In today’s eco-aware world, recycling has been on the rise in the past decade or so. And upcycling, the process of turning something old and unwanted into something brand new, is an excellent way to reduce your waste! Here we have 3 excellent ways to upcycle your old garden furniture. But first of all, a question some of you may be asking…
Why Upcycle?
Some people may call it “preaching”, but the facts are right there. The reality is that humans are killing the planet with our waste and we all need to do our bit to reduce our carbon footprints. By turning the old stuff you don’t want from your garden into something new rather than chucking it away, you can massively lower the amount of waste you’re putting out there.
On a personal level upcycling can be an excellent way to save money. Instead of buying something new, you can get even more use out of the stuff you already have.
And now for three ideas that will help you save the planet and your money to boot!
Turn a table into a plant holder
This one requires a bit more DIY skill than some of the others, but it looks great and can even give your garden a rustic vibe! Do you have any old wooden tables you don’t want anymore? Rather than chucking it all away, take all the wood and turn it into a plant holding shelf.
All you need to do is remove as much wood as you need from the table and then put it together into a shelf to put your best plants on (hence why this one requires a bit more DIY skill). You can make use of a creative glue that can help you stick the parts together easily. Plan out the shape you want and then carve the wood accordingly. Then, drill it to your wall and place your favourite plants wherever you want them to complete this handy upcycling method.
Another top tip: when turning anything wooden into a planter, be sure to line it with plastic – drainage holes may also be necessary depending on how porous the wood is.
Turn a tablecloth into a cover for an outdoor sofa – or vice versa
Our second upcycling idea is a little bit less furniture focused and can be applied in two different ways. As previously discussed, an outdoor table is a staple of many people’s gardens – and most people will also have a table-cloth to go with it. If you have an outdoor sofa and are looking for the perfect cushions to go with it, why not repurpose the old fabric?
If you have any kind of sewing skill, cut up an appropriate amount of the fabric and then sew it into a cushion.
Or if you want to turn the tables (pun not intended), you could do the opposite, taking off the fabric of an old outdoor sofa and using it as a tablecloth. It goes without saying that if you’re going to put it on a table you’ll need to wash it first, especially if you’re intending to put food on the table!
Turn an old chair into a planter
The centrepiece of any garden is of course the plants – but why not display your plants in a brand-new way? This specifically works with those rounded, flat chairs. If you have one you no longer want or need and you’re looking for a bigger display for some larger plants (or even somewhere to display lots of smaller ones), this works perfectly. Simply take the chair, remove any fabric and make sure there are drainage holes in the bottom line. Then, line the remaining shell then fill it with soil.
And for a bonus idea:
Turn an old wheelbarrow into a planter
Follow along the same lines. That is how old and broken wheelbarrows can be transformed into something like large square planters. First of all, you’ll need to flip the wheelbarrow to drill drainage holes into it. Then, line the bottom with some kind of screen, put the wheelbarrow wherever you want your planter to be and fill the wheelbarrow with soil. After doing this, you should also add a 2 to 3 inch layer of mulch to help the soil stay moist and keep weeds at bay (this also applies to the previous planters).
This one also works well if you’re going for that “rustic” look we mentioned earlier, especially if the wheelbarrow is particularly old and rusty. If you want to kick things up a notch, consider mounting the wheelbarrow against a brick wall, painting it, or even planting some plants around it. In case you’re wondering how to incorporate all these elements into your landscaping design, contact a West Hartford Landscaping company (or one in your area). Having your garden landscaped by a professional can help you transform it into an idyllic and rustic place to relax.
In conclusion, there are so many ways you can upcycle and it has loads of benefits too! Some of the ways you can upcycle include turning old chairs or wheelbarrows into planters, taking fabric from outdoor sofas and turning old wood tables into plant holders. And there’s probably a million more things out there you can do with upcycling.
So why not turn something you were going to chuck away into something that can be a beautiful part of your garden?