Turn A Pile Of Old Books Into A Unique Indoor Planter

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There are some treasured books — those with beautifully embossed covers or interesting annotations scrawled in the margins — that you would never cut up. What about those outdated hardcover books you can pick up for a handful of change at the thrift store? Likewise, what you need to know about installing a little free library is that there are some books no one wants to read. If they boast nice colors or pretty cover designs, you can use them for craft projects — for example, you can turn a stack of old books into a charming planter. With a potted plant sitting right in the middle, it's perfect for adorning an office bookshelf or a side table in your reading nook. It's also an excellent option for upcycling books with damaged pages. They just need enough remaining integrity to hold a pot upright.

All you need for this DIY project is a utility knife, Insoia Book Binding Adhesive (which is waterproof and transparent — essential for this project), a small potted plant, and a stack of old hardcover books. If you adhere to the great innovation that is the 3-5-7 home styling rule, then start with three books. Browse through what you have at home first, or visit a thrift store or a local library sale. Keep an eye out for old dictionaries or thesauruses, dated Reader's Digest books, and anything else with a vintage library look. Or choose a theme, such as gardening books for your sunroom or recipe books for a kitchen planter. Make sure you have a steady supply of DIYSelf Utility Knife Blades on hand. Cutting through books will dull your knife quickly and turn a fun craft into a chore.

Patience is your friend whenever you repurpose books that you probably aren't reading anymore. You won't be able to cut through an entire book at once — you'll work through it one section at a time. Use a pencil to trace the widest part of the plant pot onto the cover of the book. Cut out the circle with your utility knife, checking that the pot fits snugly into the hole. Then trace another circle onto a chunk of 15 to 20 pages. Cut it out, too. Repeat this process until you've cut through the entire book — and then do it again for all of your books.

@hometalk

Cutting up books feels like a crime! 📖✂️ My heart stopped for a second, but just wait until you see the final result! It's the perfect way to give new life to an old forgotten book. What do you think? Genius or a crime against books? 👇 #book #booktok #diy #genius #hack #livingroom #viral #thrift #thriftflip

♬ original sound – hometalk – hometalk

Apply the book binding adhesive to the book covers and stick them all together in a stack. Place a weight (like a few bricks) on top of the stack so that the books don't curl as they dry. To add height and create a base for the hole, glue a complete book to the bottom of the stack. Finally, if you're using a real potted plant, coat the inside of your cut circles with Bluebird Polyurethane Clear Coat to prevent water damage. Allow the sealant and glue to cure completely before dropping a potted plant into the hole.

This project looks great as-is, but you can lean into the forest-takes-over-an-old-library look by staining the pages with tea. Dip a paintbrush into brewed black tea and spread it across the pages. You could also adhere moss to the book covers or distress the pages by lightly wetting the edges and rubbing them with sandpaper for a worn look. Pressed flowers or charms glued to the book spines will make this DIY planter even more whimsical.