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7 Smart Uses for Old Tires: Creative Ideas for Reuse

blue rope tied on a car tire

If you have a bunch of old tires collecting dust, you’ve probably wondered what you can do with them short of recycling. As it turns out, old tires are perfectly suited for a wide array of crafts and useful furniture. If you fancy making stuff and have some old tires, nearly anyone can turn them into something completely new. Let’s check out what you can do with those old tires to give them a new lease on life.

car and road divider

Top 7 Uses for Old Tires

1. Turn It Into a Tire Swing

tire waste
Image Credit: pixel2013, Pixabay

One of the most classic ways to reuse an old tire is to tie it to a strong tree branch with a sturdy length of rope. Tire swings are a great way to get the kids outdoors and they’re fairly simple to make. Even if you don’t have a large tree on your property, you can hang it off a sturdy porch ceiling beam or even indoors. Instead of letting them languish in a pile out back, convert those tires into free seating.


2. Make Some Chairs

You can get as basic or as fancy with this one as you want. Stack a couple of tires for a basic stool-type seat or meld together other scrap rubber to craft a back and arms for a full-fledged chair. Heck, you can even slap some paint on it to match your other patio furniture and brighten up the space. Need some seating for a fire pit or barbecue area? Tires, tires, tires! If you have enough of them, you can make more seats than you know what to do with.


3. Craft Tire Planters

The Painted Tire Swing

 

To easily add a sustainable, decorative touch to your garden, consider turning your old tires into plant holders. Simply place them over small flowers and plants, throw some paint on there, and you’ve turned trash into a practical decoration. Just be careful not to damage your plants. For the best results, place these over plants just after planting to avoid damage.


4. Crafty Storage Space

If you have old tires lying around, you’re missing out on free storage space. Stack a few tires together and use them to store all manner of items. Piles of yarn, tools, or kids’ toys? Chuck them in the tire bin and forget about them. Alternatively, put them in a country-style home for a bit of rural charm. Make sure you give them a good wash before doing this, though, because you don’t want to bring bugs, mold, or other harmful stuff into your home.


5. Create a Coffee Table

Image Credit: JumpStory

Depending on how many tires you have, you can craft a low-lying coffee table or a dining table for two. Cover the top with a piece of crafted wood or circular glass, secure it to the tire, and you have a bona fide table. It won’t serve as a large surface, but it can be a handy way to instantly add another small table to the home. More space for your stuff is never a bad thing!


6. Build an Obstacle Course

If you’ve ever seen a military movie, you’ve seen those obstacle courses made of tires. With enough tires, you can give the family something to do on a boring afternoon and get some exercise at the same time. You can’t just lay them in a line, though, or they’ll get moved. Take a long piece of rope and tie the tires together in a line, instead.


7. Get Ripped

good year tire
Image Credit: Dimitris Vetsikas, Pixabay

Tires are pretty heavy, which means they can be used to get a great workout in. You can lift them, or for a more hardcore workout, you can put them on your shoulders to work on endurance. If you want to work on your legs, too, make them into an obstacle course. Tires are extremely versatile tools for any home gym.

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Conclusion

Tires can be an unsightly eyesore, not to mention they can harbor bugs, snakes, and other nasty stuff. To get rid of the trash and gain some useful crafts or furniture, consider trying some of the ideas above with your worn-out tires.


Featured Image Credit: Chris Haws, Unsplash

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