It’s time to upgrade your trampoline, but what do you do with your old one? Whether it’s building a chicken coop, enhancing your garden, making new soccer goals for the kids or creating an artistic masterpiece, there’s more ways to repurpose and recycle your old trampoline than you would think. So whether you are feeling creative, need a new project or just want to declutter, keep reading for great ideas to repurpose and recycle your old trampoline.
The frame of a trampoline can make a great frame for a garden arch. Round trampolines work especially well for this, as they can loop over the top of a path making a pretty and sturdy construction for climbers to grow on. Grow honeysuckles, lush vines, jasmine or whatever takes your fancy. Cut a round trampoline in half to create two parallel arches. If you use some of the steel from the legs to join the two arches together you can create additional support for your plants as they grow. It’s a cost effective way to add a new garden feature that will look great!
There’s two ways to turn your used trampoline into a chicken coop or grazing pen. The easiest way is to simply remove the mat and springs from the top of the trampoline, and then to cover all sides and the top with a wire mesh. This will work for both round and square trampolines, although it is better as a grazing pen rather than a permanent coop. If you wish to make it more permanent then it’s a good idea to build a secure and well protected box for the chickens to roost in overnight and in bad weather. This can be built into the pen, or attached to the side.
If you have a circular trampoline, you can cut it in half and then use the two halves of the circle as parallel arches, which provide the frame for the construction. Join each arch with metal from the legs of the trampoline, or extend with other material if necessary. Add a door and frame, and cover the two sides with mesh. You can use corrugated iron for a roof and can also build a roosting box inside. This alternative design makes it possible to host a door and a walk in area. Perfect!
You will likely need some basic welding skills for best results, however it’s worth having a look at the legs of the trampoline, as some square shaped trampolines can simply be flipped upside down and cut in half – their shape is already perfect for soccer goals with no further modification required.
If you have a different shape of trampoline to that of above, you will need to a little more in the way of modification. Cut the trampoline in half, and use material from the legs of the trampoline to build the supporting frame. Throw some netting down the back and and it’s ready to go! If you have netting that previously was around the side of the trampoline you can use this, otherwise you will be able to find some at your local hardware store. It doesn’t matter whether your trampoline is circular or square – both will work for this one.
The frame of the trampoline comes in handy again for this design. Leave the springs and mat attached the to the trampoline, but remove all legs (cut them off if necessary). Then wrap around the edges with a soft cloth and cover with a mattress. You can then suspend the daybed in the air using wire joined to the outside of the frame (just make sure that it is strong enough to support your weight). You can then hang it from an anchor point, or purchase a frame that will hold it. Throw in a few pillows and it’s all ready!
With a bit of imagination and creativity, material from a worn out trampoline can be turned into a wonderful work of art! If you’re a creative person you probably already have a few ideas, whether it’s something simple and geometric, or complex and abstract.
A square or rectangular trampoline is practically a movie screen waiting to be switched on. Of course, for this you will also need a projector, but a trampoline frame is perfect for attaching white canvas (or a painted board) for a radical and fun outdoor home cinema. Alternatively, you can just paint the mat of the trampoline white, although this will not wear as well over time.
So what do you do with the leftover mat? If you’re thinking of implementing any of the above ideas you will have some left over mat. Consider using it as a weed mat or shade cloth. If you have leftover netting you can also use it to protect vulnerable plants (like strawberries).
Whether you want to get the kids involved with the project over the school holidays, or if you just want to get to work, now that you’ve got a few ideas under your belt there’s no reason why you can’t repurpose and recycle your old trampoline!
