Don’t Just Recycle — Upcycle!

The official definition: the process where you transform by-products, waste materials, useless, or unwanted products into new materials or products of better quality or for better environmental value.

Our line of Nature’s horse bedding is a great example of upcycling. All Nature’s products are created from sawdust, fine shavings and trim materials used in the manufacturing process of our millwork products. Another great example is Proof—an eyewear company started by descendants of the family who founded Woodgrain. Proof’s glasses are crafted from sustainable materials—including FSC-certified wood, cotton-based acetate, and even repurposed skateboard decks.

So now that you’re more familiar with upcycling, let’s bring it home. Take a look around your house. Surely there are items you want to donate or even trash. Can you think of some ways you can reuse those items? Here are some ideas to get you started:

Repurpose an old dresser drawer into a new, custom piece of furniture. PopSugar has over 200 brilliant ideas for cool upcycling projects, but this chic dog bed by DIY Show Off is my absolute favorite. This is a great idea for cats, too, as they love jumping in drawers. Genius!

How about that old door you’ve had in your storage shed for years? As you can see in this blog post, Remodelaholic looked at 100 different ways you can use your old door. Our favorite, add a little crown moulding to the top of an old door to create a classic headboard, like this one by DIY blogger Infarrantly Creative. Gorgeous!

If you’ve got an old door lying around, you may also have some random pieces of trim. We’ve found the perfect idea for moulding that can provide function and beauty in your home: The architectural moulding pedestal. If you’re lucky enough to have decorative moulding on hand, you can create an ornate work of art that doubles as a dining room table centerpiece. We love the craftsmanship on this piece from The Cultured Artisan. (Upcycling bonus: This pedestal is made from reclaimed barn redwood.)

We will continue exploring upcycling ideas on our blog and would love to hear about some of your favorites. Show us an example of how you’ve upcycled doors and moulding by tagging us on social media. We may even feature you in a future blog post. Happy upcycling!