13 Ways To Repurpose Old Tires As Funky Furniture

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If you want to turn the most unlikely item into a funky furniture piece, a used tire is the answer. This unsuspecting item can be used in DIY furniture projects, regardless of its size. While there are many creative ways to repurpose tires in your backyard and garden, there are also plenty of ways to incorporate them into a home's interior. With a fabric cover, layer of paint, and additional features, tire furniture can accentuate your interior design and add a unique, personalized touch to your home.

Below are 14 ways to repurpose old tires into funky furniture. Due to the round shape and rubber material of tires, most of these ideas are durable seating or table furniture. Even though they're repurposed pieces from automobiles and other mobile tools, it doesn't mean the style is restricted to eccentric interiors. These projects range in styles, from rustic to traditional to elegant, and everything in between. Read on to learn how to transform old tires into furniture, as well as some useful tips that'll make these projects easier to accomplish.

Old, small tires are the perfect size to make mini footstools for a bedroom, living room, or patio. Rubber strips like Tekdoe's Thick Neoprene Rubber Strips, are handy for supporting the footstool seat. Lay the strips in a tight criss-cross pattern to provide extra support. When it's time to wrap the tire in fabric, choose a geometric pattern for a bold and exciting look. If you intend to place this footstool outside, use a weather-resistant fabric, such as Sunbrella Fabric by The Yard, which is renowned for its durability and easy cleaning.

No one will ever suspect the velvet, plush ottoman in your living room is actually a car tire in disguise. It's important that you use two plywood circles to fit over the empty center of the car tire, giving it support for sitting or propping up your feet. Before encircling the board and tire with a soft velvety fabric, cover the tire and wood centers in Mybecca 36 Inch Wide (5 Yards) Quilt Batting. You'll only need about 2 1/2 yards of the batting, but this ensures you'll have extra to make the ottoman super plush. You can also cut a circle of Foamy Foam's High Density Upholstery Foam to add extra fluff to the top.

Try a DIY trend that replaces traditional sophisticated home decor by building a glamorous car tire armchair. This DIY starts the same as crafting a footstool or ottoman, but has additional steps for a backrest. YouTuber Christine Nore provided a must-watch tutorial if you want your chair's style to match hers. There's also a simpler way to build an armchair, which also uses plywood as the back support. The simpler route requires a sheet of ProWood Sande Plywood Project Panel sawed into about five pieces that curve around the backside of the tire. 

Tire swings don't have to be ugly. With a little extra fabric and an eye for design, make a charming hanging chair for inside or outside of the home. With some spray paint and primer, the tire can match an interior. Use a latex paint, like Krylon COLORmaxx Acrylic Latex Brush On Paint. Instead of looping a rope around the tire, use three separate ropes to hang it — this makes the tire hang flat, instead of sideways. Make sure you purchase a sturdy rope with a high weight limit, such as Luoputuo's Nylon Solid Braid Rope.

Tufted furniture is a funky 1970s decor trend that's coming back in style. Create a tufted armchair to match the previous ottoman by using another DIY tire idea. This project isn't difficult if you choose the right materials. As an example, you should use foam sheets instead of quilt batting, since foam is easier to meld into tuft-style cushions. Plan where the divots will be ahead of time to ensure the tufting looks deliberate and stylish. Aside from the chair materials, all you'll need is a staple gun — a DIY tool that everyone should own — to secure an outer layer of fabric inside the divots.

If you have old tires from a hand truck or another small vehicle, you can make a set of retro accent stools. You'll need some beginner sewing skills to stitch the tire footstool cover. If you use a tire with about a 20-inch diameter, you can also find premade cushions online, such as the Louis Donné Unstuffed Pouf Ottoman Cover. Ensure the stool keeps to a retro look by choosing a fabric that was popular in the mid-20th century, like corduroy, leather, or velvet. The only downside of a pre-made stool cover is that it may be difficult to attach legs and make the cover fit the exact dimensions of this innovative tire DIY.

If you're confident in your DIY and sewing skills, transform a large tire into a pumpkin-style armchair for a bedroom or living room. Keep in mind the tire is just the base of this project. It's surrounded by a hand-built wood frame, extra quilt batting, and various other materials. Due to the bulbous shape of this chair, it looks best without traditional legs on the bottom. Avoid legs completely or use a four-pack of Btibpse's Round Black Bun Feet. Both options ensure it has good support and balance.

Depending on the size, a repurposed tire is a great household upcycle idea for pets. Medium tires with about a 20-inch diameter hole should fit animals up to 25 pounds. However, most medium to large dog breeds will need much larger tires with at least a 31-inch diameter hole. Use either spray paint or fabric to cover the outside of the tire, and fill the center with a plush pillow or stuffing wrapped in more fabric. A bag of stuffing like the Fairfield Poly-Fil Premium Polyester Fiber Fill contains 50 ounces. According to reviews, this amount of stuffing is enough for a bed pillow, so it should suffice for most pet bed sizes.

Turning a tire into an animal-style kids' chair is a funky furniture playroom idea that will make other parents envious. The tire is just the base for this project. It takes woodworking to build the back support and frame. Not all the pieces are straight, and you'll need a jigsaw to cut the curves for the animal ears. Use foam rather than quilt batting for the cushion, since it's easier to cut foam into deliberate shapes. This is another idea that requires some sewing knowledge to accomplish, as you'll need to sew the outer layer of fabric and an animal face onto the chair when the structural steps are done.

While some funky tire furniture projects are challenging, a woven tire turned ottoman is surprisingly easy. The major ingredients for this DIY are an old tire and roughly 100 feet of rope. Like in other tire DIYs, you should cut round pieces of plywood to serve as extra supports for the top and bottom of the tire. The beauty of this project is that you don't have to sew it. Slowly wind the rope around the tire, using hot glue to secure the strands in place. Start at the top of the tire, in the center of the plywood, to create an aesthetically pleasing woven design.

Unlike many funky tire furniture ideas, this chic coffee table doesn't have subtle or nonexistent legs. Instead, the X-brace shaped table legs give it the minimalist modern look. Ensure the X-brace is wide enough to accommodate the car tire after it has been padded and covered in a thick layer of fabric. If you want the same shiny look like YouTuber Roxy Nimmiz's table, use a velour fabric like Radyan's Solid Velour Fabric. Velour is recommended over velvet, because it's easier to clean. Therefore, it's more practical for everyday use and occasional spills.

If it's time to replace the tires on your lawnmower, use your old set to fashion unique, but elegant, side tables. Unlike other tire DIYs, this project requires some extra unexpected supplies, like a round mirror, a tripod, and a washer hub. You can find washer hubs for cheap at home improvement stores or on Amazon, such as the PartsBroz Washer Drive Hub Kit. Be picky when choosing your tripod, since the legs are a major visual piece for the final design. The mirror is also a vital asset, since it's the finishing touch that adds elegance to an industrial-esque tire table.

Broken glass, cardboard, and a tire seem like a whacky combination. When assembled, they create a coffee table that doubles as an art piece. As long as you don't plan on putting too many items on the table, which is unlikely since they would hide the mosaic artistry, use cardboard as the centerpiece support. While you can smash a mirror to get the mosaic pieces, there is a safer recommended approach. Use glass pieces that are already in shard form for crafting. Milltown Merchants' Mirrored Cobbles have the same broken look, but with much less risk involved. However, they should still be handled with care.