Today’s project is how we transformed a red Radio Flyer wagon into a beautiful all white wagon in 5 easy steps! We did this so that our three fur babies could be pulled down the wedding aisle!
If you look for white wagons on sites such as Etsy they go for $200-$500. Insane right?! Because we were having such a hard time finding a nice and affordable one, we decided to go the DIY route. We started off with a classic, used red Radio Flyer wagon that we found for $30 on Facebook Marketplace. You can also try OfferUp and Craigslist (a brand new one retails for at least $100). Read on for detailed instructions on how to DIY an all white wagon!
What You’ll Need:
- Radio Flyer Wagon (we bought a used one for $30 – check Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp, Craigslist, etc.)
- Water hose and cloth for cleaning
- Spray paint (we used this one in Gloss White)
- Newspaper, cardboard, or paint drop cloth to lay wagon parts on
- 4 plastic bags to wrap wheels
- Flat-head screwdriver to take apart the wagon
- Gloves for protection
STEP 1: Clean the Wagon
If you got a brand new Radio Flyer Wagon, you can skip this step. But since we got ours off of Facebook Marketplace for only $30, it was dirty and needed some major cleaning.
First, remove the 4 wooden panels and then hose everything (including the wooden panels) down with water. Use a cloth immediately after to thoroughly dry the wagon and prevent the metal from rusting. Let all parts completely dry over night.
STEP 2: Dissemble
Use a flat-head screwdriver to fully take apart the wagon. You’ll end up with:
- 4 wooden panels
- 1 red wagon metal base
- 4 red wheel caps
- 1 metal part attached to the back two wheels
- 1 metal part attached to the wagon handle and front two wheels
- Lots of screws – be sure to not lose any!
STEP 3: Spray Paint
Lay down all wagon parts listed in Step 2 on newspaper, cardboard or paint drop cloth. Pro tip: Do NOT use plastic. We made this mistake (as seen in the photos below) and noticed that the spray paint would stick to the plastic and took longer to dry.
Put gloves on for protection and spray paint the first layer of each wagon part on one side. For tips on how to spray paint correctly, watch this YouTube video. Let the first layer dry completely. Flip over the wagon parts and spray paint the other side. Repeat on each side until the layers thoroughly cover the base color or logo. Let dry completely in between each layer.
Don’t forget to spray paint the screws for a complete all white wagon look.
For the metal parts attached to the wheels, use plastic bags to wrap the 4 wheels before you spray paint.
STEP 4: Reassemble White Wagon
Once the spray paint is dry, reassemble the wagon and you’re done!
STEP 5: Decorate, if you want!
Our wedding florist, Stephanie Roseanne Design, decorated the white wagon with fresh flower arrangements for our big day. If you’re down for another DIY project, you can also buy faux flowers and create your own arrangement! Photos below are by our wedding photographers Sam and Sola Lee Photography and you can see more wedding pictures in our wedding recap post!
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Michelle Joseph says
I think DIY is a great way to fill the time during this pandemic. The wagon turned out great!
Mich x
Jennifer says
This is such a cute idea!!
Jennifer
Effortlessly Sophisticated
Jessica says
Oh wow, this is so adorable dear! Great DIY project!
Jessica | notjessfashion.com
Kathrine Eldridge says
What a cute DIY for a wedding! Thanks for sharing. You did an amazing job!
https://www.kathrineeldridge.com
Makeup Muddle says
Oh my gosh I cannot believe how cute that little wagon is! Those beautiful doggies look so happy to have everyone looking at them, they are adorable! I can’t believe you made that, it’s so so good! xo
Makeup Muddle
Allie Mackin says
WOW, how awesome is this! I love it, turned out lovely and it had bought this like this it would have been over $100. $30 way to go!!
Allie of
http://www.allienyc.com
Helena Primeira says
So cute, I liked 🙂
XoXo
– Helena Primeira
– Helena Primeira Youtube
– Primeira Panos
Anha says
Amazing DIY. Thanks.
xoxo
A.
https://www.eikomania.com
Ashley says
Literally the cutest thing ever- and you guys nailed this DIY!
-Ashley
Le Stylo Rouge
Andreea says
Wooow, the result is really spectacular! I totally love it! DIY projects are really fun to try during this pandemic.
Thank you so much for sharing!
xo, Andreea | https://www.budistyle.com/en
Christine Kong says
I love this! It is so much cuter like that. Now I wish I still had my Radio Flyer wagon from when the kids were little. This is so cute and what a fab idea!
xoxo,
Christine
http://dailykongfidence.com/
DeLinda Harrington says
How did you attach the flowers?
Tina says
My florist did it but you could probably use zipties or ribbon.