You can easily toss out old tyres and forget about them. But it takes about 50 years for rubber to decompose. So, your old tyres will be sitting in the compost for a long time. You can do your share of minimising trash and protecting mother earth. Converting reusable trash like tyres into functional items also helps encourage creativity, some will give you a good workout and save you a lot of cash you would be spending on buying household items. Here are some tyre recycle projects you can do over the weekend. Pick one you can do on your next weekend!
1. Pet Bed
Old tyres make durable, sensible and easy-to-make pet beds. The rubber can be washed, painted for design and inexpensive. To create this large and snug bed for your dog or cat, simply cut out one sidewall of the tyre and a portion of the tread area. Complete the bed with a comfy and colourful cushion.
2. Cup and Saucer Planter
Add a bright and eye-catching feature to your garden by repurposing some old tyres. This pretty cup and saucer planter ensemble are easy to put together and you can paint them as bright as you’d like and as creative as you can.
3. Rope Ottomans
These tyre ottomans are great for both indoors and outdoors. You just need a few tyres, a length of rope and some strong adhesive glue. You can spray paint the ottomans for more colour or leave them as is for a more charming and rustic look.
4. Bar Table
Stunning, unique and imaginative. This tyre bar table is a great conversation starter! You might need a little help with the stand, but the table top is just thoroughly cleaning an old tyre and buying a glass topper specific to its size.
5. Umbrella Stand
This is another easy weekend project. Ideal for smaller tyres, this inconspicuous yet functional piece is also charming in its own special way. Just scrub clean an old tyre, wax to shine and cut some holes for the umbrellas!
6. Hanging Planters
Another great repurposing idea for smaller used tyres! These hanging tyre planters project is perfect for the weekend and for people who loves gardening. These can be used as a creative screen wall for outdoor areas or a room separator with indoor plants.
7. Pendant Lights
These pendant lights are striking, innovative and extremely affordable. You will just need several old tyres, some carving skills and a few weekends to get the lights done! Make sure to engage a professional electrician to help you with the wiring installation.
8. Picnic Cooler
This is another level of ingenuity. Turn an old tyre into this picnic cooler! Functional, creative and smart. Cover an old tyre with sisal rope, fashion a cover and insert a tub for ice and drinks. Perfect for backyard parties and picnics.
9. Centre Table
Rustic, spectacular and elegant – can fit in well with modern, rustic and contemporary interiors. This expensive-looking centre table is an upcycled tyre, covered in sisal rope, topped with wood and varnished to shine. The centre hollow can also be used for storage.
10. Outdoor Swing
Upgrade the traditional tyre swing with some paint and creativity. This lilac tyre swing is fun-looking, bright and striking. Add in a cushion for comfort and safety. A great weekend project to work on with your kid!
11. Tyred Herb Garden
Turn your pile of old tyres into this quirky tiered tyre herb garden. Clean up the tyres to make them look spiffy, stack pile as you want, fill up with soil and plant away! This idea will also work well for flower garden pyramids.
12. Golden Tyres
Turn your trash into gold! Turn those old tyres into these golden poufs. Exotic, exciting and striking! Power clean the tyres, spray paint with gold and then insert cushions in the middle hollow. Easy, done.
13. Tyre Garden Pond
Turn an old large tyre into this amazing garden pond! You’ll just need a free weekend, a large tyre, rocks, a plastic sheet and water! Add gnomes, figurines and attractive plants to create your own splendid garden pond.
14. Mirror Frame
Old bicycle tyres make a great mirror or picture frame! Just clean the tyre, paint as preferred and install. It would be easier if you buy or cut the mirror according to the tyre’s dimensions. Then you just slip the rubber – easy, quick and practical!
15. Kiddie Seesaw
Convert your trash to something useful and colourful. This bright and nifty seesaw is made out of half an old tyre, a smooth plank of wood and some plastic handles. Fill the hollow of the tyre with cement and then paint with your kids’ favourite colour.
16. Tyre Chair
Reupholstery old furniture? Give your postmodern chair an edgy vibe by adding tyre rubber strips for its seat and back. The rubber is sturdy, cheap and comfortable. It will also give your visitors a nice surprise and your home an edgy charm.
17. Well of Tyres
Add a nice pop of colour to your garden, quick and easy with tyres. This lilac wishing well is perky, striking and fun! You can also use the tyres as planters or bird bath and the well as an elaborate bird feeder.
18. Flower Wreath
Here is another beautiful upcycle option for bicycle tyres – a flower wreath! Power clean an old tyre and paint with your favourite pastel tint and then fill the bottom half with flowers. To get the charming rustic vibe, add sisal rope for accent and/or scrape off some of the paint for a shabby chic look.
19. Modern Bar Stools
These vibrant and sleek modern bar stools are also upcycled tyres! The comfy cushion seat is supported by a metal pedestal, while the tyre is angled as such that it functions as the back and the armrest. Smart and innovative design!
20. Tyre Sandbox
Bring in the play and fun of the beach to your backyard. This tyre sandbox will give your kids countless hours of outdoor playtime. Get creative with the paint job and add an umbrella to protect them from the sun.
21. Magazine Holder
Hippy, trendy and functional! This unique and creative magazine tray is made out of an old tyre – cleaned, cut and painted. Metal stands are added for stability and height. An easy weekend project you can complete within a day.
22. Bird Feeder
How about adding a bright burst of sunshine in your backyard? This rubber bird feather is made out of an old tyre. Cut from one side of the wheel, a base is added to the middle; this will hold the seeds and grains. Use some sturdy rope or chain to hang from a tree.
23. Black Planters
Modern, edgy, creative. The perfect foil to the dreary perfection of a modern home. This rubber black planter is fashioned from an old tyre. Its hip design includes a stitched side and a huge metal ring.
24. Garden Steps
This upcycle idea for old tyres is functional and practical. Adding tyre steps to your backyard and garden can help contain erosion, prevent accidents and contribute to landscaping. It serves a lot of purposes, for a lot less work and costs.
25. Wheel Sink
Avant-garde! Make an impression with this gasp-inciting, awe-inspiring and truly innovative upcycled tyre sink. You might need help with the plumbing, but this cheap and environment-friendly DIY sink tyre will surely make your powder room unique and unforgettable.
26. Elegant Sofa
Brush up your upholstery skills to create this attractive and chic round sofa set. You will need some tyres, plywood for the seats, back of the chairs and tabletop, steel furniture feet, some foam cushion and cloth material covering.
27. Garden Clock
Add something fun and eye-catching to your garden without having to spend a fortune. This old tyre garden clock is already striking. But you can still add more pizzazz to it – more paint, more flowers or even build a garden feature around it, complete with rocks, water fountain and gnomes!
28. Weave Baskets
These huge baskets are sturdy, cheap and versatile home implement. You can use it as a laundry hamper, book or toy storage or a firewood caddy. The hard work is on the cutting of rubber strips off old tyres. The weaving, shaping and designing are the fun part. Paint it with your favourite colours or leave it as is.
29. Arty Carved Tyre
Stunning and beautiful. Turn that old and useless tyre, the eyesore sitting in the corner of your yard into this exquisite and spectacular work of art, sitting stately in your living room. If you are good with a chisel, start designing now.
30. Leather and Rubber
This leather ottoman stool is classy, elegant and sophisticated. Nobody would think it is made out of an old tyre! Clean up some tyres, fill the hollow centre with foam cushion material, top with cushion seat and cover with faux leather. Complete with studs and carved wood sofa legs.
31. Pool of Tyres
Build your own backyard pool over the weekend! You’ll just need the largest old tyre you can get, a bag of cement for the base, some colourful paints and a free weekend to work on it. Affordable, efficient and fun way to keep cool during warm days.
32. Tyre Shelves
Bring in an edgy street power vibe with this tyre shelf. Grungy and dark, moody and slick. Clean up some motorcycle tyres, fit out the tube with strobe lights and then add two or three wood shelves to its centre. Perfect for the den, a teenage boy’s room and any wall of a bachelor pad.
33. Garden Tyre Set
No frills, no paints, no cover-up. This straightforward upcycled tyre garden set is practicality and function. And it still manages to look chic and hip. Aside from the bright cords and wood to add pops of colour, the tyres are left bare and black.
34. Brass and Rubber Coffee Table
This brass and rubber coffee table will fit right in modern homes, goth interiors, edgy themes and minimalist designs. The innovative design includes a brass tabletop base and feet, and extraordinary feature – the top covered with strips of tyre tread.
35. Wheel on Wheels
Edgy and fun. Creative and functional. This wheeled tyre table is great for dens, bars and sports rooms. It exudes power, energy and sleek style. This is a great leap from the old and useless tyre in the garbage.
Do you have an amazing, creative, and practical DIY tyre recycle projects to add? Why not discuss it on our RenoForum!