Recycling wooden garden furniture is a great way to reduce waste in landfill and help conserve natural resources. It reduces the need to cut down new trees, preserving forests and their ecosystems.
Many of our local councils will offer a front-of-house collection service for bulky wood waste, including outdoor furniture, for a small fee (around £10-£15). You also have access to a local dedicated recycling centre that will accept wood.
It is important to note that some restrictions may apply, such as the type of wood or its condition. For example, treated wood might require special handling.
Check what type of wood the furniture is made from and then confirm with your local council if they can provide specific guidelines and information on their collection services.
If that’s not an option, and it can be broken down to fit in your car, your local recycling centre will accept wood waste for recycling or composting.
However, it is important to check what they will do with it once you pop in in the skip or they collect it from the curbside!
By recycling our old wood ourselves, we’re contributing to a more sustainable future and potentially discovering creative ways to reuse and repurpose it into new things.
Why not repurpose the wood into something new? With a little creativity and DIY know-how, your old outdoor furniture can be transformed into unique and functional items for your home or garden.
Why we should recycle our old wooden garden furniture
There are a whole host of reasons why we should look to recycle the furniture ourselves before we pass it off to our local councils:
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Reduce
By recycling or repurposing our old furniture, we’re keeping it out of landfill, which helps reduce waste and the environmental impact of disposal. -
Save
By recycling our old wood we will need fewer trees to be cut down for new furniture, conserving natural resources. -
Carbon
Reusing or up-cycling wooden furniture will significantly reduce the resources needed to produce new furniture, thus reducing our carbon footprint. -
Aesthetic
Old weathered wood has a rustic charm that can be used in other areas of your home or garden if given a new life. -
Cost
Repurposing or recycling wooden furniture will save you money on buying new items or materials for your next DIY project. -
Creative
Recycling allows us to take on fun and creative DIY projects, potentially turning an old piece into something unique and functional.
How to recycle the old wood in your outdoor space
If you want to get creative or find an alternative to simply disposing of your old wood furniture, then we have several alternative ways it can be recycled or repurposed:
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Donate
If the furniture is still in good condition but you no longer want it, then why not donate it to a charity shop or organisation? For our metal furniture range, we have partnered with the British Heart Foundation. -
Sell
Alternatively, if the condition is OK, you could sell it via an online platform like eBay or Facebook Marketplace. Many people look for second-hand garden furniture, especially if it’s made from a quality material. -
Repurpose
If you have a set that is damaged but the wood is in good condition, then disassemble and reuse it. The wooden slats and pieces can be sanded down and transformed into other items such as shelving or planters. -
Upcycle
If the furniture can be repaired, then use your DIY skills to refinish it and give it a new lease of life. You could join multiple garden chairs together to create a bench for the bottom of the garden or cut down tables with damaged legs to create a smaller coffee table, for example. -
Restore
If the furniture is structurally sound but looks weathered, you could restore it yourself by sanding it down, applying a wood stain or outdoor paint, and sealing it with a protective coating. If you don’t have the DIY skills, then look for someone who can bring it back to life for you. -
Refinish
Sometimes all it takes is a fresh coat of paint, varnish, or a weatherproof sealant to give old wooden furniture a new look and extend its life. You can change the colour to match a new patio design scheme or simply refresh it to bring out the wood’s natural grain. -
Recycle
If your furniture is beyond repair, then you can take it to a recycling centre where the wood will be processed and reused for other purposes, such as construction materials or mulch. -
Compost
If your wooden furniture is untreated and has no paint or varnish, then it may be suitable for composting or using as wood chips. Unfortunately, most outdoor furniture is treated with chemicals to withstand weather, so make sure the wood is untreated.
Creative ideas for repurposing old wooden outdoor furniture
Some of the best DIY projects we’ve seen include:
1. Garden Benches
A great project is to take the slats from an old wooden garden table and chairs and transform it into garden benches or a coffee table like the Rogue Engineer.
2. Trellis
You can also use pieces of old wood garden furniture to create a rustic trellis or pergola for climbing plants like roses or ivy. The video above from the Decor Home Ideas team is packed with ideas.
3. Planters
You could take apart your old wooden chairs or tables and reassemble the slats to create a stylish planter for small pot plants or herbs like the Woodshed Junkies.
4. Outdoor Bar
If you’ve got the skills, why not convert that old wooden set into an outdoor bar by adding a few shelves or hooks for glasses and bar tools?
5. Garden Swing
Repurpose an old wooden garden chair or bench into a garden swing by adding ropes and hanging it from a sturdy tree or pergola.
7. Birdhouse
Use the wood to create a birdhouse, bug hotels, or even a small wildlife shelter for the mini visitors to your garden.
Our final thoughts…
Recycling our old wooden garden furniture is a sustainable and creative way to refresh your outdoor space or give new life to old materials.
Whether you donate, repurpose, or restore your old wood furniture, it is best to keep your waste out of landfill and it offers you the chance to engage in some fun DIY projects.
With time and creativity, you can transform old, weathered wood garden furniture into something functional and beautiful.
If you have our patio furniture in your garden, then we would love to see a few photos for our Do Some Good charity campaign. You can tag us @LazySusanFurniture on Instagram or Facebook or Upload Here.
