Wood floors are beautiful, but they have a significant downside: they’re not environmentally friendly. Unfortunately, this is an issue that many people face when they decide to build or renovate their homes. If you want the look of wood without causing damage to our environment, then this blog post is for you! We’ve compiled 13 easy ways to recycle your wood floors and turn them into something green!
Table of Contents
1. Bench Tops
Recycle boards into benchtops by cutting them to length and screwing down the top of each board using a drill, screws, and a few clamps. The final trim is optional if you don’t want it to look like an old barn door, but we recommend leaving some excess for that country-style charm! And voila! A recycled wood floor benchtop ready to go!
2. Table Tops
Recycling wood flooring is by putting it on top of a table. First, you will need to make sure that you have a table with legs and not an end table. Next, lay the boards flat over the top of your table in whatever pattern you like. You can even cut them down if they are too long for your space or look messy on top of each other. You should then attach it under the lip of the tabletop with screws, so it is secure and doesn’t slip around! And voila! A recycled wood floor tabletop ready to go!
3. DIY Wall Shelf and recycle
Recycling hardwood floors are by turning them into a wall shelf! We love this idea because you can use the wood boards as shelves that will never break or need to be replaced with just one board apiece. To make one, attach two screws at each end of your board and then place them on either side of the space needed for support against a wall. You should have enough pieces left over from your original project to create several different small wall spaces that you can fill up with items from around your home if wanted. And voila! Recycled wood floorboards ready to go!
4. Shine your Laundry Room Counter Top
Whether you’re just tired of your old countertop or looking to try something new, recycled floorboards are a great way to go! For this project, the simplest way is probably not going to work. You’ll need at least one more board on top as support for the weight (since wood can’t handle too much), and then whatever it is that will be sitting on top. The size should depend on what type of surface you want – smaller ones would be ideal for desks and tables with space beneath for storage; larger ones could function as kitchen counters if there’s room next to them.
5. Wall Sign
When it comes to recycling your wall signage, there are a few things you need to consider. If you’re looking for an environmentally-friendly alternative way of displaying your business’ information or advertising campaign, then this could be the perfect solution!
There’s no doubt about it – when we talk about wood floors and how they should be recycled to prevent landfills from filling up with scrap materials like that, people often ask, “But what am I supposed to do with all those boards? There’s not really enough space around here!” Now you know what can happen: these boards can become a new signboard that will make everyone happy! The only thing left is figuring out where they are going to put their next display.
6. Old Frames into Coastal Wall Art
If you want to recycle wood floors from the environment and turn it into your next project, this is a great way. This can be done by taking old frames which were no longer wanted or needed and turning them into beautiful coastal wall art using seashells that you collected on vacations as well as driftwood found along beaches. It doesn’t take much skill – just some simple tools, time, and patience to complete these projects. What could be more rewarding than transforming unwanted items into something new? Plus, they’re made with natural materials!
7. Recycle salvaged wood
You can recycle wood by using it in your home. For example, you can use salvaged wood to build shelves and furniture. Just a few supplies are needed for this project – upcycled pallet boards, screws, glue, and the wall-mount brackets that will be used as attachments or mounts on the walls where you want to place these pieces of furniture.
8. Recycle your kitchen Floor
Wood can also be recycled in your kitchen. For example, you could use salvaged wood to create a microwave stand or wall shelf for spices and cooking utensils. The supplies needed are the same – upcycled pallet boards, screws, glue, and brackets that will securely attach to the walls.
A few easy ways to do this is by using a board of reclaimed lumber as an island top, or base cabinet door front with some nails hammered into place from below so they show through; you might want to counter-sink them if the cabinets go all the way down to floor level.
9. Cabinet Refacing
One of the best ways to recycle old wood flooring is by using it as a cabinet reface. Depending on how much reclaimed wood you use and what mood you’re going for, there are lots of different styles that can be achieved: if you want to go rustic, then make sure your cabinets have repurposed lumber throughout; however, if this is just an accent piece (like these shelves) used sparingly all over will look more quirky – like in this breakfast nook below!
It’s fascinating that many modern-day interior designers have started incorporating reclaimed materials into their designs. For example, they’re using this unique material to clad feature walls right now! The key is any cladding should be limited to one focus wall in the space, and you want your best pieces of reclaimed wood as a texture on the surface. You can use these types of design with either a rustic or minimalist theme, but it all depends on what furniture style you mix them with, as we see below from some amazing design firms worldwide.
10. Wood furniture
Wood furniture is a great way to reuse and recycle the earth’s natural resources. With more of us now understanding how precious our environment is, it makes sense that we find ways in which old materials can be reused for new projects with unique results. For example, the bellboy took wooden flooring from New York City water towers as their starting point when they made this fantastic chair- totally original!
Wooden furniture provides an excellent example of how recycling and reusing items not only saves them but helps protect our planet too. Wood has many qualities like beauty, durability, strength – all while being environmentally friendly at the same time because there are no harmful chemicals or toxins involved during production or use (BellBoy).
For those who enjoy crafting their furniture, it is essential to know that not all wood seems equal. Some types of reclaimed lumber may be more difficult than others for the average DIYer with essential skills or tools at home. However, there are plenty of clever and inspiring pieces made from recycled materials out there worth looking into! For example, you could make a sleek chair like this one mainly using salvaged material (or something similar). If your skill level is just above beginner, then making finished items as nice-looking as these will take some work to create beautifully.
11. Recycled Wood Décor Objects
Designers in Australia are using old wood to create objects for their homes. Objects such as Hexology and Tweedle-Dee Tweedle-Dum boxes serve both functional and decorative purposes; they allow you to showcase some of the floors that would have otherwise gone unused!
Designers across all over Australia use recycled pieces of hardwood flooring from homes with new carpets or even carpetless living spaces to make creative items like Hexology pictured below. Items like this add a unique touch and help those who may be looking for an economical way to reuse their older materials.
12. Recycled Wood Artwork
A step up from home décor objects, using recycled wood to create artwork is a very satisfying endeavor. You will be not only turning found materials into something new, but the finished product will also have your signature on it. And good news! Creating art with reclaimed wood can’t get much easier than this, thanks to Becky’s fantastic tutorials offered at Beyond the Picket Fence. I would recommend checking them out and making some fantastic pieces of work for you today!”
13. Toys from old recycled wood
With toys being a crucial part of childhood, it is important to find fun and educational ones. Luckily there is no shortage of these types out there! One creative option is handmade kids’ toy ideas. Recycled wood! With the booming popularity in makers paces you can visit or even start your own with reclaimed timber as one possible material available, this resource offers plenty of inspiration potential – check out some examples here on how old recycled wood has been used by other creative to create unique projects like furniture and simple DIY kits including stuffed animals made from cloth scraps sewn together into an animal shape.
Very common FAQs on recycling wood floors
What Should You Know About Reclaimed Hardwood Flooring?
There are two main things to know about reclaimed wood flooring. First, is it a genuinely green option? If you live in an area with lots of trees and woods, materials could be sourced locally without too much environmental impact. Second, how does the quality compare with new hardwood floors? The answer is not as good – but it will depend on what type of finish was applied and if the boards were kiln-dried or air-dried before installation.
What are the benefits of recycled wood flooring?
Recycled wood flooring is an affordable option that uses materials already in circulation. It can be a sustainable choice because of the minimal impact on the environment, and it’s eco-friendly to boot!
The biggest drawback comes from the lack of quality control – while new hardwood floors tend to have more stringent building standards, recycled boards aren’t always as level or straight due to inconsistent drying times.
Reclaimed hardwood is also not available in every type of wood you might want for your projects, such as maple, ash, cherry, or hickory. So if you are planning something with specific requirements for what types of woods go together, then reclaimed won’t meet those specifications (although they will still look great).
Is recycled wood flooring more expensive??
One of the complaints with reclaimed wood is that it’s more expensive than new boards; however, if you’re looking for a truly sustainable choice, this should be factored into your calculations. Reclaimed hardwoods are not as cheap because there is no industry standard to save money on a lower quality product. The price difference comes from additional costs associated with sorting and cleaning before they can go to market. Still, considering all the factors, it may cost less in the long run over buying new flooring!
Final thought
This post had 13 different ways to recycle your wood floors for a greener home. We hope you found some ideas here, and we would love to hear about what other recycling projects you have in mind!
