Question: I need some upcycle ideas. I have about 48 square feet of cedar boards that I pulled out of a closet from a house before it was demolished. It’s way too pretty to hide in a closet again, but it’s also not enough for a full wall. Any suggestions for projects or craft ideas?
Answer: Wow. Already jealous. Upcycle ideas, craft projects and home improvement fun, here we come.
-Art Randomize the boards by color and grain contrast to make a cedar collage for wall art. Create a free-form you love. And forget about square edges. Color outside the lines. Gap them. Rip some thin. Leave others full thickness. Stack some some. Hold them together on the back side with cleats. Staple them together and hang it up.
-Wainscoting You don’t need a full wall to add Western Red Cedar detail. Create a feature wall with wainscoting.
-Frames Instead of making the cedar the art, use it to highlight your art and family photos. Make awesome picture frames. Layer and stack the wood for a really rustic look. Make tight miters for a refined frame.
-Boxes, boxes, boxes Making simple, sweet boxes for your home or as gifts is something that comes from the heart. With 48 square feet you’ve got enough to make boxes large and small.
-Flower power Add color to your dinner table or family gathering by making a cedar vase. Make it big enough that you can fit a tall water glass inside it to hold water and flowers and high enough to hide the glass.
-Tray Cedar serving trays are awesome. Go platter size for cook-outs or breakfast in bed. Add sides to use as carry handles. Go small for cheese plates. Cut a groove to hold the cheese knife. Or stack three layers and leave a gap in the middle layer to hold the knife.
-Drawers Keep some cut-offs for freshening drawers. Cedar smells just as sweet as the day it was installed with a little sanding.
Upcycle ideas? How about upcycle inspiration? Now I want to get into the shop.
The great thing about cedar is its rot-resistance. That also opens up the possibility of using it to make some flower planters for the porch, deck, or patio. I used some reclaimed redwood from an old barn once to make a nice raised-bed vegetable garden.
I’d make a couple of outdoor flower boxes with short legs out of the cedar that could sit on a deck or patio. They are naturally pest- and rot-resistant and nice looking.