Upcycling your old tires into beautiful ottomans is probably one of the best creative things you can do. The good thing with indulging in DIY projects is that you can get as creative as you please. What’s more, is that you can either use your ottomans to spruce up your interiors or even your outdoor spaces!
Whenever you want to upcycle your tire into an ottoman, the pieces of equipment you’ll need will depend on the design that you want. Whether you want to paint, use fabric, or some rope to decorate your tire into an ottoman, there are several options you can choose from.
You also do not need to be skilled in any way since the whole process is easy. Not to mention the fact that you won’t have to break the bank. We shall have a look at how you can design your ottoman from tires using either rope or fabric.
Making An Ottoman Using Tires and Rope
As mentioned earlier the equipment you’ll need to make your ottoman will depend on the material you want to incorporate. For instance, if you want to decorate your tire ottoman using rope then these are the things that you’ll need:
- Old tires
- Rope
- Glue sticks
- Glue gun
- Plywood
- Screws
- Drill
- Clear seal
- Furniture legs(optional)
Step 1
Make sure you thoroughly clean them first. Let the tires dry before you start working on them.
Step 2
Once the tires are ready to use you should measure the diameter of the tire where you want the plywood to cover. After getting the measurements, mark it on the plywood so that you can cut it accurately. Make sure you cut two pieces for placing on both sides of the tire.
Step 3
Once you’re done cutting the two pieces of plywood, you can now drill them on both sides of the tire using the drill and screws. This will give your ottoman good stability and balance.
If you want your ottoman to have legs, it is at this point that you place you drill the furniture legs on one side of the plywood. If you don’t want the legs, then you can proceed with the next step.
Step 4
This step involves putting your decorative rope in place. Depending on the number of tires you intend to use, you should ensure that you have enough rope at your disposal. You can choose to use a colored rope depending on the design or color theme you prefer. Using your glue gun and glue sticks you can start sticking your rope on the plywood.
You can mark the center of the plywood as your starting point. Ensure that your rope is well stuck before proceeding further by pressing it down on the glue. Once you’re done with the plywood surface, you can now move to the sides of the tire and finally the bottom part plywood and cut the rope using a pair of scissors once it has reached the desired length.
Step 5
Upon fixing your rope on the tire, make sure it is well secured before proceeding to the next step. Apply the clear seal all around the ottoman and ensure that it dries properly before proceeding to apply the next coat. Once the final coat has dried, you can now place your new ottoman where you want!
See, the process is very simple and straightforward. If you want to have more than one ottoman, then you can repeat this process with several other tires. You can also place the rope on half of the tire then paint the other half instead. Do not limit your creativity!
We shall have a look at the other way you can decorate your tire ottoman using fabric.
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Making An Ottoman Using Tires and Fabric
Just like decorating your ottoman using rope, this process is equally easy. Something that takes very little effort and time..and of course, the will to get creative. But first, you need to make sure you have all the equipment that you’ll need. Some of these materials include the following:
- Old tire
- Desired fabric
- Adhesive spray
- Plywood
- Staple gun
- Screws
- Drill
- Foam
- Batting
- Furniture legs or wheels(4 for one ottoman).
Step 1
Most of the steps are pretty much the same. First you will need to start by thoroughly clean your tires. Once you’re done, let them dry before proceeding.
Step 2
Measure the diameter or you can even measure the circumference of the tire section where you want to place your plywood. Remember with this design, you can use one of the plywoods as a lid if you want it to have more storage.
Once you measure it, you can cut two pieces of the plywood for both the bottom and top side of the tire.
Step 3
Drill one piece of the plywood board on one side of the tire( the bottom side). Once you’re done drilling, you can cover the tire using your fabric. Do not cover the top of the tire as you’ll need to make a lid using the other piece of the plywood.
Step 4
For a comfortable ottoman top, you’ll need to stick foam to one side of the plywood using the adhesive spray. Once this is done, you can cover it using the batting to ensure you have a smooth surface.
Step 5
Cover the top using the remaining fabric and use the staple gun to stick the fabric on the plywood. You can always use a different material for the top if you want to mix and match.
Instead of covering the bottom using fabric, you can always paint it and then cover the tire only and the top. The legs or wheels are also optional since you can opt to make the ottomans without.
If you decide to incorporate the wheels or legs, you should screw them in after attaching the plywood to the tire.
The type of ottoman you get in the end will depend on the process you decide to use. If you don’t feel like using either rope or fabric, you can always attach the plywood then paint everything using your color of choice.
This type of ottoman will especially be suitable for the outdoors. You also won’t have to worry about any fabric stains or your ottoman getting rained on since it’s only painted, which is easier to clean.
You might also be interested in The Best End-of-Bed Ottomans.
How to Prolong The Life of Your Ottoman
In order to prevent any common and undesired damage to your newly made ottoman, you’ll need to correctly maintain it. Listed below are some of the ways you can do to prolong the life of your ottoman:
- Protect your ottoman from any stains or sharp objects to prevent it from wearing and tearing within a short while.
- Be sure to regularly clean your ottoman and be sure to do it with the right cleaning supplies. If the material is leather, then clean it with the advisable cleaning material.
- Always remember to thoroughly clean your ottoman every week. You can do it at least once a week and be sure to vacuum under your cushions to avoid any accumulation of dust.
- Avoid putting your ottoman in direct sunlight. This means that the ottoman will be prone to quick fading depending on the type of fiber you used.
- Last but not least, avoid exposing your ottoman to any strong chemicals or airborne pollutants.
If you’d rather buy an Ottoman and not go through the hassle, here are our 5 favorite ottomans:
Our Favorite Top Rated Ottomans
Conclusion
From the methods discussed above, we can see that upcycling your old tires into ottomans is an easy task. You also do not need to use old tires since you can buy new tires if you don’t have any spares.
When it comes to the fabric used, you don’t need to use a standard material. There are various materials that you can opt for depending on the design that you want for your ottoman. Also, you can use more than one tire to make one ottoman depending on how tall you want it to be.
It is also a cost-effective way to spruce up your space since it won’t cost you an arm and a leg. With everyone being in quarantine during this pandemic, upcycling your old tires into brand new ottomans would be an interesting creative activity to indulge in with your family or loved ones.
