Installing a new garage door will improve the functionality and appearance of your home. When your old garage door comes off, you may wonder what to do with it.
Instead of throwing it away, you can reuse your old garage door to make beautiful decorations and accent pieces for your home. You can transform a worn-out aluminum, fiberglass, solid wood or steel garage door into something new and exciting. This guide will explain nine tips for repurposing garage doors so that you can continue to enjoy them for years to come.
9 Garage Ideas To Repurpose Your Old Garage Door
Once you’ve chosen a new garage door, you can start brainstorming ideas on how to recycle your old garage door. It might be hard to picture them as anything else, but there are many other uses for garage doors. You can make unique home decor or more practical items — the possibilities are endless! Here are some creative ways to reuse your old garage door:
1. Raised Flower Beds
First on this list of tips for reusing your old garage door is to create raised flower beds. Replacing your old garage door can provide the materials to create raised flower beds that add some style to your backyard. This project works with any garage door that has four separate panels.
Once the panels have been separated and cut to your desired size, the assembly process is simple. Arrange the pieces into a square shape and screw them together. You can use a scrap piece of wood or an aluminum angle to connect the corners.
When the raised beds are complete, all you have to do is fill them with soil. Now you can use them to plant beautiful flowers or fresh vegetables and herbs to use in the kitchen.
2. Outdoor Bench
You can transform an old wooden garage door into a charming outdoor bench in a few easy steps. Choose one full panel for the seat portion of your bench. If you would like to add a back to your bench, you can use another panel or prop it against a wall for support.
To create the legs of your bench, you can use another piece of paneling to cut out identical square supports. You can use three or four for extra strength. Now, all you have to do is attach your legs to the bottom of the seat panel. Once it’s finished, you’ll have a rustic outdoor bench where you can relax and unwind.
3. Privacy Screen
This idea might be the easiest project of them all. You can repurpose your old garage door into a privacy screen by standing up your garage door where you want additional privacy. You can use scrap wood or cinderblocks to help hold it in place.
If your old garage door is out of style, you can add a fresh coat of paint and decorate it with large plants and outdoor string lights. With a few simple accessories, it won’t even look like a garage door anymore!
4. Unique Headboard
Vintage garage doors often have interesting paneling and unique designs. If you love the look of your old garage door, you can use it to create a one-of-a-kind headboard for your bedroom.
Choose a section that you want to use as your headboard and cut it to the appropriate size. If it’s a small garage door, you might be able to use three or four panels without making any cuts. You can paint or upholster the panels for a customized design.
Use sturdy brackets to attach your finished headboard to the wall so that it’s safe and secure.
5. Chalk Board
If your garage door panels have a classic grid pattern, you can use them to create a row of chalkboards. Take one panel of your garage door and paint each square with chalkboard paint. You can leave the edges plain or paint them to match your personal style.
Once the paint is dry, you can attach the panel to the wall using a sturdy bracket. Now all you need is some chalk, and you can start writing store lists, weekly schedules and love notes on your brand new chalkboards!
6. Shabby Chic Greenhouse
While it might take some time and additional supplies, you can create your own greenhouse using the window panels of your old garage door. You can keep it simple and make a miniature greenhouse by attaching your window panels vertically. The small rectangular box can hold a few plants for growing herbs and flowers all year round.
If you want a more elaborate greenhouse, you can use the glass window panels from your garage door with other glass materials to make a larger planting shed. If you’ve ever replaced the windows on your home, you can use the old ones for this project as well.
7. Custom Artwork
An old garage door panel is like a blank canvas that you can use to express your creativity. You can paint, tile, stain or carve your old garage door to create a unique piece of art to decorate your home. A wooden panel can add a natural touch to the living room, or a steel door can give your office an industrial aesthetic. You can keep it simple or do something dramatic — it’s up to you!
8. Coat Rack
An old garage door panel is perfect for creating a statement coat rack inside the entryway. You can start by painting or staining the panel to your desired color. If you would like to add a shelf, you can attach a piece of wood to the top half of the panel.
Next, add the hooks. You can choose a hook that matches your personal style and looks decorative when there’s nothing on the rack. Screw the hooks to your garage door panel with several inches in between so there is room to hang large coats and hats.
Now you can mount your new coat rack and start hanging things up!
9. Book Shelf
With a few tools and basic carpentry skills, you can make your own custom shelving for free by repurposing your old garage door. You can use the entire door as the back of a large bookcase or divide the wooden panels to create individual shelves. Once they’re complete, you can use them to display your books or stylish home decor.
Replacing Your Old Garage Door
Before you can start repurposing your old garage door, you need to install a new one. BlackHawk Garage Door offers a wide selection of beautiful garage doors in long-lasting materials, with customizable options such as insulation. Our Clopay and C.H.I. garage doors provide superior function and curb appeal.
BlackHawk Garage Door is a family-owned business that you can trust. Our expert technicians have over 10 years of experience. We pride ourselves on pleasing our customers with honest and professional customer service. We’ll help you enhance your home with a gorgeous new garage door. Contact us today for a free estimate!
