Did you just get some new doors installed? Don’t throw out the old ones just yet! If you’re into DIY projects, you can transform your old doors into something unique for your home.
A New Table
Doors made from solid wood make for excellent table tops. They’re already cut to a good size for a large coffee table or decorative display. Get creative, paint your old door to match other items in a room, or strip and sand it to give it an aged look. Find some suitable legs that match the style you’re going after and you’re all set. If the door has recessed panels, you can get a piece of glass cut to size to place on top of it to give you a smooth surface.
Additional Storage
Want a unique bookcase? You’re in luck, because doors are similar in size to a typical vertical bookcase. Adding shelves to the front of a door makes for a fast storage solution, just make sure to anchor the door to the wall or add feet to the bottom shelf to make sure it doesn’t wobble. You can go a step further and add panels to the sides, top and bottom to create a fully enclosed bookcase.
A Hanging Table
You can create a unique outdoor table by hanging your door outside. Just find a strong tree branch – or if you have a deck, hang it from the beams on your porch using strong twine or chains. Just wrap the twine or chains over the branch or beam, drill some holes in the door, and secure the door to it with large knots in the twine or by securing the chain with a bolt on the underside of the table. Since there are no legs to support the hanging table, you’ll also have a lot more options for seating.
Check Yourself Out
Lots of older doors contain several recessed panels. These make for great insets for mirrors. Just grab a cheap mirror from your local hardware store, cut the mirror to the inset’s size with a glass cutting tool, and toss the excess. You’ll want to sand away any paint or finish from where you’ll be inserting the mirror in the door, then simply glue the mirror in place. Voila, a cool piece for your home that you can see yourself in.
Hitting The Salvage Yard
Didn’t get new doors installed, but still looking for a DIY project? Going to a local salvage yard will be your best bet for finding a suitable door for your project. Most salvage yards are full of old doors you can reuse in a project to create something new. Get creative and build something that’s functional, attractive, and one of a kind.
