Repurposed Toddler Bed Becomes a DIY Potting Bench: Trash to Treasure

BySerena Appiah
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Many people don’t realize that they can repurpose their kids’ furniture when they outgrow it, especially their toddler bed! If you enjoyed this project, be sure to check out how I repurposed a changing table into a desk, repurposed a crib into a coffee table, and more!

Watch This Project in Action!


There’s something sad about getting rid of your kids’ baby and toddler furniture, isn’t there?

I’d put it up there with getting rid of their artwork: no matter how much you know you don’t need it anymore, sometimes you just can’t.let.it.go.

But this toddler bed??

It was time. It needed to go.

My youngest son hadn’t slept in it for probably years, yet it took up a corner of their bedroom and became a DIY trampoline for naughty children who know they’re not supposed to jump on the bed. HA!

I loaded it up into the van, with screws and bolts falling out of the sockets, just wanting to rid the house of things we no longer needed–including this bed.

I turned it into a potting bench!

So this is how the toddler bed looked beforehand, all packed up and ready to go.

BEFORE

Repurposed toddler bed: What to do with an old toddler bed - Turn a toddler bed into a potting bench - BEFORE - Thrift Diving

 

But I knew the thrift store wasn’t going to take it.

They’re so “iffy” when it comes to taking kids’ beds!

And don’t even think about donating a crib. They’ll turn you away faster than you can beg, “Just take my junk, please!!”

(Related: See how I repurposed my son’s crib into a DIY patio table because I couldn’t donate it).

As I was pulling it out of the trunk, bummed that I was stuck with it, thinking about the firewood it would make, an idea struck…

I Could Repurpose This Bed Into a Potting Bench!

And this, my friends, is how ideas strike.

You could be in the middle of being bummed about a problem and suddenly a problem turns into a slap-the-forehead kind of solution!

Because when I took the bed out of the trunk, I happened to set it down just like this:

 

BEFORE

 

Repurposed toddler bed: What to do with an old toddler bed - A toddler bed can be repurposed into a potting bench - BEFORE - Thrift Diving

 

And then–BOOM!

I can repurpose this toddler bed into a pretty potting bench! 

Beyond Paint, the brand of furniture paint I have grown to love and prefer had sent me one of their colors I had never used before: POPPY.

So now I had the idea…the paint color…and I just needed to plan my attack.

At first, I considered making it a kid’s potting bench. It was pretty short. Perfect height for a 5-year-old…

But honestly??

My 5-year-old wouldn’t use it. He wouldn’t even appreciate it. In fact, when I mentioned making him a potting bench, he replied, “Yeah! Then I can run my cars on it!!!”

Ummm….No.

This one’s going to have to be for Mommy. LOL

 

Repurposed toddler bed: What to do with an old toddler bed - A toddler bed can be repurposed into a potting bench - Beyond Paint Poppy color - Thrift Diving

 

Materials: Repurposed Toddler Bed

Here’s what I used to repurpose the toddler bed into a potting bench:

(I participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and other affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites).

STEP 1: Clean the Toddler Bed

Go ahead and wipe down your furniture projects before you paint them. We’re using Beyond Paint for this project, and they definitely recommend starting with a clean, dry, and oil-free surface.

I’ll admit that I’ve been lazy in the past and simply painted over dirt. NOT RECOMMENDED! 🙂

Simple Green is what I generally use and I keep a big bottle handy. Do yourself a favor and get yourself one to keep around, too! Add some to a spray bottle to make it easy.

 

 

STEP 2: Taking Measurements

I’ll be honest with you: I suck at taking measurements. I’m always a little off, somehow! Whether it’s my measuring or my cutting, at times, I don’t always get it right. LOL

Anyhow, I needed to build a platform to make this DIY potting bench taller. I wanted my platform to be as wide as the toddler bed, but I wasn’t sure how high to make it.

It was just over 22″ high, so I added about 10 inches to make it around 32″ tall, which felt comfortable for my 5’10” self.

 

Repurposed toddler bed: What to do with an old toddler bed - A toddler bed can be repurposed into a potting bench - Measure the height of the toddler bed - Thrift Diving

 

STEP 3: Cutting the 2 x 4s to Width.

Don’t you love when the wood you need is sitting right there in your scrap wood pile?? 😉 I decided to make the base out of whatever I had on hand, and thankfully, I had some 2x4s already in the garage that I salvaged from the side of the road last summer!

(Who says hoarding materials doesn’t have its benefits??)

I used my circular saw to cut four boards to width.

There was just enough left over to make four legs, as well.

 

Repurposed toddler bed: What to do with an old toddler bed - A toddler bed can be repurposed into a potting bench - Cut 2x4s to width - Thrift Diving

STEP 4: Constructing the Base

To keep the 2x4s stable, I used some 3/4″ scrap wood to create a brace. I used exterior screws to join them together.

Washers are the perfect little spacers! I used them as spacers so water and dirt could fall through.

 

Repurposed toddler bed: What to do with an old toddler bed - A toddler bed can be repurposed into a potting bench - Construct the base - Thrift Diving

 

Repurposed toddler bed: What to do with an old toddler bed - A toddler bed can be repurposed into a potting bench - Use washers as spacers. - Thrift Diving

 

I wasn’t using any particular method of building the base. I just used whatever I had on hand and what made the most sense logically.

Typically, when you’re building “table” type things, you should build it with an apron, which helps to stabilize it and holds things together. But I didn’t do it that way. Don’t ask me why. At the time, it just made more sense to lay the board down flat and then attach 2×4 feet to it.

Whatever works, right?? 😉

 

Repurposed toddler bed: What to do with an old toddler bed - A toddler bed can be repurposed into a potting bench - Build the base. - Thrift Diving

 

I used pilot holes and exterior screws to join the boards together. To add the legs, I used my Kreg jig to make pocket holes to attach them for strength (details in the video tutorial).

STEP 5: Attaching the Repurposed Toddler Bed to the Base

 

Something went wrong in my measurements (see! I told you so!) and one leg….or two legs….must have been a shy shorter, because the base was a little wobbly, but hey–we’re going with it! 🙂

Anyhow, this part was the crux of the whole project: trying to attach the toddler bed to the base so it A) wouldn’t fall over, B) would be my height and not my son’s height, and C) looked like it was all one unit.

 

Repurposed toddler bed: What to do with an old toddler bed - A toddler bed can be repurposed into a potting bench - Attach toddler bed to base. - Thrift Diving

 

The easiest way to attach pieces of wood together is with my Kreg pocket hole jig.

It’s super simple to use and only requires a power drill and the Kreg attachment pieces.

 

Repurposed toddler bed: What to do with an old toddler bed - A toddler bed can be repurposed into a potting bench - Drill holes to attach toddler bed to base. - Thrift Diving

 

I drilled pocket holes in the legs of the toddler bed, but it was a challenge!

Some parts of the legs were hollow due to the previous hardware! So I just figured out where the wood was most solid and then glued, screwed, and filled the holes with pocket hole plugs.

Once sanded, you couldn’t even see the pocket holes. 🙂

I gave the whole thing a good sanding with my orbital sander to smooth everything out.

 

Repurposed toddler bed: What to do with an old toddler bed - A toddler bed can be repurposed into a potting bench - Screw toddler bed to base. - Thrift Diving

 

Repurposed toddler bed: What to do with an old toddler bed - A toddler bed can be repurposed into a potting bench - Sand everything smooth. - Thrift Diving

 

I realized that I didn’t want the raw edges of the 2x4s showing. So I cut pieces of scrap wood to cover up those raw edges. I drilled pilot holes and attached them with exterior screws that won’t rust.

 

Repurposed toddler bed: What to do with an old toddler bed - A toddler bed can be repurposed into a potting bench - Cover raw edges. - Thrift Diving

 

It was looking pretty good!

Part of me really liked the natural wood look, but I was dying for some vibrant color!

 

Repurposed toddler bed: What to do with an old toddler bed - A toddler bed can be repurposed into a potting bench - Raw wood garden bench - Thrift Diving

STEP 6: Painting the Potting Bench  “POPPY”

Finally! The easy part!!

Now that the potting bench was constructed and seemed to be all one cohesive piece, it was time to paint it and make it POP.

 

Repurposed toddler bed: What to do with an old toddler bed - A toddler bed can be repurposed into a potting bench - Painting the garden bench Poppy - Thrift Diving

 

I have been using Beyond Paint furniture paint for several years now and absolutely love it!

What I love about it is that it’s non-toxic and air pollutants-free, plus requires no stripping, no sanding, and no priming. You can paint nearly anything as long as whatever you’re painting (e.g. wood, previously painted surfaces, glass, plastic, metal, masonry, etc.) is in good condition. I would definitely recommend using the Beyond Paint multi-surface sealer if the piece of furniture is going to be outside or if it’s going to get a lot of “traffic” (i.e. heavy use).

With other paints I’ve used, painting takes forever! As much as I enjoy painting furniture, I don’t want it to take all day. Building stuff usually takes that long!  The painting part should be quick and easy, right??

RELATED: What’s the Best Paint For Furniture?

 

Beyond Paint Poppy - Thrift Diving

 

This paint is best applied with a roller. I prefer doing it that way because it takes less time. For detailed or hard-to-reach areas, I use a brush to “smush” the paint into those areas.

Related: See how I used Beyond Paint on this $40 vintage china cabinet from the thrift store!

 

Repurposed toddler bed: What to do with an old toddler bed - A toddler bed can be repurposed into a potting bench - Use a roller to paint furniture. - Thrift Diving

 

This potting bench had a lot of little areas that I needed to “smush” the paint into.

 

Repurposed toddler bed: What to do with an old toddler bed - A toddler bed can be repurposed into a potting bench - Use a paint brush in small cracks and crevices. - Thrift Diving

 

But the small roller worked well on all the other parts.

I like that this paint has more pigment for better coverage. I find it easier to apply than other paints! (It has what I like to call “spreadability.”)

Repurposed toddler bed: What to do with an old toddler bed - A toddler bed can be repurposed into a potting bench - Use a paint brush in small cracks and crevices and a roller for quick coverage. - Thrift Diving

 

STEP 7: Add the Cedar Boards

Cedar is awesome for outdoor furniture!

So I knew I would want to pull in some cedar for the bench top and to stencil the word GARDEN.

While the paint was drying, I stenciled the top cedar board using the Bright White Beyond Paint and using a clear vinyl stencil I made with my Silhouette Cameo cutting machine.

 

Stenciling on cedar boards using a Silhouette Studio and vinyl - Thrift Diving

 

What was really great is that the top groove of the bed was exactly the right width for sliding on this board! How perfect was that?!

 

Repurposed toddler bed: What to do with an old toddler bed - Add cedar to make a DIY garden bench. - Thrift Diving

 

To add the potting bench surface boards, I drilled pilot holes first before screwing in the exterior screws.

TIP: Cedar will crack if you don’t drill pilot holes first before driving in your screws! (Yep….first-hand experience talkin’….LOL).

 

Repurposed toddler bed: What to do with an old toddler bed - Add cedar to the top to make a DIY garden bench. - Thrift Diving

STEP 8: Sealing the Potting Bench For Outdoor Use

Whenever you’re using Beyond Paint outdoors (or on countertops), it’s always recommended to use their multi-purpose sealer for durability.

I brushed this coat on with a brush (I was all out of clean rollers).  It goes on milky but dries clear. Just make sure you don’t over-coat it or it could dry cloudy!

(Once it dries, I’ll go back and add a second coat, just for extra durability).

 

Repurposed toddler bed: What to do with an old toddler bed - Seal outdoor furniture. - Thrift Diving

STEP 9: Hanging Accessories

I had found this metal rail and white IKEA buckets hiding underneath my bathroom cabinet (unopened!) that had been sitting there since last year. Score!

When mounted underneath the surface, I discovered it made a great place to hang towels or even gloves!

 

Repurposed toddler bed: What to do with an old toddler bed - Turn a toddler bed into a garden bench and add a towel bar. - Thrift Diving

 

The little white buckets hung perfectly from the slats of the potting bench!

I can even imagine planting little flowers in them and hanging them off of the sides!

 

Repurposed toddler bed: What to do with an old toddler bed - Turn a toddler bed into a garden bench and add a shelf on top. - Thrift Diving

 

STEP 10: Show It Off!

I absolutely love coming up with creative ideas like this!

And just to think, this toddler bed almost ended up in the trash! It goes to show you that trash really can become treasure when you’ve got paint, power tools, and a creative idea!

BEFORE

 

Repurposed toddler bed: What to do with an old toddler bed - Turn a toddler bed into a garden bench for your yard.- BEFORE - Thrift Diving

 

AFTER!

 

Repurposed toddler bed: What to do with an old toddler bed - Turn a toddler bed into a garden bench for your yard.- AFTER - Thrift Diving

 

 

Repurposed toddler bed: What to do with an old toddler bed - Turn a toddler bed into a garden bench for your yard.- With flowers and a cedar shelf - Thrift Diving

 

I moved the potting bench to my patio and discovered that the POPPY matched one of the colorful Adirondack chairs on my patio. How’s that for serendipity?? 🙂

 

Repurposed toddler bed: What to do with an old toddler bed - Turn a toddler bed into a garden bench for your patio.- With flowers and a cedar shelf - Thrift Diving

 

Repurposed toddler bed: What to do with an old toddler bed - Turn a toddler bed into a garden bench for your patio.- With flowers, cedar shelf, and storage. - Thrift Diving

 

Repurposed toddler bed: What to do with an old toddler bed - Turn a toddler bed into a garden bench for your patio.- With flowers, cedar shelf, and storage on top and the sides. - Thrift Diving

 

Repurposed toddler bed: What to do with an old toddler bed - Turn a toddler bed into a garden bench for your patio with storage and shelves for gardening. - Thrift Diving

 

Repurposed toddler bed: What to do with an old toddler bed - Turn a toddler bed into a garden bench for your patio with storage and shelves for gardening, painted Poppy! - Thrift Diving

 

Repurposed toddler bed: What to do with an old toddler bed - Turn a toddler bed into a garden bench for your patio with shelving, storage, and towel bar. - Thrift Diving

 

Repurposed toddler bed: What to do with an old toddler bed - Turn a toddler bed into a garden bench for your pretty flowers, storage, and cedar shelving. - Thrift Diving

 

Repurposed toddler bed: What to do with an old toddler bed - Turn a toddler bed into a garden bench for patio or yard. - BEFORE AND AFTER - Thrift Diving

 

 

If you enjoyed this project, I’d love if you’d save it on Pinterest!

Repurposed toddler bed: What to do with an old toddler bed - Turn a toddler bed into a garden bench for patio or yard. - BEFORE AND AFTER - See the full DIY project and VIDEO tutorial on the blog! - Thrift Diving

I’m totally geeking over this project just because I was >thisclose< to throwing out this old toddler bed, but instead I repurposed it into a fun POPPY piece for my patio!

So what do you think?? I hope you’re as excited about it as I am!

 

 

 

 

 

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50 Comments

  1. It’s gorgeous. I love the colour – I wonder if those paints ship to the UK. I am so jealous of some of the products you guys have that don’t make it over the ocean – or at least not without a stupid price tag attached… It’s a lovely piece, and looks so good on you patio.

    Reply

    1. Hey there, Suzie! Good question. I don’t know if it does or not….? That’s what I’ve heard–that things that make it over there have an outrageous price! I wonder if the same is true, vice versa? What cool things do YOU guys have that don’t make it over here?? Hmmm…. LOL Anyhow, glad you love it! I’m tickled over it! Someone made a good point on my YouTube channel. It could easily be a coffee station, drink bar….Kind of makes me want to move it inside now!! LOL

      Reply
  2. Gracie Redfield says:

    So very creative! I love the bench!

    Reply

    1. Thank you, Gracie!! I love when great ideas strike and I can also execute them! It takes time to figure it all out and plan how to do it, but it’s worth the time and effort. Thank you!!!

      Reply

  3. Love it! And I learned a few new skills watching your video. Thanks for sharing!
    CK

    Reply

  4. Wow!! The “before” and “after” pictures are unbelievable, Great job!

    Reply

  5. Back again….I really am sorry. I did not proof read very well. And in truth I do make judgements about poor spelling. ?
    1- Delicate rosebud….not felicate.
    2- water trough HAS
    3- and please remove the i after soil and place a period.
    4- there maybe SOME not so e… good grief!
    5- waaaaay … was on purpose. And capitalize “I”
    6- I need some good OUT-door paint
    7- so I am sending it again….
    8- I redid my cabinets a FEW years back.
    So sorry. There is a little OCD hanging around too. I think I got all of the errors. ?
    Best,
    Pat

    Reply

    1. You are too sweet, Pat! LOL. You totally don’t have to correct yourself. I know what you mean! Poor spelling in comments sections don’t count! LOL 😛

      Reply

  6. I love that – you are so creative!!! Great use for that piece that you almost got rid of!! I hope that it serves you well and your five year old will grow into it – maybe!

    Reply

    1. Thanks so much, Sharon!! I know, I literally was thinking as I was about to pull it out, how I could easily break the entire thing down. Boy am I glad I didn’t!!!

      Reply
  7. Pat Kennedy says:

    Gee-golly-cotton-picking brilliant, Serena!
    My husband built a potting bench, in2010 while I was in Pennsylvania for a few months getting Mom into assisted living and cleaning out her house of 56 years. But…well it is a bench and he added a small sink, which is rigged up to a hose and freshwater faucet. Great spot for having a picnic area. And, in fact it is an “L” shape as well. And last year I got him to use some leftover wood and he put a shelf up. Did I mention it also has a trellis with Yellow Jessamine growing up one side, and across a steel hog fence over the top to hold the Jessamine and promote shade. ( I like to say I am a felicate rosebud, but I do truly dislike the hot hot weather….)
    So back to the finish. I was not happy thinking that the wood would weather and look yucky, and dirty. And God forbid, not pretty….so I used stain and outdoor polyurethane. Two? Three? Years later, I thought it was looking scruffy. So I sanded it down and redid it. But I hesitate to say I did not let it dry, or the afternoon showers never allowed it to dry properly. So. I am back to pondering how to make it look…..well, cute. I have a huge 110 gallon water trough that ahs many pounds of soil i so I have a trellis of white Jasmine which smells tremendously delicious, and on either side of it, I have a Clematis working on growing up to cover a (did I mention…a thrift store find that is the heavy metal headboard that Steve fastened to the other side of the little potting area for me. It was at a Salvation Army Thrift Store for HALF price! I think it was about $30.00. There may be so e around cheaper, but I do not dicker with prices at Church Bazaars or Thrift Stores which are good charitable causes. Just my opinion.
    So back to the reason I am wroting. I need to refinish the work surface. I am thinking paint. But i am waaay older than you and I do not want to have to do it ever again. So I need some very good outsoor paint. I am actually thinking of a color. I am not brave enough for the Poppy, although a nice chartruse did pass by my mind’s eye….and I do have an antique textured window thar I refurbished and painted a gorgeous lavender- periwinkle shade. So who am I kidding. Color is good. I live 1.2 miles from a Home Depot. That is where I usually go for supplies. And they should name an Aisle in my honor for all I have spent in their store!
    I am sending this now, but it is 10:29 and i already lost this note once, so I a, sending it again and tomorrow, I will send you some pictures of my Potting Room. Complete with the other things I wrote about. Remember me? I was the person who totally stripped and redid my kitchen cabinets a gew years back. It took 3 1/2 months. But they are lovely and I still think real wood grains are beautiful. I sent you a epistle last week about the beauty of Minwax, Antique Oil Finish. And my Grandfather’s wooden tool chest I refinished 3, yes! Three times. Now it is 10:35. Time to go. Best wishes! You are quite a crafty gal. I enjoy your updates! Pat

    Reply

    1. Hey there, Pat!! You emailed me last week about your grandfather’s wooden tool chest? If you did and I haven’t responded it’s because I’ve been in the garage all week! LOL I’ve been super bad about email because I just don’t have time to check it AND get work done. So I tend to let it pile up until I just sit down one day for hours and just respond and empty it all out. Then the cycle repeats. HA!

      I can’t wait for you to send me pics of that potting bench! Do you order products online? I’ve had success with using Beyond Paint outside. I’ve also used an exterior paint by Behr that worked well on my patio doors that would likely work well on your bench, too. Instead of sending pics to my thriftdiving gmail account, send pictures to serena at thriftdiving dot com. I get less email there and am more likely to see it!

      Yes, I remember your kitchen! Wow, 3.5 months….great projects sometimes take a lot of time, but in the end, they’re worth the effort!

      Thank you, Pat!!!

      Reply

  8. Serena, you have a great recycling Mind! This is such a clever idea and useful tool. It looks Great on your patio!

    Reply

    1. Thank you, Kaye! I love those ideas that are clever AND useful, as you’ve pointed out! I’m excited to invite people over and be like, “Did you know that was Kojo’s bed??” I love showing off projects when people come over! LOL. Oh, and someone else commented that it could also have been a drink bar! That would have been cool, too! Makes me want to find another toddler bed to make one. LOL

      Reply

  9. What an awesome idea! Great job, and I love the paint color. You are so talented.

    Reply

    1. Glad you like it, Elisa! The paint color is making me SOON! Red with a hint of orange, I would say…I would love to do a larger piece of furniture in this color because it’s simply amazing! I have an oak sewing cabinet that I wasn’t going to paint but this color is grabbing me. I might just have to paint it. LOL 🙂

      Reply
  10. Elizabeth says:

    Your potting bench was a great idea and it looks just Great!

    Reply

    1. Thank you so much, Elizabeth! Glad you like it! I’m thrilled how it turned out! Better than I had expected, actually! 🙂 Those are the best kinds of projects!

      Reply

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