Well, if you’re one of the many of us spending a lot more time at home this spring, you could probably use some projects to keep you busy. These outdoor projects use recycled and repurposed waste materials that are often lying around taking up space. They’ll help you get things done around the house, clean up waste and breathe new life into it. Plus, they’re not things you have to buy new, so you won’t have to make unnecessary trips to the store. Which helps keep everybody safe.
Garden Arbours and Trellises
Arbours and trellises are great projects to make from recycled or repurposed materials because they can be made out of so many different things. People create gorgeous arbours out everything from old doors and windows to mesh fencing panels to branches. Anything that your plants can climb can be turned into a trellis, from upturned shovels and rakes to old bike tires.
Brian Patrick Flynn takes you through the process of making an arbour out of a pair of old doors here. For some inspiration for making trellises out of found and recycled materials, check out Moira McGhee’s round-up of ideas here.
Pallet Sandbox
You can make a rugged sandbox for the kids out of pallets that are in decent shape. You’ll need at least two pallets, one for the frame and one for the sides. A tarp lines the inside of the box to keep the sand in. Kasia at the Wooden Pallet Projects Toolbox offers a step-by-step guide to a basic sandbox project here.
Depending on how many pallets and how much time you have, you can create a very fancy set up with this project. Benches, a cover, a cover that retracts into benches, a gazebo roof – this is a project with a lot of options. Shane Conlan has a video for a more sophisticated sandbox here.
Get the Green Building Project Checklist
Use this handy checklist on your next project to keep track of all the ways you can make your home more energy-efficient and sustainable.
Since chemicals are a concern when working with pallets, check out this guide to pallet safety from 1001 Pallets before you build.
Potting Station
A potting station is a must for anyone who spends a lot of time in the garden. Hours hunched over or on your knees put a lot of wear and tear on your joints. You may not think you need a station now, but future you will thank you for not assuming that your spine is invulnerable.
Old workbenches, picnic tables and pallets make excellent candidates for potting stations, but worn-out indoor furniture is worth a look, too. Sewing tables, dressers and washstands don’t require a lot of modifications – just some extra protective finishing to keep them safe in their new outdoor life. Mamabee shares some ideas for this project here.
Tire Pond
This is not as redneck as it maybe sounds. Your tire is your frame, but you’ll be sinking it, lining it and surrounding it with landscaping stones, plants or whatever finishing materials look good to you. Digging aside, ponds are straightforward outdoor projects with a lot of opportunity for variations.
If you have the good fortune to have access to tires from a tractor or other large piece of equipment, you can create a good-sized water feature in your yard with just one tire. Other folks have grouped several smaller tire ponds together, with plant-heavy landscaping in between to create the look of a more continuous waterway. Goods Home Design walks you through the project with plenty of pictures here.
Concrete Planter
This one can be as simple as filling the holes of a concrete cinder block with soil and putting herbs or flowers in. Offset and stacked, this project can become a multi-tiered planter that works great in corners or along walls. A bit of cardboard or thin wood between the layers of blocks keeps soil in place. Paint the blocks or leave them natural for a more industrial aesthetic. It’s a fantastic way to put old concrete blocks to new use.
Make a Mat Out of a Hose
Got an old, leaky hose that no amount of tape will make functional again? Turn it into a non-slip doormat for your home, your garden shed or the potting station you just built. You can make a square or rectangular mat by cutting the hose into the desired lengths and gluing them onto a backing. Fashion a round or oval mat by curving the hose into shape and binding with zip ties. Ann Elias has a step-by-step tutorial on oval mats here and Mark Kintzel shares instructions for a zip-tie-free, half-oval design here.
Privacy Screen
Privacy screens are great in smaller spaces where you need a little distance from your neighbours or where you just want to create a little getaway in a corner somewhere. Pallets are a go-to for this project, but you can make some pretty cool screens out of indoor fixtures like doors and shutters, or out of recyclables like water bottles, wine bottles or pipes.
Even if you’re not particularly handy, you can make a privacy screen by hanging old drapes or old drop cloths. You can check out Joanne Miller’s wine bottle screen here. Jayne Westerholt has a guide to making a privacy screen out of repurposed window blinds here.
Firepit
If you have the right materials to repurpose, a firepit is a simple project. Old bricks, paving stones, cinder blocks or concrete garden edging can all be repurposed to build a firepit. If you have the right tools and some welding experience, the right materials matter less. Recycled fire pits can be made out of steel barrels, metal roofing materials or corrugated steel from any number of previous outdoor projects.
Not a welder? That’s ok. The bottom of an old barbecue, the tub of an old washing machine, even a wheelbarrow can be turned into a fire pit with few modifications. The key with previously used objects is to make sure they’re clean and free from extraneous material and flammable finishes. Abigail Clark offers ideas and plans for DIY firepits here.
Repurposed and recycled materials can be used to build all kinds of things, from greenhouses to garden decor. Get creative with your waste, stay home if you can and stay well!
Feature image: Rachel Kramer; Image 1: Marc Majcher
