15 Genius Ways To Repurpose Old Rulers In Your Home To Take Them From Trash To Treasure

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If you want a DIY that really measures up, you might want to reach for wooden rulers. You could even say that these are the most straightforward projects you could imagine! The foot-long sticks are ideal when it comes to repurposing them for other uses around the home. If the rulers are old and weathered, they need not end up in the trash or a recycling bin. Old wooden rulers have just what it takes to infuse a little character into your craft or art project. If you prefer to find a novel use for a new wooden ruler, they're a cinch to cut, nail, paint, stain, or even use as a base for one of the creative ways to use decoupage in your home.

You might not have considered repurposing old rulers when they have outlived their primary role. After all, the numbered wooden measuring sticks are prone to damage, particularly if they were the edge for your cutting blade to slice a straight line, or what you reached for when you needed to make a stripe with a fat permanent marker. Wooden rulers can only take a certain amount of that kind of abuse before they're ready to be rubbish. But hold on! That straight length of wood can prove useful in a multitude of ways, from magnets to boxes. Read on for some of our favorite ideas for repurposing old rulers to take them from trash to treasure.

Of all the genius ways to repurpose old rulers, this trash-to-treasure lights up with creativity plus functionality. Make a boho-style floor lamp using a broom handle for the center pole, wooden hangers for "legs," and two crisscrossed rulers for top support. Paint it, then tape a light bulb to the pole. Attach fabric to embroidery hoops and slip them over the top, resting them over the rulers. If you tried to easily DIY a statement-making floor lamp with a few inexpensive materials, you know that LED fairy lights could work even better than a bulb.

Many repurposed crafts using rulers showcase the look of the rulers. If they're vintage, it's the antique vibe that's often highlighted. But when you start a project with Dollar Tree's inexpensive and handy wooden rulers, showing off those numbers isn't as important as the fact that the sticks are super useful and easy to alter. In this case, transform rulers into a beautiful wall hanging by gluing together four rulers, staining and distressing them, and then adding a canvas bag for a pocket and dried flowers and other decorations.

If you've been wanting to incorporate beautifully unique rustic home decor ideas that aren't paintings, vintage rulers point the way. They're straight and narrow, making them ideal for a repurposing project that turns old wooden rulers into decorative arrows. A miter box makes it easy to cut wooden rulers or yardsticks to size and to create the fletching that looks like angled tail "feathers." The rulers can be misted with an intense craft spray that adds color and shine but lets the markings show through, like Heidi Swapp Color Shine Mixed Media.

It's hard not to love a cute little box, especially when it's repurposed from wooden rulers. Cut one or more to any size you wish, then nail them together into a box shape. Add magnets to the back, like TRYMAG Small Magnets for Crafts. Decorate with artificial plants and mosses, holiday trinkets, pieces from a game or puzzle, or miniatures from a craft store. Keep the style rustic by using old wooden rulers or purchasing new ones, removing the number strip, and painting them to customize them.

Old rulers open the door to creativity when used as handles for drawers and cabinets. If they are sturdy enough, the wooden rulers can be cut to the desired size, the edges can be sanded, and the handles can be attached with screws placed as you wish, whether at either end or one in the middle. If you don't feel like your ruler is strong enough to withstand regular use, you might want to buy or build a wooden drawer or cabinet pull, then use wood glue to affix the ruler to it.

Wooden rulers are featured in this Dollar Tree DIY that creates the cutest cutting board decor for your kitchen, and it all starts by peeling off the rulers' number strips. You're left with a thin strip of wood that is easy to repurpose. Line up six rulers, gluing them together along the vertical edges. An additional ruler is attached for a handle. Because it's decorative and not meant to be used as an actual cutting board, you can paint it, affix peel-and-stick wallpaper, or decoupage it to add your own flair.

Okay, so this repurposing project is supposed to be made with yardsticks rather than rulers, but depending on the book cover or box you start out with, a ruler could work just as easily. Line a box or an empty hardback book cover with paper (self-stick shelf liner would make that part easy) before gluing pieces of a yardstick around all sides. This could also be an idea for what to do with cool boxes you can't let go of when decluttering your space.

Wooden rulers can help you create flag decor easily and quickly. For citizens in countries whose flags sport straight lines, like those in the United States, the rulers make it super simple to generate alternating red and white stripes. Just paint the wood in the necessary colors and glue them together. Add a star (one or several, as you desire) that you have painted to complement the flag design. A rope looped through some holes at the top to use for hanging your creation completes the look so that it's ready to show off your patriotic spirit.

Photo frames aren't often very creative; they typically are rather plain and ordinary. Glue some vintage rulers around a wooden frame, however, and you'll be seeing your frames in a completely new way. The rulers can dress up inexpensive wood frames while adding a unique element. The wooden ruler frames can even add a touch of whimsy when you decide to create the perfect gallery wall.

Let's face it, not all the facial tissue boxes are very attractive. Some might be cute, but often they aren't. This easy project lets you customize a box from repurposed old wooden rulers. Keep the rulers as they are for an antique vibe, or make a box from new, inexpensive ones to create your own look. A tissue box made from new rulers can be painted with chalk paint, which comes in a variety of hues (not just black; try Colorantic Chalk Paint in ocean for a beachy feel).

We think of rulers as something to be used when flat or horizontal, but you can turn that notion on its side by taking wooden rulers, standing them on end vertically, and encircling a round oatmeal container. Cut them in half before diluting paint to coat them so that they are lightly stained, leaving the measurements still visible. Glue the rulers around the container for a clever and useful desk caddy/organizer to hold scissors, pens, markers, or anything else that clutters your desktop. It can even hold your rulers.

If you like jewelry, wearable art, and items that have been upcycled, this is sure to be the most genius repurposing use you can imagine for old rulers. For each necklace, you'll need a piece of a vintage ruler that is a few inches long (cut it to your personal taste). Glue or tack down old keys, baubles, gems, the remaining half of a lost earring set, quirky metal pieces, or any other trinkets to create a truly unique statement necklace pendant. It could also be a keychain or bar bracelet.

Originally conceptualized as a project designed to transform yardsticks into a unique topper for a table, you could just as easily adapt it by using wooden 12-inchers instead. The concept is the same: source enough rulers to more than cover the surface of your table, cutting the edges to conform to the sides of your tabletop. Side tables work nicely because they're small, thus creating a visually interesting design that wouldn't overwhelm a space. Or top a footstool with the foot-long rulers instead of a table. It would add a quirky bit of irony to your decor.

If you're feeling especially artistic, you may want to try your hand at making your own wall display. Been collecting wooden rulers, inherited some, or found a bunch on the cheap in an antique store? Put them to good use by creating a huge wall hanging using dozens and dozens of vintage wooden rulers that are cut to various sizes and arranged geometrically. The resulting designs (cubist, parquet, and more) pop off the wall with color and creativity.

Upcyclers have discovered that old wooden rulers and yardsticks have their own kind of charm. The measuring sticks often list local businesses or sponsors, sometimes slogans, perhaps addresses, and frequently partial phone numbers (if they're old enough, they might not show an area code). They're an intriguing bit of local history, and one way to preserve them is to upcycle the old yardsticks or rulers into something more timeless and useful, like a coatrack. Yardsticks make quick work of this project, but rulers glued onto a wooden plank work just as well.