Garden owners and tree growers know the value of trimming, pruning, and maintaining a tree to preserve its aesthetic value and overall health. However, along with every trimming project comes a pile of logs, branches, and twigs that most homeowners might find useless and rubbish.
More often than not, we would chop those logs into firewood or dump them in the compost. But if it still isn’t enough to get rid of the debris, you may want to consider upcycling them for sustainable use.
Upcycling is the process of transforming discarded objects, in our case trimmed branches and logs, into something attractive and useful. That said, here are ten (10) best upcycling ideas you can do after tree trimming.
- Sitting Stool
If you have branches and logs large enough, you can upcycle them into sitting stools with a few tools and wood polish. Cut the log down to your preferred size, sand it up, run a few coats of wood polish, and place a pillow on the surface after drying.
- Bedroom Corner Table
Using any sanding tools or sandpaper, you can transform those sizable branches and logs into a small yet durable corner table for your bedroom. Otherwise, the table can fit anywhere else, be it your porch, living room, or your favourite reading corner.
- Outdoor Flooring/Path walk
If the trimmed branches aren’t large enough for a stool or table, you can still find other ways to upcycle them. One is to cut them down to size and build a garden path walk instead of using concrete steps or stones.
Moreover, you can also use them to build a unique outdoor flooring instead of using tiles. Make sure to sand down any rugged edges before placing them on the floor to avoid splinters.
- Flower Planters
You can upcycle branches that are wide enough as mini flower/herb planters or nursery pots. Depending on the size, you can bore holes horizontally or vertically and add humus, wood chips, or potting soil for your plants.
We suggest planting herbs and succulents on upcycled flower planters, as they wouldn’t need as much water to provide a long-lasting vibrance to your garden.
- Birdbath
If you have a large saucer at home and want your garden to flourish with birds, a birdbath is the easiest upcycling project for you. All you have to do is secure the saucer on a trimmed log or branch, add some water and bird seeds on the side, then you’re done.
However, if you only have slim twigs and sticks as trim-offs, you can make a tripod out of them, tie them up with twine, and place the birdbath on top. It will surely give your garden a nature-inspired upgrade.
- Candle Holders
For people looking for a rustic and natural yet cozy bathroom accessory, candle holders should be the go-to projects. Drill a hole in small branches and logs and transform them into tea light candle holders which should hold specific candle sizes, depending on your choice.
- Seedling Markers
If you have a vegetable garden and has nothing to do with trimmed twigs and branches from your tree, you can always use them as seedling markers for your garden!
Putting sticks and twigs on your garden beds can help you sort veggies, herbs, and plants from one-another without any cost. If you have print-outs or labels, tack them onto the seedling markers, and you now have a low-cost yet useful upcycling project.
- Vases
For logs and branches too big for candle holders, consider upcycling them into indoor vases. If you have a router at home or know someone who has one, routing out the log’s centre will transform it into a great flower vase.
Otherwise, drilling a hole to fit the plant stems should do the job. What counts is the effort of doing it and the aesthetic value it adds to your home without the price.
- Trivets
Coffee lovers and tea drinkers would love having wooden trivets in place of fabric and plastic ones. When strung or glued in a circle or any desired shape, cross-sections of trimmed branches will make an excellent trivet.
Wood also adds another heat-protective layer, preventing your hot coffee pot or casserole from ruining your table polish or fabric, making it a perfect and cheap upcycling project.
- Ornaments
Artsy individuals can show off their skills in making holiday decorations and ornaments from upcycled wood chips and trimmed branches.
Start by slicing a tree branch into thin cross-sections and sand them down. Next, drill a hole on top of one and strung it with twine, which you can use to hang it on your Christmas tree, fireplace, or wall.
Finally, you can bring out your art materials and paint on the sanded surface, making it your tiny natural canvas. You can make this upcycling idea for any holiday and occasion. It’s also a perfect family bonding activity.
Conclusion
Upcycling trimmed tree branches and twigs shouldn’t break your bank. With a few tools, helping hands, and creativity, you can transform any trimming rubbish into something sustainable and valuable.
Besides, while the above ideas make upcycling trimmings easy enough, the trimming job takes quite a skill and equipment to execute safely and properly. With that, Trees Down Under is here to help.
Trees Down Under takes pride in our expert arborists who are serving Sydney’s green space for more than three (3) decades. Set a schedule with our friendly staff and experience reliable and efficient tree and garden services.
Trees Down Under is the perfect solution for your garden. We cater to residential and commercial gardening services in Sydney. Call us at 0475 463 597 for more questions or to get a free estimate.
