Environment
Eco-Friendly Furniture Renovation and Repair Options
There are a lot of things that you should do to lead an eco-friendlier lifestyle. One of the most important steps that you can take to be a better steward for the environment is reducing the amount of waste that you generate.
If you are truly committed to living an eco-friendly lifestyle, then you should try to find new purposes for some of the items that you would otherwise throw out.
Your furniture is a prime example. You might have some furniture that you would like to take to the landfill. This obviously is going to take its toll on the planet, since you will need to use more natural resources to produce new furniture and are contributing to the landfill shortage.
Instead, you should think of ways to repurpose and reuse the furniture that you were planning on throwing out. This will be a lot better for the environment by reducing landfill waste and you may save money in the process.
Ways to Repurpose Furniture to Help the Environment
Are you wondering how to upcycle your recycled wood? Well, you have come to the right place.
More and more people are opting out of buying brand-new furniture and instead, making their own from recycled materials. It’s a lot cheaper, sustainable and eco-friendly!
Tables
Before you get rid of that old door or chest of draws, think again. Your new table can come from your old bedroom door. You need to get it cleaned up and polished! Oak is one of the main materials that’s used to make furniture. It’s highly durable and lasts and very long time. It can be sanded down and refinished several times to restore its natural look.
Before you start anything, take the door off its hinges and remove all the excess bits you don’t need. Give it a good scrub with soap and water, and make sure you let the door completely dry before stripping and sanding it down. Once you have done that, you have a blank canvas to transform your old door into your new, reformed table.
This is a great eco-friendly way to dispose of furniture rather than just taking it to the dump.
Bookcases
Vanessa Beaty has some great tips on repurposing old bookcases. This is an overlooked way to help the environment.
There is nothing more satisfying than having a rustic, rugged bookcase filled with trinkets and old- fashioned books. There are many ways to transform an old bookcase or make a new one. You can use anything from old wardrobes to leftover wooden planks. Bookshelves are all about uniqueness and creativity so, it doesn’t matter if the planks aren’t sanded down or glossed, they’ll be covered in books!
Depending on the size of the body and shelves, your best bet is to make a plan and figure out the dimensions. After all, you want everything to fit! To assemble, use necessary screws, shelf brackets and nails. Feel free to finish with a fresh lick of paint or varnish if the wood is untouched.
Window Seats and Benches
Looking for a comfortable place to sit while reading that book? Grab some wood that’s lying around in your garage and make yourself a chair, bench, or a window seat to add some uniqueness into your home. Leftover planks of solid wood flooring are a lifesaver if you want to create a window seat looking into your garden. It’s cost-efficient and be used for storage space too! These are the steps you should consider taking when building your window seat:
- Plan it out
- Get your supplies
- Build the frame
- Build the face frame
- Cover the front wall
- Build the window seat top
- Finish with comfy cushions and lots of blankets!
Have a look at this stunning example below!
We hope this has given you a few ideas to transform your old bits of wood into authentic furniture.