• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Start Here
  • Shop Favorites
  • About
    • Welcome To My Repurposed Life Home of Repurposed Furniture
    • More About Gail
    • Disclosure
    • Privacy Information
  • Gallery
    • Repurposed Furniture
  • Repurposed Items
    • Building Supplies
    • Miscellaneous Household Items
    • Picture Frame/Chalk Board
  • DIY
    • Home Reno
    • outdoor living
    • Painting
    • Shop Talk
    • Tips for Around the House
    • Build It
      • Furniture
      • Home Decor
      • Storage
    • Crafts
      • Dollar Store
      • Easy
      • Holidays Seasonal
  • Furniture
    • Chair
    • Desk
    • Dresser/Chest
    • Headboard | Bed Parts | Cribs
    • Kids Furniture
    • Table
    • Kids Furniture
My Repurposed Life® Rescue Re-imagine Repeat
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Start Here
  • Project Index
  • Furniture
  • Subscribe
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » DIY » outdoor living » backyard shed makeover

    backyard shed makeover

    Published by Gail | Published June 28, 2012 | Updated May 14, 2021
    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Pin
    Share
    Tweet

    guest post banner 1

     

    Hello! I'm Melodye from ShabbyGlam.

    My Photo

     

     

     

     

    I am in the process of creating my dream backyard. Phase one is now complete: The backyard Shed Makeover! I'm excited to share with you the steps I took to take a hideous old white aluminum shed and turn it into a charming focal point of my salvage-chic backyard.

     

     

     

     

    Here's the pitiful "before" picture...but I saw potential!

    old shedShed before paint - So UGLY!

     Step 1:  Paint!
    a) CLEAN: My energizer bunny daughter (age 13) and I scrubbed down the shed with DAP T.S.P Substitute heavy-duty cleaner and a roofing brush. This stripped the loose chalky old paint off the shed to prepare for primer.
    b) PRIME: We primed the entire shed and roof with Zinsser primer.

    c) PAINT: Then we put two coats of paint on the shed, including the roof. We used a flat paint for the green walls and a satin finish paint for the red door. I painted the edge of the roof brown, but hated it and changed that color to periwinkle blue.

    tsp

    Cleaned the shed of loos paint with T.S.P.

    primerPrimed the shed with Zinsser

    green shed

    Step 2: Add Roof Trim & Frame the Door.  The brown aluminum roof fascia looked insubstantial and boring so my husband offered to add wooden trim! I painted furring strips ($1.15 per 10 food board...such a bargain!) in a fabulous periwinkle blue, and we (he) mounted them to the aluminum fascia.

    firring stripsPainted the firring strips to use as trim for the new shed.
    shed door
    Added wood trim for roof fascia & door trim.
     Step 3:  Door Wreath.  I added this Floral Wreath Swag to the door.
    shed shelf
    Step 4: Shelf.  Next, we added a shelf to the side wall. We made this using two simple L-brackets that I had left over from another project.
    shed ledgeWe mounted the L-brackets behind the board to hide them.

    Step 4: Vintage Window Painted:  I found these fabulous vintage windows on Craig's list for $5 each! (I know all you repurposers out there are totally jealous!). I took one of the windows and cleaned it with DAP's T.S.P. Substitute mentioned above, sanded it, then painted it blue to match the shed trim.

    vintage windows

    Vintage windows from Craig's list for $5 each!
     clean windowScrubbed clean with TSP Substitute, then sanded them down to prep for paint.

     

    paint window periwinkle bluePainted the window Periwinkle Blue

    Step 5: Vintage Window turned into a Mirror!  My son had a great idea! He suggested that the window would look better as a mirror. Roeshel at The DIY Club did a similar vintage window turned mirror project using Krylon Looking Glass Mirror-Like Paint. I followed her lead, and it worked like a charm! I masked and taped off areas not to be painted.

    Next, I sprayed about 5 light coats of Looking Glass, allowing it to dry 1 minute between coats (as recommended on the can). Because my new mirror was going outside, I sprayed an Rustoleum Outdoor Metalic Finish over the Looking Glass paint to seal it. Next, I mounted it on the shed.

    krylon looking glass spray paintKrylon Looking Glass Spray Paint  - creates a reflective surface that looks like a vintage mirror!

     

    rustoleumSprayed Rust-oleum Outdoor Metallic Finish over the Looking Glass Paint to seal it for Outdoor use.

    mask window

    Masked and taped areas not to be spray painted.

     

    Step 6:  Added outdoor faucet handles:  Don't these make great hooks for my garden tools?

    she shed

    Vintage Window is now this fabulous mirror, complete with fabulous faucet handle hooks!
    Give me your feedback: As you can see in one of the pictures above, I lucked out and found someone getting rid of an entire house full of vintage windows! If you have ideas on what to make from them, leave a comment on this post! I definitely want to make a Window Cabinet, like the one Gail did! Love it!

    Step 7:  Mount trellis & landscape: We took a fan trellis and cut it in half to mount on either side of the window. We planted jasmine vines and flowers, and voila!

    Shed finishedFinished Shed Makeover!
    Next phase in the Dream Backyard makeover...build a Fire Pit in front of the shed! Come visit me at ShabbyGlam!
    Projects you may enjoy:
    she shed
    Another great shed makeover.
    green bamboo chairs
    Green Bamboo Chairs
    painted birdhouse
    Painted Birdhouses
    birdcage planter
    Vintage Birdcage Planter
    Thank you Melodye for sharing your shed makeover with us today! I love how it turned out. My shed could definitely use a makeover….hmmm
    gail
    Pin
    Share
    Tweet

    Related Content:

    • DIY Bloggers BEST Projects
      DIY Bloggers BEST Projects
    • Outdoor Overhaul Backyard Camper Retreat
      Outdoor Overhaul Backyard Camper Retreat
    • How to Move a Garden Shed
      How to Move a Garden Shed
    • Small Homeright spray Shelter
      Small Homeright spray Shelter
    • Backyard Camper Retreat | Perfect Guest House
      Backyard Camper Retreat | Perfect Guest House
    • How to Update a Dresser | Navy and dark stain
      How to Update a Dresser | Navy and dark stain

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      See comments Cancel reply

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

      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Lynne

      January 18, 2013 at 5:02 am

      Wow, awesome job! Gives me some great ideas for my backyard shed.

      Reply
      • Gail Wilson

        January 18, 2013 at 1:38 pm

        Lynne--thanks for stopping by and taking the time to leave a comment!!

    2. Lynne

      January 18, 2013 at 4:35 am

      Love the redo! Gave me some great ideas for my shed.

      Reply
    3. 8)(8

      July 02, 2012 at 4:22 pm

      That is amazing!

      Reply
    4. LuvWheaties

      July 01, 2012 at 4:05 pm

      Melodye, what a great transformation! I would change the color of the door, though. Something punchier, like the base and trim colors.

      Reply
    5. Shabby French Country Cottage Basement

      July 01, 2012 at 2:47 pm

      Melodye, what a transformation! I know that was fun, seeing it change so much. You all did a great job!
      Ann

      Reply
    6. Roisin

      June 29, 2012 at 9:54 pm

      Looks freat! Wish I could pin this. If there's some way to do it, would you please email me? Thanks.
      Cashel19162yahoo.com

      Reply
    7. Anonymous

      June 29, 2012 at 8:35 pm

      So when do we see you on HGTV's "Design Star"? -- Scott & MaryAnn Sheppard

      Reply
    8. Franziska San Pedro

      June 29, 2012 at 2:55 am

      Hi Melodye,

      beautifully done! You don't really need much to transform something into a real gem. All you need is paint, some ideas and dedication ♡
      Also, congrats on your new path to becoming an awesome blogger which you actually already are 🙂

      Hope to see more from you,
      Franziska
      @FlavorDesigns.com
      Renewable Lifestyle

      Reply
    9. Melodye (Mrs. Shabby Glam)

      June 29, 2012 at 12:22 am

      Thank you all for the wonderful comments about my Shed Makeover. I'm a new blogger and this is my first-ever guest post anywhere. I really appreciate the encouragement! Thanks to Gail for allowing me this priviledge!

      Reply
    10. I Play Outside The Box

      June 28, 2012 at 11:53 pm

      WOW...love the makeover...looks inviting enough to set up housekeeping in. Fantastic job!

      Reply
    11. suz

      June 28, 2012 at 10:51 pm

      This little shed is a beauty now!! What a clever way to dress up one of those humdrum items that we need but so often overlook.
      suzanneand@gmail.com

      Reply
    12. Joyce Kosirowsky

      June 28, 2012 at 10:48 pm

      Beautiful and fun! Love it! Thanks for all the good tips!

      Reply
    13. Suzanne@Meridian Road

      June 28, 2012 at 9:05 pm

      Wow! She did such a great job of making a utilitarian shed into something so cute! I really like the faucet handle hooks!

      Reply
    14. Tammy Henderson

      June 28, 2012 at 4:11 pm

      this is adorable! Love it!

      Reply
    15. Toqua's Crafts

      June 28, 2012 at 3:37 pm

      Beautiful!
      What a great idea to make the window into a mirror!
      I left a comment for Melodye from ShabbyGlam at her site as well.

      Reply
    16. Paige @ Little Nostalgia

      June 28, 2012 at 1:11 pm

      It looks so cute! And thanks for the tip about the mirror spray paint! I've seen it at the store but wasn't sure how well it worked. Now I need to try it.

      Reply
    17. Pam Jackson

      June 28, 2012 at 1:00 pm

      Love the makeover! And I see ideas for my yard now....thanks

      Reply
    18. cathym

      June 28, 2012 at 12:07 pm

      Wow, what an amazing transformation! Great job of taking an eyesore and making it a focal point for your yard! Cute, cute, cute!!

      Reply
    19. Amy Sarah

      June 28, 2012 at 11:37 am

      What a great idea! It's amazing the difference that some paint, small touches, and lots of care can make. 🙂

      Reply
    20. Sue

      June 28, 2012 at 10:57 am

      Fabulous make over! Great that the whole family got involved in it!

      Reply
    21. c07c127e-c12e-11e1-8455-000bcdcb2996

      June 28, 2012 at 2:37 pm

      The backyard shed looks FABulous! So fun to see the before and after looks. Makes me want to go find a shabby shed... 😉

      Reply
    22. jeanetteann

      June 28, 2012 at 8:31 am

      Mine could too,this is lovely. I don't think we would find a window frame for $5 though. x

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, there! I’m Gail Wilson, the author and mastermind behind My Repurposed Life. I’m obsessed with finding potential in unexpected places and believe that with a little hard work and imagination, any old thing can be made useful again—myself included! I hope you’ll enjoy the journey and pick up a few tools along the way… literally!

    More about me →

    Join Our Mailing List

    ​

      Click the topics you're interested in below:

      Subscribing above means you agree to our Privacy Policy​

      Footer

      ↑ back to top

      SEEN ON

      Might I Suggest

      • Start Here
      • Furniture Makeovers

      Newsletter

      • Sign Up! for emails and updates

      About

      • Gail's Favorites on Amazon
      • About

      As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

      Copyright © 2023 My Repurposed Life · Privacy Policy · Disclosure