Simple DIY: Rusty Fire Pit Turned Plant Stand

I've got a simple DIY project to share with you today (okay, so I actually completed this project almost a year ago, but hey, better late than never). 

This fire pit was given to us as a gift many years ago, and while we did use it a few times at first, it eventually became too much of a hassle to deal with (side note: we've recently gotten this fire table with propane tank, which is much easier to use and enjoy). 

Anyway, we didn't ever throw the old fire pit out, but just stashed it away outside with some other stuff. As you might guess, it started to rust... badly. However, I didn't want to send it to the landfill and felt there was surely a way to repurpose it. After some brainstorming I finally decided to turn it into a plant stand to put on our newly rebuilt deck. 

The first task was to clean it off as much as possible with a wire brush, then just wipe all the pieces down thoroughly. After going out to purchase some Rust-Oleum Rust Reformer, it was time to start the transformation. 

I laid all the pieces out in the yard on a large piece of painter's plastic, then started spraying my little heart out. I can't remember if it took two or three (or four?) coats, but it did require a bit of patience until a uniform finish was achieved. Also, as with any spray paint project, it's ideal to do this on a day with little to no wind -- which, fun fact, is virtually impossible here in Kansas. 

After the Rust Reformer was applied, I finished it off with a couple coats of Rust-Oleum Matte Clear Enamel. And voila! The fire pit was looking pretty sharp now compared to the old rusty version. 

My original idea was to use the fire pit as an actual planter and fill it with dirt and some flowers (or possibly succulents). But I never got ambitious enough, so currently it's just used as a plant stand for a potted plant. The bright green of this ice plant really popped against the new black finish!

So there you have it. Nothing fancy, just a good ol' spray paint transformation. Have you ever used the Rust-Oleum Rust Reformer to bring something back to life?