You’ve finally gotten around to replacing the old windows on your house with the windows of your dreams, you’re satisfied with your home's updated look, but now you have a pile of old windows staring at you and not a clue what to do with them. You could throw them out, but adding them to a landfill just isn’t your thing. Don’t worry, you don't have to look too far to discover some great alternatives to repurposing your old windows.
Make a mirror with some charm:
A little paint and a can of mirrored spray paint can go a long way and help you turn your old window into a charming mirror for your living room. Paint the frame the color of your choosing and spray the backside of the glass to give the front a rustic mirror effect. If spray paint is too messy for you or you’re going for a cleaner look; carefully pop the glass out and replace it with a mirror that matches the dimensions of the window. Once you have your desired mirror effect, attach the hangers of your choosing to the back and hang it up! If you’re feeling extra crafty, add a shelf to the front and create a great resting place for your keys and mail.
Check out an example here: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/185914290844894811/
Create a fun vintage inspired sign:
Vinyl sticks perfectly to glass, so why not turn one of your old windows into a vintage inspired sign using vinyl letters? This one is simple, decide what you’d like your window sign to say, buy some vinyl letters in the font(s) of your choosing, stick them on the window and hang accordingly. Add a fresh coat of paint to the frame to incorporate your new sign into whatever room you choose.
Check out an example here: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/374502525244009158/
Turn one into an adorably chic night light:
This one’s fun because you have a few options with how you execute the lights. Whether you wrap the lights around the frame, cluster all the lights behind the glass, or place the lights strategically behind the window to create a unique pattern, this nightlight is perfect for any room. Give your nightlight a woodland theme by adding some twigs to the inside of the window. Depending on how you do it, you may or may not want to add some backing to your window to hold the lights in place, afterwards you can hang accordingly.
Check out an example here: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/351140102176230847/
Create a mini greenhouse:
For those of you who live for DIY projects around the house, this one’s for you. There are tons of different ways you could create your mini greenhouse using old windows depending on the style of greenhouse you’re going for, the easiest and fastest way is to use the window as a lid to a small greenhouse box. This way, your sprouts can grow without any unwanted critters disturbing them, and once they’re big enough, remove the window lid and let them grow on their own. Alternatively, if you’re feel really adventurous and have a bunch of old windows at your disposal, you could create a full scale greenhouse in your backyard and use the old windows to create the structure of the house. This is going to take some time and some tools so we recommend doing your research before attempting this marvelous idea.
Check out the examples here: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/20407004538124017/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/362117626261649378/
Donate them:
I'm sure the thought of recycling those old windows has come across your mind at least once during the home renovation time, but where does one even take old windows to be recycled? We did a little research off of Pinterest and found that you can take your old windows to any Building Materials Reuse Center (BMRC). BMRC will take any old window as long as the paint on the window is lead free. Don’t know where your local BMRC is located? Visit the directory of BMRC’s to find the closest one to you.
Visit the directory: https://bmra.org/business-directory/
Feel free to share your old window projects with us via Facebook, we love seeing our customers turn old into new!
Subscribe to ProEdge Remodeling's Blog