Most people would give little thought to upcycle their old wire form springs. More than likely it’s the last thing on their minds when throwing out an old sofa or bed spring mattress. But there are those among us who have given thought to upcycle wire form springs, and have found many creative uses for what most would consider ‘junk.’ After all, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure! With a little creative thinking, do-it-yourselfers are undertaking home improvement, and other small craft and design projects with their old wire form springs. You can, too.
Upcycled Rusty Bed and Upholstery Springs
You’ll find these old springs in junkyards and garage sales. You do not have to be a super creative artist or craftsman to be a DIY. A few hints and willingness to see the projects through and you’re on your way. Besides springs, except where noted, all of the below projects require one or two of the following: round-crown staples, chain or twine, and wood or metal blocks or strips to mount or display the springs on. The prep work is light—cut, clean, and spray the springs with paints or enamels, and then cut, sand, and stain or paint the wood or metal to mount or display the springs. Your colors, your design—be creative. Here are 5 DIY projects to get you started:
Candle Holder
Concave upholstery springs can make perfect candle holders. Hang them from the ceiling, make a wall sconce, or a pedestal arrangement. For ceilings, securely hang the spring with any type of chain—rope, snake or bead for example, or use old hanger wire or twine. For sconces, attach spring to any wall mount—wood or metal. When finished hanging or mounting twine, attach the spring to the wall and place the candleholder inside. Next, for the candleholder use any old preservative jar, large or small, or if you can find them, old glass insulators make perfect candleholders as they come in varying colors of reds, blues, and greens. Place sand or Epsom salt in the bottom of the jars or insulators to help stabilize the candle, and then fit the holder into the concave end of the old spring. You can also make a very attractive votive holder. Use wood, metal, or ceramic candle plates or, as mentioned above, old glass insulators and then attach the spring to the wood or metal base. You can also cut a row of three or four springs from the old frame to make a strip of candleholders.
Pendant Lighting
One way to achieve the right lighting scheme for a space in your home is with pendant lighting. Use a single light or a cluster to illuminate an area or wider space. Utilizing old bed springs to hang the bulb can be versatile and creative, and will add a touch of flair to any room. As with candleholders, pendant lights can be hung from any ceiling higher than eight feet by either chain, wire, or a metal stem. Hang approximately 30 to 36 inches over dining room tables to leave room for passing dishes, unobstructed views of your fellow diners, and reduced glare. Place above kitchen islands and counters, or over desks. Keep multiple pendants at least 24 to 30 inches apart for broader illumination. Add a pendant light to your foyer to illuminate the space, or suspend in your bathroom vanity area about 18 inches above the center of your sink.
Wine Rack
You can use old wire bed springs to make wine bottle holders. Attach three or four springs to a 1-inch by 3-inch wide wood board. If you can find old fencing or barn boards, all the better. Allow approximately 12 inches space between each spring attached to the board. Use galvanized round crown staples to mount the springs to the board. Whether you plan to hang the rack vertically or horizontally, best to alternate the direction of the springs at a 60-degree angle to keep the rack balanced. Once you decide on which direction the springs will tilt staple them in place with three staples. Spraying each wine rack with clear enamel adds an aesthetic touch.
Vase Springs
Old individual metal upholstery springs make for a cool vase project. Cut and sand an old board to size, and then stain or paint. Once dried, you can lightly sand the board again to get a distressed look, and then wax the bases with Johnson’s Paste Wax for smooth sheen and finish. Attach each spring to its wood base using galvanized staples. Lean in three or four test tubes in the center of the spring. Each tube holds a single stem and will display the flowers at an angle.
Office Organizer
Using old wire form springs as a paper and mail holder is a very handy home office storage solution. Wire form springs can provide clever and inexpensive storage, and a budget-friendly organized office. Prepare the springs first, sand and clean them, and spray with an enamel color to your taste. Next, lay springs end-to-end horizontally, length to suit, and attach to board with staples and you’ll have an ideal paper and mail holder.
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