Upcycled Skateboard Shoe Rack with Graffiti Aesthetic: Progress Update

My upcycling project is coming along on schedule. I have gathered all the necessary materials and I have a good idea of all the steps required to complete the project. Here is an image of the reclaimed wood I bought from the Boulder Recycling center:

(This is 15+ feet of usable wood and it was only $5.)

The other main part of the project is the upcycled skateboard decks, pictured below:

I have had most of these for a few years, the decks wear out over time and need to be replaced, so I have accumulated a lot of these. I have been skateboarding for around 5 years, and I have also done a similar project with old decks. This is a pants rack I made from 6 old decks and several 1 X 4 planks:

Here is what I am thinking the final product will look like:

I will need to go to either the ITLL or IdeaForge woodshop to cut my planks to size and attach them using woodscrews. I already have access to the ITLL shop and I am taking a tour of the IdeaForge shop tomorrow so that I can use that one as well. I will need 6 total planks: four of them 33 inches long and two of them 24 inches long. I might adjust these dimensions slightly depending on how much of the wood is usable.

After cutting and assembly, I need to spray paint the frame with graffiti tags. I will be borrowing spray paint from a classmate and doing the actual painting in my backyard. I may need to practice on a scrap piece of wood, but I will also be able to paint over any mistakes that I make on the frame. After the frame is painted, I will attach the skateboards to the shelves using countersunk woodscrews. I am excited to get started on this project, I have been waiting for an excuse to make a shoe rack and I have had this idea for a while. Things like this are a great way for me to use my old decks for something visually interesting and practical.

 

 

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2 Comments. Leave new

  • Trent Bjorkman
    February 7, 2024 1:10 pm

    Hey Alex! This idea seems really cool, I’m excited to see how it turns out. I think the reclaimed wood will look really good in conjunction with the used skateboard decks, especially with the metal riveting that looks like it’s still pressed into the wood. Do you have any idea of what you want to graffiti on the design, I.E. do you plan on using any iconic tags from skate culture?

    Reply
    • Thanks Trent, I plan to be creative and come up with my own tags, but I might also look at some local graffiti for inspiration. It will be a lot of trial and error but I think I will learn a lot from it!

      Reply

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