11 Creative Ways To Repurpose Auto Parts Around Your Home And Yard

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You have an old car sitting around your property. You originally planned to do it up, but you've run out of willpower. You're thinking about selling it for parts. You can get some good money for specialty components, but the process is often more trouble than it's worth. Instead, consider giving those parts a second life around your home and yard. It doesn't just cut down on waste; it also gives you a chance to flex your artistic and creative muscles. You can stack and paint car tires to make dramatic garden planters. Carefully clean an engine block and turn it into a sculptural base for a coffee table. Remove the seats from your vehicle and repurpose them into loungers in a transport-themed room.

Want to know the best part? Since auto parts are made of extremely sturdy materials, they can typically survive lots of heat, rain, and other harsh weather conditions. No matter where you use them, they should last a long time — indoors or out and in any climate. Even professional designers and makers on sites like Etsy are selling furniture, lamps, and art made from auto parts. If they can do it, you can, too! You don't need much to decorate your home like a professional with auto parts — and your yard, too. All you need is some spare time, possibly a small budget for basic tools and supplies, and lots of imagination.

Turning old tires into planters is practical and surprisingly easy. Give the tire a good scrub to clear off any oil or grime, add some soil, and you're ready to go. Tires don't break down easily, and they will resist strong wind and cold weather. Still, consider painting them to protect them against damage from UV radiation and make them last even longer. Also, don't use tire planters for edible plants — they can leach heavy metals into the soil. You should only grow ornamentals in them.

Car seats are built for support and long-term comfort. Tossing them away just feels wrong. Pick a seat from a car that is in good condition, strip an old rolling desk chair of its seat, and attach the car seat to the wheeled base. To make a lounger, anchor the seat to a low-slung metal frame. Just make sure to remove the airbag, if there is one, so it doesn't deploy unexpectedly. These DIYs may require welding. If you don't have the tools yourself, enlist the help of a professional.

Old license plates are surprisingly versatile. You can turn them into hat racks, garden signs, mailboxes, entryway key hooks ... The list just goes on and on. For instance, in a backyard, mount license plates onto a fence to create colorful, weather-resistant garden art. Likewise, indoors, you can use a bunch of them to create hanging wall decor. It's easy! Thread rope through the pre-drilled holes or screw the license plates directly to the wall.

Making a key holder out of a seatbelt buckle is quick and doesn't require expensive materials. Remove the seatbelt buckle from your old car by cutting the belt. All you want for this DIY is the metal parts: the buckle and the latch. Lay the buckle on two wooden boards and trace around it with a pencil. Carve a shallow hollow into each board, staying inside the pencil lines. Glue the buckle into place on the first board, then glue the second board on top. Hang it and use it.

Automotive fans often mount steering wheels on the wall as art. In the home, steering wheels, with their bold circle and sturdy spokes, transform effortlessly into hangers. You can, for example, use a steering wheel as a towel rack for your bathroom or garage. Clean it with a good quality steering-wheel cleaner and a rag to remove built-up oils and grime from years of use, then mount it to the wall. Add small hooks to create a multipurpose rack that can hold towels and bathroom products altogether.

Engines have metal frames and an industrial style that's been in fashion for some time. All you need is a little bit of patience, and you can turn an engine into a unique coffee table. Degrease the engine block. Make sure you reach deep into every corner and crevice. When you're done, sit a heavy tempered-glass tabletop onto the engine. Just make sure to put some anti-slip material between the engine and the glass. Since the engine is extremely durable, you can even use this coffee table outdoors — under, say, a patio awning.

Have kids? This might be the perfect way to reuse an old car tire. Just hang the tire from a strong tree branch or specially designed frame using thick rope or metal chain. You can paint the tire to make it fit nicely with your existing backyard aesthetic. Make sure that the tire you are using has no tears, cracks, or splits. It needs to safely support a child's weight. Check the inside of the tire often — snakes have the perfect hiding spot in your yard if you have a tire swing.

Why purchase a store-bought hose reel when you can build one with an old wheel rim? Measure the inside of an old car wheel rim and cut a round of wood to fit. Drill holes in the wood — line them up with the wheel's bolt holes. Bolt a metal pipe joint to the back side of the wood round. Screw a short metal pipe into the joint and mount another joint to the wall of your garden shed. Screw on the wheel rim wheel and loop your hose over it.

Making a light fixture from a car — or even a motorcycle — exhaust pipe is a clever way to reuse auto parts at home. If you don't have an exhaust pipe already, browse online secondhand marketplaces like eBay. The scratches and dents add character. Then all you need to do is attach it to a heavy base — think a piece of solid wood, or even another car part — to create a standing lamp. You could also drill holes for two Saysurey Black Light Sockets and hang the fixture on the wall.

Car headlights and taillights are designed to withstand weather extremes. This makes them excellent candidates for DIY outdoor lighting projects that elevate your yard with elegance. Once you've removed the lights from the car, open up the back of the component and remove the existing bulb. Retrofit the light with low-voltage, battery-powered LED garden bulbs or solar lights. Make sure they're weatherproof. They're safe because they use little power and generate almost no heat. Mount your quirky new outdoor lights along a path, fence, or deck railing.

Making a wheel rim fire pit couldn't be easier! Weld two or three rims together and place a grill on top. Dig a shallow hollow in the dirt, position the fire pit over it, and pile in the wood. For a non-weld option, dig a single truck rim into the ground (it should be flush with the lawn) and add a circle of medium-sized rocks. Surround all of that with pea gravel and stepping stones. Spray a heat-resistant coating or paint on the wheel rims for durability and style.