Creative ways to upcycle vintage springs

Rustic bedsprings make garden art

Flea market Gardeners are finding old rusty bed springs and re-purposing them to flower pot holders, sun catchers and trellises. These garden art projects are an excellent way to reuse old springs that can be found commonly abandoned and worthless.

Sue made these Spring springs to hold flowe pots and her signature paperroses made from sheet music

Sue Gerdes made these ‘Spring’ springs to hold flower pots and her signature paper roses made from sheet music

Sue’s succulent ‘spring’ board

How to? Sue says, The cross of wires is weaved into the Spring then holes are drilled through the wood and tied down with thin wire.”

Sue’s Spring insulator holders

Sue says, “These are link chains attached with pliers to the spring on each side. I then tighten the link around the spring so it doesn’t shift.”

Jill Beniak uses an entire bed spring as a garden art background and wires in flower pots

Jill Beniak tells us, “My Spring into Spring project today was turning these springs from an old crib mattress into a vertical garden. I cut out coils to insert the flower pots and then used the cut coils to hang the votive candles.”

Jill added romantic candles to her unique wall hanging

Flea Market Gardeners occasionally get junk items left on their doorsteps or at the back door. Sometimes anonymously! But Nancy K Meyer knew her gifter…not many would appreciate it like she did. She says, “Look what a friend brought me this morning, below, –rusty springs! I think I’ll take it apart as it’s bent pretty badly in the middle, maybe keep small sections of it together, who know what I will come up with. Springs are not super strong, but I can make something work. Bless Flea Market Gardening for creating this monster(me).

Nancy K. Meyer’s ‘u-neek’ gift!

See what Nancy came up with,…a trellis for a vining plant in Spring! She wound the springs around the spokes.

This wreath below showcases a rustic charm that is ideal for a house’s front door.

Nancy K Meyer’s patriotic wreath. To join the springs, you use wire or the little springs that come with the mattress.

Sue Gerdes uses the rusty springs to help hold those vines on this birdhouse post

“The big springs are attached with the little springs that come with the mattress. I just coil them around whatever I want these attached to.”

“This is going to be a planter next spring. It’s a galvanized bucket on top of a chimney. 100% recycled.”

More of Sue Gerdes’s projects are planned, like this planter waiting to be filled with a plant winding down though.

Marie Niemann’s spring suncatcher

Marie Niemann says, “Spring Has Sprung! I made this using an old rusty bed spring. I stretched it out to make this beautiful suncatcher in my favorite color. I used glass transparent pony beads in clear and cobalt blue. So, it’s Sproinged!”

The trend for recycled springs has moved beyond the garden and into the home. One spring is being used as a decorative holder for a candle. What an excellent way to pull off a charming, yet rustic look into your home.

Marie Niemann’s candle holders

“Here’s a few more fun ideas using old rusty bed springs. You can embellish them by adding beads to create a little bling. Or use a bud vase to display a happy spring bouquet. I use them throughout my home, they make beautiful and unique candle holders,” Marie says.

Sue Langley’s Spring wreath

My wreath of Spring! It came in a do-it-yourself package from a friend,…the best kind of present for me.

A spring-y idea from The Little Shop Antiques and Gardens…each spring is wired to a picket of the fence.

About what material is used for the cones inside the springs and attached to the pickets….Laura Goines, from, The Little Shop Antiques and Gardens/ R.S Goines maker of fine Furniture, says, “I had a roll of UGLY vinyl material. I put the underside out and hot glued cones to insert. They hold up really well and are super easy…also just cut the tops off to fit.”