DIY Game Day Bar Cart

January 21, 2016 by Amy Clark

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Entertaining is my thing. There’s nothing I love more than getting friends and family together for a great time. And with a certain important game day party coming up, I knew just what I wanted to assemble to show off for my guests — a game day bar cart!

Of course, I already made my own drink cart over the summer, so all I need to do is give it a special game day twist. But I wanted to revisit these easy steps on how to transform a Sears Hardware Cart into this super functional and fun bar cart, so you can make your own too! For my cart design, I decided to keep parts of the original surface paired with a metallic shade, but you can personalize this to your own taste and color scheme. Just follow along with step two on the inside of your bar cart and apply your choice of paint if you so choose.

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Supplies Needed:

Sears Hardware Cart
2 cans Krylon Colormaster in Metallic Gold (indoor) Spray Paint
1 can Rust-Oleum Hammered Brown Spray Paint
1 Spray Paint Trigger (should be in the same aisle as the spray paint)
Sandpaper
Painter’s Tape (to tape off your wheels)
Gloves

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Directions:

1. Begin by removing all of the parts and lining them up on cardboard or a drop cloth for painting. You will want the trays on this piece to be upside down since we are only spray painting the exterior of the tray. This will not only save you time spray painting, but the cart already has a nice finish on it that is easy to wipe and clean.

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2. Rough up the exterior with medium-grit sandpaper. This will help our gold paint adhere to this smooth surface better.

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3. Apply the trigger handle to your spray paint can. If you haven’t used one of these before it is a life-changing spray painting tool that offers even coverage and saves your poor trigger finger for long projects. Begin by shaking your can for 1-2 minutes and periodically during use. Hold the can 10” – 12” from your surface, and spray in sweeping motions from side to side with a slight overlap. Apply multiple thin coats, wait one minute between each. You can add a top coat, if you like, with a clear topcoat, but it does dull the metallic sheen from this paint. I chose to leave it without the clear coat, because I like the roughness and loveliness of the sheen of this paint. I did find that this does adhere a bit unevenly to the surface, but creates more of the hammered metal look that I was going for.

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4. Remove the trigger handle and now place it on your hammered metal spray paint that we are using for the handles and wheels on our bar cart. Using the same technique, hold the can 10” – 12” from your surface, and spray in sweeping motions from side to side with a slight overlap. Allow these to dry fully and then flip to the other side to spray paint the flip-side of these.

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5. Tape off your wheels as best as you can and spray paint these with the same spray paint. Allow them to dry and then flip to the other side and spray paint the flip-side. When you remove the tape, if any of the paint has gotten on the wheel, just use your sandpaper to rough up the wheel to remove the paint.

6. Assemble after your cart, and all of its parts, are fully dry. Keep your spray paint handy for final touch-ups and use a piece of cardboard to block and protect the areas around where you need to touch-up. Allow this to fully dry before loading it with your drinks.

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Once everything is assembled and dried, you can add your beverages of choice! I decided to add my favorite beers to the top shelf for easy access, along with garnishes and drink tools. On the bottom shelf I have glasses and liquors that can be wheeled around as needed.

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Feel free to add any additional decorations like small treats, a chalkboard sign to message for guests or paper creations sporting the colors of your favorite team. Most of all, have fun!

Are you hosting a game day party? Check out some of these great tips, projects and treats from the Kenmore and Craftsman brands to help you throw an unforgettable game day party!

Share your own tips and ideas with us in the comments below or on any social account using #BringOnTheBowl.

Amy Clark

Amy Allen Clark has been the driving force behind MomAdvice since 2004. In addition to running a successful community for women and running after her two kids, she has appeared on The Early Show, and in Parents magazine, Redbook, Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food, MSN Money and The New York Times.