Whether as an accessory in the children's play area or as a funny decoration somewhere in the middle of the flower bed, figures made from car tires can be a really fun accessory and eye-catcher. Depending on the figure, you may not need more than a tire and paint or a few additional materials such as wires or wooden beams, but in the end it is not difficult to make. We have looked for a few ideas that you can implement in your little paradise.
Making figures out of car tires – common materials
For most car tire figures you need the same tools and materials. You may be able to replace some devices with more common ones if you don't have them on hand, but this will make the job more difficult. In general, you should have the following ready:
- Tires
- Buntlack
- Jigsaw (or very sharp and large knife)
- drill
Coffee cup for a vintage feeling à la Alice in Wonderland
For this cute cup, which you can use as a flower pot, you need a round plywood sheet as a base that has a slightly wider diameter than the tire. This plate represents the saucer, but can also be left out to ensure better drainage, for example (or you can cut a hole in the middle for this purpose, making a ring). Furthermore, use two tires, whereby the upper one should ideally be slightly larger in order to obtain the typical cup shape.
Cut a strip from the top along the seam with a jigsaw so that the edge can curve outwards (in order to be able to attach the jigsaw, first drill a hole in the rubber). Cut out the handle from a third tire, specifically the part with the profile, which should then be easy to bend. Now paint the tires and tire parts in the desired colors and let them dry (if necessary, apply a second coat).
Now bend the handle into the desired position and drill holes through the handle and tire in order to then fix the former with carriage bolts. Place or glue the tires onto the plate, ideally in the desired location in the garden. If you want, make several figures out of car tires and arrange them in groups in the garden. Fill them with soil andplant them.
Swan made from car tires – instructions for making it yourself
For the swan there are different ways to cut the tire, but overall you only need one and maybe a second one as a support in which to place the swan. You only cut the top half of the hoop: a narrow strip in the middle for the long neck and head and the two outer parts that remain are bent slightly to the side to make the wings. This is the simplest variant.
If you feel like it, you can now decorate these wings additionally by creating jagged edges that represent the plumage. You can also form a tail with the back part of the tire. Then all you have to do is paint it.
You can also make swans as figures out of car tires, plant them or simply place a flower pot in the body. But they also look very pretty on their own.
Funny Minions as garden decorations
If you like unusual decorations for the garden, you can make Minions. In principle it is enough if you just use theRecycle car tiresby painting them. But with a few additional accessories, the Minions look even cooler, especially in groups.
Minion made from car tires – instructions
For these car tire figures, use at least three pieces or, better yet, even combine larger and smaller Minions. The top hoop is the head and will be yellow. Design the blue pants on the rest. You can paint the eyes or make them with cans, lids or other recycled items.
Decorate the bed with a frog
A frog like this is guaranteed to make you smile. You need three larger and two smaller tires for it and it doesn't necessarily have to be cut and drilled. You can also replace the small tires with other materials (e.g. cans, lids or small buckets). After painting them green, place two of the tires side by side on the ground and the third in the middle of the bottom two.
You can leave out the front legs, but you can make these quickly and easily using swimming noodles, pipe insulation or elastic pipes (e.g. from an old vacuum cleaner). The feet are either made of cardboard (not waterproof!) or you can make them out of foam rubber, tire rubber or another weatherproof material. You can also get really creative with the frog made from car tires.
Figures made from old car tires – horse swing for children
Figures made from car tires that can be used for swinging are not only decorative, but also useful. This idea with a horse figure is a little more complex, but definitely worth it. Use the template in the picture above to see how you should cut the tire. For this purpose, again use a jigsaw that you can insert into the rubber after drilling a hole in it.
As sturdy as the rubber seems to be, it probably isn't enough to sit on. Therefore, you need to make the horse's sitting area and neck more stable with metal rods. You can also hold the individual parts in place by fastening them together with carriage bolts. Tie some rope and add a mane if you like and the horse made of car tires is ready.
