Looking for easy leftover hardwood flooring projects? In this article, I’m sharing a few pieces you can create with your hardwood scraps or any other plank-style flooring. You will love the possibilities, especially if you’re a beginner!.
After having our hardwood flooring installation 3 years ago, we were left with two extra boxes of tongue and groove planks. I initially wanted to return them, but it was a bigger hassle than it was worth. I didn’t have enough to cover an entire space, so I wasn’t sure what to do with it. Given how high hardwood flooring prices are, I knew I wanted to repurpose it somehow. Cause…isn’t it beautiful!?
We had the flooring installed on the main level of our rambler/ranch style home (see pic below). I am keeping my fingers crossed I won’t regret putting hardwood in the kitchen. I know there are a lot of opinions about that :). It’s been 2 years and so far no regrets!
Now onto the 7 ways to repurpose your unused leftover hardwood flooring, leftover laminate flooring, or leftover vinyl flooring.
7 Leftover Hardwood Flooring Projects
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During my summer break, my sister in law approached me about building a bench for her front porch. If you know me at all, you know I have a slight obsession with benches. They’re my favorite thing to build, and they’re so forgiving of common beginner mistakes.
1. Bench Tops
Hardwood flooring scraps make a perfect hardwood benchtop. The best part about using hardwood scraps as a benchtop is that you don’t have to apply a finish!! Can I get an amen? Any other finish haters out there? It takes so much patience (and sooo many coats of primer, paint, poly….ugh). P for Pain!
I love that the hardwood is already finished and you get to see exactly what the end product will look like without waiting for the stain to dry or having to apply numerous topcoats. I’m exhausted just thinking about it.
This is the bench I built for my sister in law. Besides the hardwood benchtop, the only thing I had to finish was the wood trim. I got the plans from the mega-talented Sam at DIY Huntress. If you’re not following her, you should be 🙂
To create a benchtop, cut a piece of plywood to size, attach it to the bench frame using screws, then glue and nail the planks to the plywood. Finish with a trim around the edge.
Other Benches you Might Like
2. Table Tops
Another great way to repurpose hardwood flooring is to use it as a table top. I wish I’d considered that with my first (and only) dining table project. Finishing a tabletop is a lot of hard work. Having that work bypassed by using already finished hardwood is a bonus!
The same is true about coffee tables and console tables.
Add some plumbing pipe for the legs and you’ve got yourself a much easier project! To get the exact measurements for the pipe legs, check out this post!
Related Post
Other options for legs
The legs can be as simple or as complicated as you choose. You can purchase already made metal legs and simply screw them in as I did with this dining bench.
If you prefer wooden legs, you can find those also. Some with really beautiful detail. The possibilities are endless!
Here are some of my friends’ project ideas for your hardwood floor scraps. Click on the photos or captions to go straight to the tutorial.
3. DIY Wall Shelf
4. Laundry Room Counter Top
5. Christmas Ornaments
6. Wall Sign
7. Turn Old Frames into Costal Wall Art
8. BONUS!
You know I gotta get a bonus in here! Creating a wall treatment with your leftover flooring makes such a statement. It adds beauty, texture and can be painted on left as is!. Check out the tutorials for my entry way and my basement bathroom. I used plywood with both projects but the flooring would’ve been beautiful (and easier!).
Which of these is your favorite? Tell me in the comments!
Don’t forget to save this post for later! If you like easy DIY projects like these and you’re ready to venture inch by inch into the world of power tools, be sure to join my email list. You will love all of the easy stuff to make out of wood! So, if you like wood scrap projects and the like, let’s be friends! I promise I would never spam you. Friends don’t do that 🙂
