Vintage Projector Cart Makeover

If you ever visit flea markets, you know that old AV carts or projector carts are a common find.

Usually they’re rusty and gross, just like this one I found at the Kane County Flea Market in Illinois. (The amazing flea market that spawned my Flea Market Shopping Tips post.)

But I knew this junky old metal cart had potential. Unlike my husband (“You went all the way to Kane County to buy that?”), I had a vision. And that’s how this vintage metal cart makeover came about.

Well, and it also came to be thanks to the generosity of HomeRight through its sponsorship of this post.

Alright, well let’s get down to the dirty details of this project, shall we?    

Vintage Metal Cart Makeover Supplies

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• Wagner SprayTech large Spray Shelter
• Spray primer
• Spray paint in color of your choice for the shelves (I used this mint color)
• Spray paint of your choice for the legs (I used this color)
• (As an alternative to spray paint in a can, you could use the HomeRight FinishMax Sprayer and paint of your choice.)
• Patterned masking tape or washi tape (I found my patterned masking tape at Target)

How to Make Over an Old Metal Cart

First of all, if you’re working with an old projector cart, you’ll need to clean it really well.  Mine was disgusting and I had to wash it about three times.  

Once it was clean, I took it apart.

Next, I got to work protecting my garage from the spray paint bonanza that was about to ensue.  I laid down a drop cloth and got to work assembling my HomeRight Spray Shelter (which is now the Wagner SprayTech Spray Shelter).

It stores easily in a small bag, and it went together quickly so that I could get to work on making this projector cart pretty!  

I started by spraying the shelves and legs with primer.  Because I was working with metal (and rusty metal at that), I wanted to make sure that the pretty colors I had chosen wouldn’t chip off!

After the primer dried, I went back inside the tent to check things out.  I was SO excited to find that, for the first time in the history of me spray painting anything, my pieces were perfect.  

Typically I spray paint outside and something always goes wrong; whether it’s leaves or debris in the air landing on the wet paint, the drop cloth flying up and sticking to the wet paint, or an animal using my project as its bathroom (thanks, birds), something always goes wrong.  But not this time – the pieces were pristine because I sprayed them in the Spray Shelter.

Because of that great primer finish, I sprayed the shelves and they looked ah-maaaa-zing!  

Next up, the legs.  They were really gross and needed a fresh coat of silver, so that’s what they got.  

While I waited for the pieces to dry, my kids dreamed of all the ways that THEY could use the HomeRight Spray Shelter.  (“Can we camp in it, mommy?”  Um, no.  Sorry – this mama does NOT camp.)

They were happy when I called them inside the Spray Shelter to help me reassemble the projector cart once it had dried.  (Not pictured here: me getting irrationally annoyed with the assembly process.)  

After a few failed attempts at putting it back together, I finally got it done and brought the newly beautified projector cart inside, where I embellished the edges with patterned masking tape.  (Note: do you see how smooth my finish is?  No leaves or debris on this baby!)

And just like that, I gave that vintage projector cart a beautiful new look and a great new purpose as a craft cart for some of my favorite supplies!  

Can you believe this is the same vintage metal cart I showed you above?  

I am so happy with the perfect finish I got on this vintage projector cart to craft cart because of using the Wagner SprayTech Spray Shelter.  I am telling you that it made the biggest difference in my opinion of spray paint projects!  

And for small projects that I spray, like lamps and decor accessories, I will be using the Wagner Small Spray Shelter, which you can use right on top of a table!  It just pops right open and is ready to use!