Reinventing the Wheel: 10 Smart New Uses for Old Tires

Does the busy week ahead have your head spinning? Organize and prioritize with this clever chalkboard wheel calendar. Jot down deadlines, appointments, and goals for each day of the week, or use it for notes and messages. When the week is over, just wipe clean and start again.

Old tires are notorious recycling nightmares. Make them almost dream-worthy by converting them into planters—or in this case, sod-covered stools. The addition of legs transforms rubber tires into the ultimate durable outdoor seating.

Don’t forget the kids! This old tire was halved, fitted with a length of wood, and then painted and decorated to serve as a playful rocking toy for young tots. Remember, if you decide to make one, you’ll have two—so be sure to plan ahead by picking up enough wood and paint.

Get extra mileage out of an old bike wheel by turning it into a DIY clock. A clock kit, some stylized numbers, and hardware to mount it on the wall are all it takes to get this clock ticking. Attaching clothespins to the spokes allows it to double as a memo board.

With some fishing line and colorful paper, a bicycle wheel easily transforms into a beautiful mobile. This particular mobile suspends paper airplanes made out of comic strips, but you can choose whatever eye candy tickles your DIY fancy.

Colorful, useful, and fun, these tire planters form the foundation for a delightful container garden. Just spray-paint old tires in the colors of your choice, devise an appealing arrangement, fill the tires with soil, and plant away! For added interest, choose tires of different sizes and treads.

Related: How To: Paint EVERYTHING

A collection of randomly sized, rusted and worn wagon wheels becomes borderline art in this rolling pasture fence. While this rustic design may be hard to imitate, a single wagon wheel placed strategically in a garden creates a beautiful accent with very little effort.  

This colorful pouf looks so inviting and cozy, it’s hard to believe that a tire is beneath it all! All it takes to make is an old inner tube and some colorful cloth strips to wrap around it. The pouf’s durability makes it a great seat both indoors and out.

Lazy Susans are the best friend of many a hostess, and this bicycle wheel-based design is both practical and dripping with character. Its clean, elegant lines make it a great dining room table centerpiece as well as a conversation starter that will leave no one feeling like a third wheel.

A sturdy wheel tread can serve as a cool mirror frame. This simple project requires little effort outside of matching the size of the mirror to the bicycle wheel. 

Related: Mirror Magic—10 Ways of Using Mirrors to Your Design Advantage

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