How to DIY a treasure chest storage box

Guest post by Bridgetfalcon

Chest011I decided to make a little treasure chest. I think my grandfather, who used to make things like this for fun and as gifts, would be very proud if he were alive today. I almost felt him watching over me as I made this, which made it very special. And here’s how I pulled it off…

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Supplies:

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Step one: Weathering the box. I sanded the rough edges, hit it with a hammer a few times and rolled it around in my backyard so it didn’t look too “perfect.” (This photo was taken pre-weathering.)

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Step two: Apply first coat of stain and dye.

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Step three: Apply second coat of stain and dye, then attach any hardware with finishing nails.

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Step four: Attach the leather strips with upholstery nails. You can also sand the edges of the leather to make it look a little worn.

With all the leather attached.
With all the leather attached.
All nails added.
All nails added.

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Step five: Finish with a little fleur de lis, or whatever extra flourishes you’d prefer.

Now the only question left is… what kind of booty would you store in YOUR mini treasure chest?

Comments on How to DIY a treasure chest storage box

  1. Cute! To help make it look more weathered, I’d take a fine point paintbrush (or general small paintbrush) and some black paint, then go into the spaces on the top of the chest, and maybe around the edges a bit. Then wipe it with a cloth or sponge so it isn’t too dark. I think it’s called patina (or maybe that’s just for making metal bits looks old).

  2. We did the exact same thing for our wedding:
    http://wedding.dementedcreations.net/Pictures/treasurechest.jpg
    (We expect our pro pics in the next week or two – this is the only one we have so far.)

    We used Red Oak stain with a clear gloss over it, we also used furniture tacks for the top, and we got corner protectors, decorative hinges, handles, and these awesome butterfly latches that I wish I had a close-up picture of. We started out with the exact same chest!

    I will warn people – if you are picky about the style and color of your hardware, it can be difficult to get exactly what you want without ordering online, which can get expensive.

  3. This is awesome. I wonder how much of this process could be transferred over to making a realistic-sized treasure chest? (Because linen closets are BORING, duh.)

  4. This treasure chest looks beautiful! I`m trying to make something similar for a project! I was not able to find the wood stain color you used, i was wondering if you could suggest something that is very similar in shade. Thank you!! 🙂

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