The BoiseBombshell: DIY: Antique door turned bathroom shelf

L.A. Junk came to Boise in September 2012 (their original shop is located in L.A...hence the name). This quaint antique shop boasts a store full of carefully selected shabby chic pieces. From lamps and tables to vintage jewelry and fabulous mirrors, this shop has it all.

Recently I stopped by looking for inspiration for my next DIY project, a shelf to go over my corner tub in our master bathroom. I knew I wanted to incorporate an antique door into the shelf. I already had a piece of oak for the actual shelf (free from my friend's farm), but I wanted a more intricate shelf. Something that would fit with my bathroom decor. See my master bathroom here. When I arrived at L.A. Junk I was instantly struck by all the vintage window panes and doors lined along the outside of the shop. One of the white antique doors caught my eye. It was perfect!

The next weekend I came back with my husband and his Subaru (which is much bigger than my teeny tiny car). Thankfully the door was still there. With the door in mind, we headed inside to see what else we could find.After being distracted by various antique pieces, we came across a basket of metal brackets. We purchased the door ($45) and 2 metal brackets ($11 each) from L.A. Junk.

We laid out the door with the shelf and brackets to get a better idea of the design concept.

My husband was a HUGE help with this project. I'm not really the best when it comes to measuring and cutting wood perfectly, so that's where he stepped in. After cutting the door, he also scraped the paint off the door (as much as possible). The door had been painted several times, but that was part of it's charm.

I was in charge of sanding the oak piece for the shelf. That was quite an experience. The electric sanders make my whole body vibrate. The buzzing tickles like crazy.

Pre-Sanding

Mid-Sanding

Post-Sanding

Next, we applied oil to the oak. The wood was really dried out, so the oil helped restore it's color.

Then we sealed the shelf with a high gloss polyurethane to protect the wood and give it a "wet" appearance.

We also sealed the door with ultra-clear water based polycrylic finish to protect it from the moist environment it would be living in above our bathtub.

We added the brackets to complete the shelf and then installed it on our bathroom wall. The shelf was secured using 2 drywall anchors and also 2 screws into the studs (this was crucial since the shelf is about 45lbs). The results were amazing! The total project was around $75 (sealer, paint brushes, bolts, brackets, door, etc). I am so happy with the way it turned out.

BEFORE: