sure to subscribe while you are on YouTube!

easy project!

Wasn’t that so simple? White Wax will lighten dark surfaces in a flash!

Not to mention the soft feel it gives to the wood!

old wooden toolbox with casters, book and plant on top next to a rocking chair with wall art

Don’t you love that we were able to keep the original finish?

All this easy project needed was a good cleaning and waxing….

….and a few fun details too!

old wooden toolbox with casters, book and plant on top next to a rocking chair with wall art

a little chain

Take a look at the lid! It was raw wood so the white wax settles into the grain perfectly.

Speaking of the lid, we wanted to make it useful for a home. Most wooden toolboxes do not come with a mechanism to prevent the lid from falling open too much.

close up of old wooden toolbox with casters, book and plant on top

That can cause the hinges to weaken over time.

(we’ll talk about that adorable lid handle in just a bit!)

old wooden toolbox with casters and book on top showing white waxed lid

So, we added a section of the chain that we attached with a couple of screws. BTW, we measured the screws to make sure they wouldn’t poke through the outside of the wooden toolbox!

inside of old wooden toolbox showing chain that holds lid from falling open

The interior wood of the box needed a bit of love too.

Hemp oil is a perfect way to hydrate old wood.

inside of old wooden toolbox showing chain on lid

elegance meets practicality

Let’s chat about that adorable handle!

When we attend auctions, we often purchase items in a box lot. The box can have a variety of items. I scan the box before the auction to see if there is enough to pique my interest.

This box lot had lots of silver-plated silverware, including some amazing serving spoons!

repurposed wooden toolbox lid with silver spoon handle

The spoons are easy to attach:

  • place the spoon in a vice to steady it
  • drill a hole a bit larger than the screw
  • attach the spoon with short screws that won’t come out of the backside
close up of silver spoon handle on repurposed wooden toolbox

Such an easy thing to do and it adds so much detail!

Not to mention the juxtaposition of an elegant silver spoon with a vintage wooden toolbox!

Take a look at the lock. The top part of the lock was missing but we decided to keep the latch. The top piece would have been on the lid and then it would flip down over the latch.

A lock could have been added to keep the tools safe inside.

close up of original lock on vintage wood toolbox

The handles on the side were in great shape. They needed a bit of white wax to make them look even more amazing!

repurposed wooden toolbox showing original handle on side

casters and diamonds

Casters are one of my favorite things in the whole world.

Some girls collect jewelry.

Me??

I’m more into practicality!

old wooden toolbox with vintage style casters

And look how vintage these casters look! A bit of spray paint turns them into a color that looks good.

Plus, the casters turn this wooden toolbox into practical, mobile storage!

Casters are a girl’s best friend!

But I still love diamonds!

close up of vintage style casters on a repurposed vintage wooden toolbox

supplies to repurpose an old wooden toolbox

Wasn’t that an easy project?

Here is a list of the simple supplies we used to repurpose an old wooden toolbox.

  • old wooden toolbox
  • Simple Green
  • scrub brush
  • outdoor hose
  • sunshine 😎
  • white wax
  • chip brush
  • blue shop towels
  • hemp oil
  • vintage silver serving spoon
  • chain
  • vintage style casters
  • Rust-oleum Hammered Spray Paint

easy supply shopping

I’ve gathered a few shopping links for the supplies so you don’t have to hunt these products down.

old wooden toolbox with casters, book and plant on top next to a rocking chair with wall art

a little fun

Just for a little fun, I thought I would share how busy my dog, Barkly, is. He wants to be in the shot but doesn’t like to hold still long enough for the shutter to click!

That sweet little pup is so funny!

styled shot of old wooden toolbox with blurred moving puppy in foreground

join our journey

Thanks for stopping by today for this quick tutorial on how to repurpose an old wooden toolbox!

I hope you are able to get out soon for some thrifting, yard-saleing, or maybe some snooping in your grandfather’s workshop so you can find one of these vintage gems!

Feel free to pin any image to Pinterest so you will be ready when you find that wooden toolbox! Let me know in the comments how yours turns out!

Better yet, tag me on Instagram and Facebook so I can see your finished project! I would love to see it! Give us a follow while you’re there so you can see more projects!

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook

graphic for Pinterest showing repurposed old wooden toolbox

More toolbox transformations:

Until next time….

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

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

7 Comments

  1. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the wheels you put on this piece!! 😍

  2. What a great piece! I would love to have one for storage. I’m glad I’m not the only one who loves Simple Green to clean their pieces with. Your sweet pup is too cute! Thanks for sharing your pretty piece!

    1. Cynthia Gayle says:

      Isn’t Simple Green a great cleaner?? Thanks for stopping by Kim!

  3. Cindy, I am so glad to read this!!! I have an old wooden military box and I am going to make some changes to it after reading this post. Thanks so much for the inspiration and nudge for me to do this.
    Once it is done I will tag you on IG so you can see how it turns out!
    Wish me luck:

    1. Cynthia Gayle says:

      Yay!! So glad you are inspired by our projects!! I can’t wait to see yours!

  4. Janet Lorusso says:

    you had me at toolbox 🙂 I love ALL boxes and containers. The fabulous castors and inspired spoon-handle totally make this piece! Just brilliant!

    1. I’m with you on toolboxes – they are one of my fave things to find and upcycle! Thanks for stopping by Janet!