Scrap Wood – Four Examples of Articles Made From Recycled Lumber
Surplus bits of scrap wood from construction projects can rapidly take over your storeroom. They decay or become contaminated with termites if left in the open. Recycling them in innovative ways for functional things, or for hobbies such as scrapbooking, or skilled work such as contemporary furniture is a much better waste management option than taking them to the landfill:
- Carvings and Wood Burnings. If you have woodworking skills, you can use short boards, thin boards, and other scrap wood for creating works of art. For example, you might have a small piece of mahogany or walnut wood that would make the perfect base for a woodcarving.
- Children’s Toys. You and your children can create a menagerie of creatures from a heap of scrap wood. To make things more interesting, mount them on a platform with small wheels. For very young kids, you will need to use larger wood scraps: animals with sharp angles or little glue-on parts might not be safe for a child to play with.
- Planters. You can make a planter from scrap wood, which will take only a few hours to complete. First you’ll need to cut the wood to size using either a miter or a hand saw. Brush on water based primer on the inside sections of the planter except for areas where the pieces will connect. Apply wood glue along the inner edges, and seal the sides together, finishing the job with a nail gun or hammer. Paint your planter, and you’re all done!
- Wall Art. Stain or paint pieces of scrap wood in different colors, then set them aside to dry completely. Take one color at a time and start nailing them together to form a random pattern. For best results, lay out your design first and then nail it together. Once you complete your pattern, seal your artwork with lacquer, varnish or medium gloss.