5 Ideas to Recycle Wood Furniture

We'll give you some ideas to recycle wood furniture that you have at home and make them into something new. You can turn your old pieces of furniture into real gems.
5 Ideas to Recycle Wood Furniture

Written by Paula Heidemeyer

Last update: 25 May, 2022

Wood furniture can last for many years, but it can also go out of style as fashion changes. However, buying new furniture can be very expensive. Therefore, you may want to recycle wood furniture.

Before buying anything new, we’ll give you some tips to repair and restore the ones you already have. Additionally, we’ll explain how you can turn it into real gems.

Recycle Wood Furniture

Recycling isn’t just good for your pocket. In addition, you can also develop your creativity and imagination – all while looking after the environment.

Next, we’ll give you some ideas to inspire you when converting your old wood furniture into a totally new piece. Do you want to try some out?

1. Vegetable Box Table

You can recycle wood furniture to make shelves or a table.

A simple way to recycle wooden boxes that fruits and vegetables come in is to turn them into a beautiful rustic table. You can use it in the living room as a side table.

Additionally, you can varnish or paint it in a color that matches your room. Then, you can use it to store magazines or blankets.

If you want, you can even add wheels to it. Without a doubt, it’s a fantastic, cheap and decorative option!

2. Shelves Made from a Wooden Ladder

Do you have an old wooden ladder at home?

If so, don’t throw it away! In fact, you could use it as an excellent decorative piece.

You just need to open the ladder, restore the areas that you need to, and add some stops to the legs to make it more secure. Then, add wooden shelves between the steps. You might want to screw the boards to the frame so that everything is firmer and safer.

You can decorate it however you’d like.

3. Bookcase with Vegetable Boxes

This is another way to use old vegetable boxes that you may have laying around or may find at a local market for free. You can use them to build a bookcase or a library.

To do this, you just need to follow the following steps:

  • You can paint them or stain them in the color you want so they fit in well with the room.
  • Then, screw several boxes together and make sure that the structure is firm.

As you can see, this is a very simple bookcase to build. After following these steps, you can add your books to it and add other decorative pieces, as well.

4. Recycle Wooden Furniture Into a New Desk

Once your children no longer need their cribs, you can use them as a great way to recycle wood furniture.

Children grow very fast. If you have a crib that you aren’t going to use again, don’t throw it away. You can easily build a desk with it. All you have to do is add a wooden or glass surface as a tabletop to support all of your things.

Then, you can decorate and paint the entire crib to give it a special touch. Additionally, you’ll want to secure the legs of the crib so that it doesn’t move and is much safer.

5. Side Table with Pallets

Pallets are pieces of wood that serve to transport merchandise. If you have any of them at home, don’t throw them away because you can turn them into a side table.

There are countless things you can make with pallets, from tables to sofas and everything in between!

Generally, lots of people choose to leave them their natural color. On the other hand, others choose to varnish them. However, there are lots of different options to add some color. Choose whatever interests you the most, and enjoy your new, simple, original pallet furniture.

Tips to Recycle Wood Furniture

Finally, we’ll give you some basic steps to recycle wood furniture to make them look like new. Keep reading to find out the best techniques to make them look professionally refurbished.

  • Choose a good paint. You should buy good quality paint. This is essential to have a good finish. It’s best to choose either latex or acrylic paints.
  • Sand the furnitureTo get a better finish, don’t hesitate to sand the wooden furniture first. Then, the furniture will look much better. Choose a medium grain sandpaper to get rid of any varnish and chips the wood might have.
  • Prepare the furniture. Wipe down the wooden furniture with a cloth. Then, if there’s any damage (like a hole) try to fix it or camouflage it.
  • Seal it. This is a thick material that prevents furniture from wearing out. Also, if you painted them, using a sealer will make that final finish spectacular.

If you want to save some money, don’t hesitate to take advantage of everything you have at your disposal to decorate your home and create shelves or functional furniture. Often, everything you need is right around you.

Are you ready to put your creativity to the test?


This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.