Now we all know that you should be recycling your scrap metal. But, apart from melting down old metals to be reused, in what other ways can you recycle it? We’ve dug up some creative ways to reuse old scrap metal, including one that involves some pretty impressive sculptures.

Not only does recycling help to save the planet by reducing landfill waste and cutting down harmful emissions, but it also means you can get more use out of an old product. You never know what you could create!

But what can you do with some old bits of scrap metal? You may be thinking that once your metal has reached the end of its intended purpose, then it’s effectively useless. Ready to be sent for recycling and to be turned into something completely new. That’s not always the case however, as there are some ways in which you can recycle an old piece of metal yourself and bring purpose to it once more.

5 things to do with your old scrap metal

Create scrap metal pen holders

It’s nice to be organised, but endless desk supplies can often become expensive. A drawer here and a file here can add up over time. So, what if we told you you can create some cute and quirky pen holders for absolutely nothing!

If you have an old can or tin (old tins of beans usually work really well for this) then clean them out, sandpaper them down – this is important to ensure you don’t hurt yourself on any jagged edges – and decorate them. Voila! You have yourself some unique and fabulously inexpensive stationary holders. You could even think outside the box and use the same types of containers as BBQ utensil holders. They boast durability which is perfect for an outside BBQ station in our temperamental British weather!

Sourced from: Expert Home Tips

Make quirky scrap metal plant pots

Metal plant pots are great because they’re both stylish and versatile. So thrown in with the environmental conscious boost when they’re the product of recycled metal – they’re win-win garden furniture.

You can make metal plant pots from pretty much any scrap metal container that’s a suitable shape. Old food cans work particularly well as they can add a real retro vibe to your plant pot. Andy Warhol, eat your heart out.

Remember to sandpaper down the edges of your metal so that you don’t harm yourself. It’s also worth noting that there are some extra steps you can take to really get the most out of your metal plant pot. You can read about them here.

Sourced from: Expert Home Tips

Craft some amazing scrap metal sculptures

Artists have done some truly magnificent things with scrap metal in the past. Check out this incredible piece by John Lopez.

Sourced from The Daily Mail

Or how about this incredibly detailed butterfly sculpture by Edouard Martinet?

Sourced from Martient’s website.

There’s 5 more astounding scrap metal sculptures over on our blog. So, if you’re artistically inclined you may feel like giving it a go yourself. Who knows, you could create something truly spectacular!

Use your scrap metal to make tiny tea lights

Most scrap metal can be recycled. No matter how big or small, it should all be re-used if it can be. That extends to metal bottle tops too. If you fancy doing something a little more with your old bottle tops than simply throwing them out, then how about turning them into endearing little tealights?

Melt down some wax – scented or unscented – into the tea light and cut off a small amount of wick and hold it in the wax until it dries. You can normally buy both wax and wick for relatively cheap and make tons of tea lights from one batch. They’re cute, they’re quirky and they’re super easy to make!

Sourced from: Pinterest

Help the environment!

And finally, if you’re not feeling particularly creative then recycling your scrap metal is of course one of the best things you can do with it.

Get in touch with Maxilead today for all of your metal recycling needs.