Brisbane woman’s ‘unexpected’ Bunnings item makeover

A woman has clocked almost half a million views after sharing how she transformed a table using a random Bunnings find on TikTok.

A Bunnings enthusiast has managed to transform an old laminate table into a ”stunning" piece of furniture after using an unexpected item from the hardware store.

Geneva Vanderzeil, who regularly shares TikToks of her Bunnings makeovers, has clocked almost one million views on her latest up cycle project.

The 35-year-old used a $38 plastic bin to create the base of the table after randomly spotting it while hunting for materials to help give the $10 second-hand table a fresh, new look.

“I love taking unexpected items and using them to completely transform something,” Ms Vanderzeil told news.com.au.

Geneva Vanderzeil, 35, from Brisbane, had an old laminate table she bought from a second-hand store for $10. Picture: TikTok/genevavanderzeil

“I walked up and down the aisles looking for something that could work as the base and in the end I spotted this bin and it completely surpassed my expectations.”

Ms Vanderzeil spent just under $200 worth of materials at Bunnings including $90 on penny ceramic mosaic tile sheets, $48 on gyprock compound, $7 on fibreglass and $17 on grout sealer.

The self-taught handy woman then got to work, creating a white-tiled pedestool table in just two days.

She began by covering the bin with fibreglass joint tape to give the plaster something to adhere to. “The tape has a sort of grid pattern to it which gives a nice gritty texture for plaster. I simply cut the tape into strips and stuck on,” she explained.

She transformed it into this classy white-tiled pedestool table. Picture: Instagram/genevavanderzeil

Ms Vanderzeil then plastered the bin working it on back and forth horizontally. To help create more of a cone shape she filled the small “lip” part at the bottom of with compound and smoothed it out.

With each layer of compound she added a little more to the lip area and eventually it was a “smooth transition”.

She advised to wait until the plaster is completely dry before adding another layer. She also recommends when selecting a bin for the base, to get an industrial strength one that is very sturdy.

She used a plastic bin from Bunnings for the base, costing $35. Picture: TikTok/genevavanderzeil

She said it needs to be very sturdy.

Once the plaster was dry, she attached the base to the table top. she used two thick planks of wood and screwed them into the underside of the table.

She then glued the tile sheet onto the table top using liquid nails and cut any excess bits.

In a blog explaining how she put the impressive pedestool table together, Ms Vanderzeil said the key to a nice finish with this sort of tile is making sure each sheet lines up.

She covered the bin in fibreglass. Picture: TikTok/genevavanderzeil

Then covered it in gyprock, all purpose compound. Picture: TikTok/genevavanderzeil

“I suggest taking your time to line up the sheet on all sides and not rushing through this step.” “Only add glue as you are ready to stick. Once the tile is down there is a little wiggle room to slide the sheet around and make sure its positioned perfectly.”

To create the edge of the table Ms Vanderzeil used some ply she already had, and cut it into strips. She glued it on and once dried, she used wood filler to fill the gap between pieces.

She then put grout over the tiles using her hands (in gloves) working in a circular motion and wiped off any excess grout with a sponge.

She then attached take two thick planks of wood to the base of the bin. Picture: TikTok/genevavanderzeil

After that she glued the ceramic mosaic tiles to the table top. Picture: TikTok/genevavanderzeil

To finish, she sprayed grout and tile sealer over the whole table top to ensure it was waterproof and it was something she would be able to clean easily each use.

Ms Vanderzeil has shared two clips of her table makeover to TikTok with both clips generating almost one million views.

“The base already looks so good!” one person commented.

using a pair of gloves, she used her hands to cover it in grout, before wiping it clean with a sponge. Picture: TikTok/genevavanderzeil

Geneva (pictured) is known for her Bunnings transformations. Picture: Instagram/genevavanderzeil

“OMG I have that exact table and was just about to get rid of it … I am here for this.”

Ms Vanderzeil said she was originally going to use concrete pavers on top of the bin for height, but told news.com.au after a few professionals informed her it would be too heavy.

Instead she swapped it out for planks of wood “that worked really well”.

And the end result. Picture: Instagram/genevavanderzeil

She then shared another clip showing how the pedestool table turned out.

“That looks so good!” one stunned viewer wrote.

“Wooooooow, absolutely love it. So cool,” said another, while a third added: ”Duuuuuuuuude!!! That look AMAZING!!!”

After some asked whether the plaster on the bin cracks, Ms Vanderzeil explained “the fibreglass tape and flow plaster is amazing. Better than anything I’ve used before”.

She said she was blown away by the huge reaction. “I was hoping people would like it and I am so glad they do.”

Originally published as Brisbane woman’s ‘unexpected’ Bunnings item makeover