There are many things we use daily that have more than one function. Lemons can be used for lemonade but the can also serve as a deodorizer, Magazine holders can be used to organize your pantry, and flooring is no exception. There are many multi-functional uses for left over flooring that can add beauty to your home.
You can design a very creative piece of wall art; all you need is glue, paint, and a stencil. You can do an image transfer onto the wood, add hooks for it to hang, and who doesn’t love some glitter? A picture frame project can also be done with the ease. Decide how big you want the fame, cut it do the desired size and glue the edges. It’s that easy. Wouldn’t it be nice to look over at your desk and see your family photo in a frame you personalized with your handiwork?
If you’re in need of a new piece of furniture to highlight in the room, your leftover flooring could provide the material needed for a nice new coffee table. Fit together planks, and secure them from underneath with scarp-wood braces. Cut off the outside tongue and grove, and then stain the edges and add legs. Presto, you have a coffee table you love and didn’t have to hunt for in a store or online. Add a special touch underneath the table with your signature and a creation date.
If you don’t want dirt to drag in from outside, you can create a doormat to be placed at your front door. Before people enter your home this will prompt them to stomp off any dirt that’s lingering on the soles of their shoes. You want to cut lengthens of your flooring into 18 inches. Use a drill to make 4 evenly spaced ¼ inch holes on the side of each plank. String rope through the holes and tie a half itch between each board, and at the end. When it’s complete, you can add the words Welcome or Wipe Feet Please.
You can recreate this same concept inside your home, but make it a doormat tray. Follow the instructions above for the outdoor mat. Once completed, flip the flooring upside down so the pretty side of the planks are on the floor. Take four new pieces of plank, measure and cut to the same size to match the planks you have just tied together. Use glue (either wood or flooring glue) and connect those four pieces around the edge of the square doormat. Add river rocks to the inside, and you have a fancy doormat tray. You can paint the wood if desired. As people enter the house ask them to remove their shoes and set them on the tray. You’ll no longer need to worry about dirty/muddy floors in your home.
Everyone loves time in the kitchen, that’s where the food is. If you’ve wanted to update your kitchen cabinets but haven’t gotten around to it, using the leftover wood from your floors is a great option. Take the unfinished planks and cut the tongues out if they are still there; this will act as the stiles and rails. You can use plywood or glass for the panels of the door. Arrange the boards groove-side in to capture the panel, and secure with glue and screws. To give the cabinet more style, you could add light to the inside of the cabinet, paint the back wall, or use contact paper.
No matter how big or small, your unused flooring can be re-purposed for a new project to add style and personality to your home. Don’t let the scraps of your flooring go to waste. Get creative and add the flooring you love somewhere other than the floors.