Recycling Tires

Luz
by Luz
1 Material
$35
3 Hours
Easy
Re-purpose old tires for this adorable tea cup garden decor!
To get started you need three different sizes tires, go to your local tire store and ask about taking a few off their hands, you should be able to get them FREE!! Try to get the smallest tire with a rim, this will help keep the teacup in place. Please use heavy duty gloves to do the following since tires contain metal and it is very sharp. The first thing we did was cut 1/2 of the top of the top tire, this was used for the yellow bottom piece that the teacup is sitting on. The next step is to cut off the remaining half, this will be used for the handle, you will have to cut some of it off after you measure it to see how much you need.
My husband sanded the rim of the top tire and also the handle because of the sharp metal. Pre-drill your holes, the handle is attached to the top of the top tire and on the bottom of the second tire, but do not attach it yet, you should attach it on the site you are putting it on or it will be difficult to maneuver.
Once all this is set you can now spray paint the tires, I painted underneath the handle turquoise and the top of it yellow. Once everything is dry I put it together so I can spray paint my polka dots, I used a template (see above)made out of cardboard which made it extremely easier, but you need two people one to hold it against the tire and the other to spray it, the polka dots were perfect.
We then moved it and assembled in the area we wanted to put it on. After we filled the tires with the mulch and potting soil I planted my flowers. I used three cans of turquoise and one can of bright yellow paint, 1/2 a bag of mulch and approximately two bags of potting soil, if you don't get a tire with the rim you will need more, so fill the bottom rim with plastic bottles to keep your cost down. This project costed about $35.00.
Suggested materials:
  • Tires, paint, top soil, plastic bottles, mulch and plants   (Tires store, Home Depot and on hand)
Frequently asked questions
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  • Cmi2564268 Cmi2564268 on Jan 30, 2017
    How did you cut the top of the tire off? What tool did you use? I did a project whem my children were young. Paint various sized tired. Stand them up and bolt them together in all positions. Then bold them to three 8' 4x4 redwood posts cemented in the ground. Then build ladder bars horizontally. I have pic's if you want. Caution: drill door handle size holes in every tire so water does not collect. I did not do that. I used a shop vac!!!! Cmilligan0919@gmail.com

  • Bst23934844 Bst23934844 on Oct 02, 2017
    what is used for your "saucer"?

  • Janice Yates Janice Yates on Jul 12, 2022

    How did you cut the tire for the handle. Yours looks straight, mine is at an angle. Or is it just the illusion?

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