How to make a flowerpot out of an old tire

Finds like these bring new meeting to the term “DIY” (Do-It-Yourself).

This is a former car tire that has been transformed into a flowerpot, a fun craft that people have been doing for decades. It was especially popular from the late 1950s to the late ‘70s. My sister-in-law grew up watching her dad make them all the time, so when she got a hold of this one, it was truly a blast from the past for her. Typically, people put them in the rear of their yards and often used them to grow vegetables or herbs.

Although people still make them today, it’s rare to see homeowners make these from full-size spare tires because today’s cars have low-profile tires and the spares are donuts. Plus, most tire rims are now made out of aluminum and can be resold for money, which makes it less likely for homeowners to recycle them rather than sell them.

However, this particular homeowner made one and obviously hung on to it until DiMola Bros stepped in. The crew and I found this last week in a residential estate cleanout in Elmhurst, Queens. The lady had sold the house and the final cleanup had to be done. Her real estate contract stated that both the inside and outside of the house had to be free from all debris that wasn’t nailed down or built in. So, naturally, since she didn’t want this tire flowerpot, we did.

If you want to make one, it’s easy. Follow these simple steps to have a tire flowerpot of your very own:

1. Clean, clean, clean. Remove oil and grease from the tire by cleaning it with water and a mild detergent.
2. Lay the tires on the ground. Make sure the sidewalls are facing upward.
3. Use a sharp object (such as an electric drill or knife) to puncture the sidewall. The hole should be made just below the tread.
4. Carefully insert a knife blade or jigsaw blade into the hole you just made in the sidewall. Slice around the perimeter of the tire in either a straight or wavy line, and then remove the inner portion of the sidewall.
5. Flip the tire over. The cut side should lay flat against the floor. Then, drill holes into the sidewalls.
6. Turn the tire inside out. You can do this by pushing down on one spot on the treads. Then, force the outer portion to cave and flip.
7. Turn the tire over, and then insert landscaping fabric into the interior. This will allow you to cover the large opening in the tire.
8. Paint the tires a color you love!
9. Fill the tire with potting soil. The landscaping fabric should keep the soil from falling out from the inside. Add water to test the drainage holes.
10. Add plants and flowers of your choice.
11. Enjoy it!

DiMola Bros Rubbish Removal
1640 Summerfield St.
Ridgewood, NY 11385
Phone: 718-326-6969
Fax: 718-326-7979
NGDimola@aol.com / http://dimolabros.com

~ by DiMolaBros1956 on July 31, 2012.