License plates are what make your vehicle identifiable. They also serve as a form of advertisement for the state or country that issued them. If you’re in the process of getting rid of an old car, wondering what to do with old license plates? There are many options! Here is a list to help you figure out what to do:
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What are license plates made of?
License plates are made of durable, reflective metal with an embossed pattern etched or printed on the plate. They are made to last for many years and can be recycled as scrap metal after they’ve reached their end-of-life expectancy.
The aluminum alloy has five parts: copper, magnesium, manganese, silicon, and zinc. The thickness of these plates ranges between 0.01 inches (0.02 cm) up to 0.025 inches (0.06 cm). There are two types of license plates – flat steel dies, which create what’s called raised lettering; stamped steel dies, where the letters have been pressed into the die before it was heated, then bent around a rod until cool creating what’s known as embossed lettering.
License plates are recyclable and should be recycled if possible, but what do you do with them when they’re no longer legal to use? There are many ways to re-purpose license plates that have been retired from the roadways and what can be done at home or a car dealership.
What to Do With Old License Plates?
You can recycle license plates by taking them to your local recycling center. They accept both metal and plastic license plates and cardboard boxes that have been flattened or cut into pieces. You can also upcycle the old license plate by turning it into a work of art!
There are numerous ways you could do this. You could draw on what’s left with paint pens, use stencils for artistic designs, scratch-off what’s unreadable so that only legible remains (or vice versa), attach crystals or beads with double-sided mounting tape. The possibilities are endless! One idea? Use an incandescent light bulb as a hardhat: glue two halves around the outside edge where they come together and then pop one end of the bulb over what’s left and twist it up; that way, you can use a light bulb for an old license plate as well.
There are other possibilities if recycling your plates doesn’t appeal to you or if what they’re made out of is not recyclable in your area. You could turn them into something new by cutting them down to size with tin snips (use gloves so metal fillings don’t get on anything else), drill holes all over one side (to make a mosaic wall hanging), or enamel paint what remains onto a wood board (for DIY jewelry).
Why recycle license plates?
- The first and most obvious reason is to help the environment. By recycling license plates, not only are you reducing what goes into landfills, but you’re also helping keep our planet healthy!
- Second of all, by recycling your old license plate(s), instead of just throwing it away or leaving them in storage forever where it’ll never be used again (and won’t decompose!), you can find new ways for them to serve a purpose.
- Thirdly, there’s always something that might come up in life when those old license plates will suddenly be called on once more: You may need some spare change during an emergency, or maybe a friend needs one as part of her costume this year at Halloween – what would you do then?
- Fourth and finally, what’s better than giving back to your community for free?! Your old license plate can be recycled into several different objects in the form of an art installation.
There are many other reasons why you should recycle your old license plate, and it might just be what you need to do, so start by scrolling down the page for some ideas on what else can be done with those old plates.
License Plate Boxes
License plate boxes are a great way to keep all of your old license plates in one place. The problem with these is that they can be hard to find, so it might not be the best option for those who aren’t looking but want someplace to store their licenses. Many metal scrap yards or antique shops will have them available, and even if yours doesn’t, you may still be able to order what you need online (some states require this).
Wall Sconces
You can make wall scones with old license plates and light bulbs. The project is simple, requires no wiring or soldering whatsoever, and the materials are pretty easy to find.
You’ll need a drill with a few different screws sizes (the bigger the hole size in your plate, the more LEDs you can use), some brackets for hanging them up on your wall, an LED strip that will fit into your drilled holes without issue (these come pre-cut but if not you can cut it down to what length you want). You’ll also need some wire connectors, threading for connecting these pieces once they’re screwed onto the back of each other. And finally, things like silicone sealant to make sure everything stays nice and dry inside.
Clipboards
Clipboards, made of metal, often come to mind when one thinks of recycling old license plates. One can purchase new clipboards at a dollar store or office supply store for about $15-$25 each.
- If you’re handy with the hammer and drill, consider drilling holes in your license plate and then mount it on the wall as decoration (this is not recommended if you have an antique or valuable collectible).
- You could also use your old license plate to make a pencil holder by cutting two triangle shapes out of both sides, so they meet in the middle and secure them together using screws.
- Or fashion into a clock! Mounting holes may need additional drilling depending on how many hands it has on its face.
Recycle Them
One of the best things you can do with old license plates is recycling them. These can be turned into various things, such as rings or even furniture like shelves and tables. You’ll need to research what your state allows you to do with their old license plate before deciding what you want the end product of recycling it to be.
Another reason why you should recycle your old license plate is that it can be turned into recyclable material. For example, the steel in the plates could be recycled to make other items such as pots and pans or even cans for soup if what you’re looking for isn’t too heavy-duty. The aluminum from an old car’s license plate can also be recycled to create new products like cars, planes, and more.
A third use of recycling an old license plate would be reducing landfill space by turning them into something else rather than throwing them away with all your trash. This way, they’ll take up less room at landfills and won’t cause any harm when buried deep underground due to their lack of toxic chemicals.
Buy or Sell Them
If you want to get rid of your license plates, sell them on sites like Craigslist or eBay. If you need a quick buck and not necessarily money, try selling the tags individually for $50-100. You can also swap licenses with other people if they have what you’re looking for that’s still valid in their state. This tradesperson will usually request a small fee from what was paid and what needs to be swapped out (i.e., sales tax).
Collector’s items
Collector’s items are what you do with old license plates. You can sell them to collectors or trade them for other collector’s items in the collectibles market. These types of sales may require a seller’s contact information and account number on eBay before they will allow you to list an item and a listing fee which is typically around $0.30 per auction plus 15% of what you make from your sale.
You could also create framed art from the license plate if it still has its metal wrapped around it. Still, this option might be more difficult than just mounting the plate onto a frame to display chronologically by date issued, so people know when each year was issued high up in the frame.
Craft projects
- Use an old license plate as a chalkboard or bulletin board by painting the metal with semi-gloss paint. Hang on the wall using thumbtacks and add what’s needed to make it more functional, such as magnets for dry erase markers in the spaces between words.
- Make an outdoor table out of recycled materials like old license plates and wood scraps; drill holes through your scrap pieces, then use brass screws to assemble into mosaic-style tabletop (make sure you countersink the heads, so they’re flush). If you don’t have any metalworking skills, try making this from IKEA parts: Ikea hacks – License Plate Wall Décor.
- Gather up enough old license plates to take a seat or use them to construct an old-style bench.
- Turn your old license plate into wall art by drilling holes through what’s left and making it part of a piece with string lights.
Create a DIY garden marker with an old license plate and paint
You can create a DIY garden marker using an old license plate, a paintbrush, and some acrylic craft paint. Follow these steps to create your custom design:
- Clean the front of the license plate with soap and water.
- Paint what you want onto the backside of the plate (the rough texture is what gives it that DIY feel).
- Once dried, carefully flip over so that what was painted on now faces outwards – this will be visible on both sides once hung up in your garden.
You can also use different paints to add another dimension to your painting experience: pastels for those light colors or give it a little more depth with earthy tones like browns or grays.
Cut out letters from the license plate to create your sign for your front yard.
By cutting out letters from your old license plate to spell what you’d like on your front lawn, you can make a sign for anything from “welcome home!” to the name of your family pet. You can also cut out letters to create a symbol that represents what is important to you and what makes up what matters most about who you are as a person.
If it’s not too windy outside or when rain chances increase, try painting with watercolors over paint markers for fun art pieces that will catch eyes.
Make a mobile phone holder using two nails, one screw, and an old license plate.
You can make a mobile phone holder using two nails, one screw, and an old license plate (one with a design on both sides).
- Cut the screws to size. Drill holes in what will be the back of your phone holder. Place them so that they are evenly spaced from each other about halfway up your piece of wood or metal. Drive a nail into each hole to secure it for now
- Screw the pieces together at what would be the top edge if you were looking at it as though it was standing upright on a desk
- Place your old license plate on top of what will be the back. Drill two holes in each corner and fill them with glue to make sure they stay
- Screw one screw at what would be the bottom edge, then place nails where you want your phone holder to stand or attach it to a wall.
Create nameplates for your pet’s crate with leftover pieces of metal cut-outs found on an old license plate
One of the best things you can do with an old license plate makes a nameplate for your pet’s crate. You can create this by cutting out letters from the metal of an old license plate and then use them as stencils to paint on what you would like it to say or what animal they belong to.
For example, if you want “Roxy” written across the front in different colors: cut out R-O-X-Y with scissors; lay down paper towels onto your work surface (to protect against stray drips); place a sheet of cardboard on top so that each letter will be raised off the table; put another piece of cardboard over these pieces and use heavy books to flatten them until they are fully stuck together–and voila! You have a personalized sign for your pet’s crate.
Most importantly, with this project, what you will be doing is not just recycling an old license plate that would otherwise go to waste–you’ll also be able to identify better what belongs in which animal’s crate so there are no mix-ups and frustrations when it comes time to clean the cages.
Summing Up,
Recycle old license plates for a good cause. There are many ways to reuse an old license plate and get it out of the landfill. Turn them into wall décor, garden markers, planters, or bike decorations. You can also use your creativity by turning them into craft projects such as scrapbooks or frames for pictures. The possibilities are endless! Old license plates make great gifts too, so if you’re looking for something unique to give someone on their birthday, ask us about our recycled gift cards today.
