20 Creative Ways To Repurpose Old Fence Posts Around Your Home And Yard

Have a pile of old fence posts sitting around and no idea what to do with them? Instead of tossing the posts into the trash or letting them sit in the back of your shed, consider using them in DIY projects as a way to give new purpose to the wood. With the right tools and planning, you can take fence posts and give them completely new meaning. Some ways to upcycle these posts include building your very own rustic furniture, like a coffee table, or turning them into practical garden features, like raised beds or arbors.. As a whole, repurposing old fence posts for construction projects is a sustainable way to improve your home and garden without having those extra materials go to waste.

Before diving into a project, it's important to learn about the different types of wood most commonly used for fencing. Some of the most popular varieties include pine and spruce, though some fences are crafted from wood boards like cedar. Each type of wood has its own characteristics, meaning the one that's best for each project will vary depending on the function. What's clear across the board is that you should try to avoid working with pressure-treated wood if you're burning it or using it for something like a birdhouse.

If you love cozy home decor with a rustic touch, turning an old fence post into a blanket ladder is a simple and stylish project. These decorative ladders can be placed in a bathroom, living room, or any area you want to display blankets or towels and give the space a farmhouse touch. For this type of DIY, you'll need to have some sturdy fence posts, a saw, and wooden dowels (or smaller pieces of wood) for the rungs. It's important to note that blanket ladders are decorative and not safe for climbing.

Create a rustic border for a garden by repurposing old fence posts as edging for raised beds. This project is great not only for enhancing the curb appeal of your garden but also helps contain soil to keep it where it belongs. Having raised garden edging is also a good solution for gardens prone to excess weeds, as these structures can keep areas separate from one another. These beds can also help gardens last from season to season. For added protection, use landscaping fabric to minimize the number of weeds.

Bring a touch of elegance to your garden and outdoor space by building an arbor from repurposed fence posts. Start by gathering the materials needed to build an arbor, such as the wood boards, support beams, a saw, and other various woodworking tools. This is an ideal project for a DIYer with some basic construction experience, though there are patterns available that beginners can tackle. Some people even choose to add decorative elements like lattice panels to their arbor as a way to enhance the final design.

Give your garden a fun, whimsical touch by adding a wooden pathway with old treated fence posts. These are ideal for gardens with landscaping gravel that is unpleasant to walk on or just creating a storybook-inspired walkway. Paint the boards in different colors to keep the pathway layout defined or go with a playful, sporadic pattern if you want to make the area even more fun for kids. Grab some Rust-Oleum 214945 Glow in The Dark Brush On Paint and spray the boards before laying them down to have your pathway emit a soft glow during the evenings.

Build a safe and cozy home for your feathered friends by turning old wood posts into a birdhouse and stand. While the actual assembly of the birdhouse may be a bit complex for novice DIYers, you can always use an old fence post as the stand for the house and purchase one if necessary. Use a weighted base for the post to keep it secure or concrete it into the ground. There are many ways to make a charming birdhouse, though it's important to make sure the wood is untreated and that the house has proper drainage.

Turn old fence posts into stylish floating wall shelves as a way to add character (and storage) to any room! Once you have the boards cut, sanded, and stylized with paint or sealant, you'll need to use floating wall brackets like the Goovilla Shelf Bracket to keep them in place. You can use these in a kitchen for spices, a bathroom for toiletries, or anywhere that can benefit from a stylish storage solution. As a whole, these shelves provide both function and aesthetic appeal that takes minimal effort to achieve.

Tired of running out of hooks in your bathroom to hang your towels and other personal care items? Head outside, grab some old fence posts, and turn them into a functional towel rack in just a few simple steps. The possibilities for customization with this project are virtually endless, as it allows you to choose whether or not you want a freestanding towel rack, one that hangs on the wall, or one that goes over the back of a door. Building a rack is a great way to condense towel storage without giving up valuable space.

Looking to add texture to your walls without breaking the bank? Grab some old fence posts and use them as an affordable way to create rustic wood wall paneling for your home. You can stain the boards to give them a specific finish or keep them in their natural state for more of a DIY look. Be sure to sand the boards thoroughly before installing to make sure they have no sharp edges or splinters. This DIY project works beautifully as an accent wall in a bedroom as a way to give new life to reclaimed wood.

For bathrooms lacking in storage, building a hanging cabinet from repurposed fence posts is ideal for improving functionality in the space. Some of the most common types of bathroom shelving units hang directly over the toilet or next to the sink. However, you can hang this shelf anywhere in the space that's functional, even in a linen closet for a hidden storage method. This type of upcycle can be a bit complicated for those with minimal experience building structures but may be a good starting point for those eager to learn.

Tired of the same old styles of wall signs at every big box home decor store? You can get creative with your scrap fence posts by creating your own wall sign perfectly catered to your style and interests. You'll need a saw to cut the boards to the proper sizing for the sign, as well as paint and your chosen hanging method. If you have a pile of leftover wood, you can build signs for nearly every holiday, which can ultimately help with cost savings and prevent the wood from sitting and rotting with no real purpose.

Make your garden feel fun and whimsical by creating your own directional signs customized to your property. You may have seen these types of signs on park trails and wondered how you can bring that charm to your garden. You'll want to take your wood boards and cut them to the desired size and shape for the signs before painting and installing them. It's also necessary to have a strong support post that is cemented into the ground for stability or weighed down with rocks for a temporary solution.

Looking for a way to give your garden a sustainable boost? Start by repurposing old fence posts into a sturdy compost bin! Use four posts as corner supports and attach slats between them to create a breathable structure that promotes decomposition. Keep one side slightly lower, or add a hinged panel for easy access when turning the compost. The natural wood blends into any outdoor space while providing an incredibly helpful solution to reduce food waste. Over time, a DIY compost bin will help produce nutrient-rich soil and make your garden more self-sustaining.

Is there a gardener in your life who loves showing off their beautiful flower arrangements in their garden? You can make the perfect gift for them by building a faux wheelbarrow for their garden that also doubles as a rustic planter. While this is a more involved building project compared to some others, it's easily achievable with the right materials and planning. Once it's constructed, you can decide how to finalize the design by using stencils to add a fun design or painting the entire structure for a cohesive look.

Wow your family and guests by using old fence boards to make a rustic clock. You'll need to start by gathering all of the boards, then carefully use a jigsaw to cut and create the circle shape for the clock. The rest of the project involves securing the boards together and installing a clock kit like the Aloneaka Silent Clock Movement Mechanism for the moving hands. One of the best parts about DIYing a clock instead of buying one? You can choose the design for the numbers or opt for Roman numerals if that matches your home's design style.

Want to give your bedroom a cozy atmosphere without spending a fortune? Consider repurposing old fence posts into a customized headboard. One of the best parts about this fence post upcycle DIY is that you can arrange the posts in different ways to create different aesthetic styles. For example, vertically arranged posts are a classic and timeless headboard choice, while others opt for a horizontal arrangement to take advantage of the popular farmhouse design. Need it to be a bit more fun and whimsical? Take some time with the planning process for a chevron or herringbone pattern.

Create your very own statement coffee table you can proudly display in your home that's not only charming but functional! There are countless styles and building patterns for coffee tables available, meaning you can sort through options and choose one that best fits your DIY abilities. You can also play with different wood finishes, such as keeping the boards natural for a farmhouse aesthetic or staining them for a refined look. If you want to go above and beyond, consider incorporating lower shelves on the table for extra storage and functionality.

Instead of tossing your old fence posts in a pile to rot, take some of the boards and create adorable window planter boxes to show off your favorite flowers! The base of this repurposing project is quite simple and involves cutting the wood to size, constructing a rectangular frame, and making sure there are enough drainage holes at the bottom. It's important to note that you may need to install additional support under your windows to sit these boxes on if you don't have a sill for them.

Does your backyard or front porch feel bare and in need of some furniture? Instead of running out to the store and paying top dollar for something functional to fill the space, you can turn your old fence boards into a stylish bench. This type of DIY does require you to have some tools on hand, such as a measuring tape, saw, screws, and enough boards to construct the bench. The great part about this project is that you can follow premade plans for a backyard bench, or you can think outside the box and create your own.

You can add elegance to any room by repurposing old fence posts into DIY mini shelving. Unlike larger shelves, these are more decorative and made to hold decor, candles, or even more permanent lighting. Some wall shelves may have hardwired fixtures installed, while others, like this at-home project, displays decorative jars. These wall shelves are a great project for beginners looking to build furniture with wood and have virtually endless opportunities to customize the final look of the mini shelves.

Finally, if you're looking for ways to repurpose fence posts, using the wood for a fire is an easy way to give the boards one last purpose. However, you should first be sure that the wood is safe to use in a fire. For example, treated wood or wood that has been pressure-treated can be incredibly hazardous to burn in a chimney or fire pit. The same goes for fence posts that have been painted, stained, or sealed. If you're unsure whether the boards are safe to burn, it may be best to utilize them for another project.