Waste not, want not.

This project left me with a sense of accomplishment. This old gas BBQ has been sitting outside, mocking me for the better part of a year. I’d tried giving it away to anyone who showed any interest, took photos and posted a virtual “FREE” sign on social media websites, with no luck.
One day I stumbled in to the recycling-neighbourhood of google. All these wonderfully clever reuses for just about anything and everything. So I thought I’d give the BBQ one last reprieve before I personally dismantled and reclaimed that lil bit of the patio it cluttered for too long.

Before beginning:

Make sure the gas bottles are unplugged/ turned off/ long out of the picture, (you get the idea..)
Clear a space to work on this, it’s going to take longer than a few hours (mine took about 4 days.)

 

Gather some supplies:

For the clean up:

Sandpaper
angle-slanted blade
BBQ grill brush
garden hose
utility brush
rust removal spray
gardening gloves (Because let’s face it, it’s gonna be pretty dirty with all that old goo and rust.)
drop cloths or some old news papers

For the painting bit:

2″ paint brushes
indoor/outdoor gray paint (about 1/2 pt is what I went through.)
crafty oil paint
crafty paint brushes

Method:

1- After clearing your work space, turning on shuffle, popping in your earbuds and putting on some gloves: start dismantling all you can, it makes everything easier to assess- some of the lower parts on the BBQ may not be salvageable.

2- Either use a rust removal spray or sand, and scrape your heart out! Some bits may need more attention than others; the end goal is to remove as much rust and gooey-anything from every surface.

3- A good splash of water helps clear the areas of new debris and gives you a better view on your progress.

4- Repeat 2 and 3 as often as needed until you’re satisfied. Or “over” it. 😉

5- Let dry.

6- Now for the fun (er?) part! Open your paint can and give it a good stir before beginning.

7-I started on the easier-to-reach areas first: top of the hood, grating, side benches… working my way towards the depths of the BBQ. This took about 2 coats globally, and about 3 on the side benches- but that’s only because I wanted it thicker there.

8- After fully-drying, decorate as you like. I used crafty oil paint only because I had some left over from another project. Since the BBQ isn’t being used for its original purpose, you could decorate as you like; leave one solid colour, add stencils, silhouettes, splatter art.. decoupage? You’re only limited by your own imagination.