Design & DIY

The clever way this cottager repurposed a leaky cooler

repurposed cooler on deck

It’s an old cooler plucked from the curb on garbage day, and it does leak a bit around the drain spout. But, so what, says Shingle Lake, N.S., cottager Ron Ramsey. He rectified those drawbacks by a) leaving the cooler outside on the deck, where it doesn’t matter if it leaks, and b) remaking it as an attractive piece of deck furniture. With help from daughter Carol and son-in-law Mitch Dingwell, Ramsey dressed up the ice tub by building a 2×4 frame around the sides, covering it with leftover decking, and edging it with surplus trim from the cottage interior. The handle for the lid was fashioned from a branch off the kindling pile, while the rope handles on the sides came from a beachcombing day on the Bay of Fundy. The whale emblems on the sides are the handiwork of cottage neighbour Doug McGuire. “Now, when you go over to have a beer, you feel so much better taking it out of something classy,” Ramsey says. Cheers!

repurposed cooler
Photo by Ron Ramsey

Sign up for our newsletters

By submitting your information via this form, you agree to receive electronic communications from Cottage Life Media, a division of Blue Ant Media Solutions Inc., containing news, updates and promotions regarding cottage living and Cottage Life's products. You may withdraw your consent at any time.

Weekly

The latest cottage-country news, trending stories, and how-to advice

Bi-weekly

Fix-it info, project ideas, and maintenance tips from our DIY experts

Monthly

Nature and environment news and inspiration for people who love to get outside

Weekly

Need-to-know info about buying, selling, and renting cottage real estate

Five-part series

Untangle the thorny process of cottage succession with expert advice from lawyer, Peter Lillico