Recycle Old Tires To Make Fun Outdoor Patio Furniture

Much of North America is built around car-centric infrastructure, but the tires we use to navigate that web of roads and highways won't last forever. Tire rubber ages due to service, storage conditions, and inclement weather, and should be replaced every six to 10 years — or earlier if there are clear signs of deterioration, such as the tread's depth falling below ⅛ of an inch. The synthetic polymers used to create tires, called thermosets, are notoriously hard to recycle. However, that doesn't mean you have to make like "The Simpsons" and dump your old wheels in a flaming pile. Consider reusing your tires for some home DIY projects instead.

Tires are too bulky and, if you're upcycling a set that's got roadway wear and tear, too dirty to have much use inside the house. That's where one fun tutorial for repurposing your old tires into DIY outdoor furniture by YouTuber Gediminas Damašius could offer some bang for your buck. Damašius is able to create a patio chair and table using just one set of rotated tires, some bolts to hold them together, and materials to plug their holes — in this case a plank of lightweight wood and some thick twine. With how replicable the process is, there's an opportunity to expand that furniture set for a full outdoor tea party tablescape. Given the United States disposes of 279 million waste tires a year, according to the Transportation Research Board, there's plenty of material out there to recycle.

Once you've nabbed a set of matching tires, your first step is to mark the inner lips of the rubber so you can drill at least three holes into each: one set on top and the other on bottom. This should let you connect the tires with nuts and bolts, after which you can attach a metal rim to the bottom of your stack.

For the table, you can create a flat insert for the top opening. Mark the tire's rim diameter on malleable material like balsa wood so you can cut out and sand down the circle, along with a penny-sized hole in the center. This tabletop can be lifted to use the inside of the tire stack for storage — though also consider getting a cushion for comfort, especially if your patio is aiming for a particular aesthetic beyond outdoorsy wood. For the chair, mark one tire at every point demarcated along the edge of a metal rim before bolting your stack. Weave a gridded pattern over the opening with heavy-duty twine and common household repair tools like pliers. You can also drill two holes in each cardinal direction, further from the original circle, to make the last grid lines reach the edge. 

One fun thing about this concept is its room for customization. For example, the creator paints all of his tire's embossed words red to help them stand out, and the tabletop insert can be painted whatever color or pattern you like. Try using different materials or even unique tires (a studded winter set, perhaps) to help each piece stand out.