7 Fun Ideas for Reusing Old Tiles

We love to reuse as many materials from your garden as possible. When you take over a new garden (for example, with a new home or when taking over an allotment), or when renovating an existing garden, there are often plenty of materials left over. You could, of course, throw them away, but that’s really a waste! Many of these materials can be reused or recycled right in your garden. Perhaps the most common items left over after a garden renovation are old tiles, concrete blocks, pavers, and edging stones.

Disposing of tiles and stones can be expensive. That’s because most waste collection sites charge a fee based on weight. By reusing them in your garden, you’ll save on disposal costs and avoid burdening the environment with extra waste.

You can easily make this yourself using old tiles, concrete blocks, pavers, or edging stones!

Paving stones

One of the easiest ways to recycle tiles is by creating a stepping-stone path. This lets you create a fun or interesting path right through your flower bed. It’s also a great way to create an (additional) line of sight and add depth to your garden. Alternate stepping stones with grass, attractive groundcover plants, or low-growing plants for a beautiful result.

Are your tiles actually too big to use as stepping stones? In that case, you can, of course, cut them in half or have them cut to size. Our regular M. van Dam Landscaping Company (They also built our patio and pergola with a swing) and quickly cut our patio tiles to the desired size.

Insect Hotel

We had previously built a large insect hotel using all kinds of scrap materials. We constructed the structure out of old concrete blocks and edging stones. For the roof, we used old patio tiles. We filled the open spaces with firewood, hollow bamboo stalks, straw, and dry leaves. The insect hotel stands here in partial shade, somewhat hidden among beautiful foliage plants. The hotel is frequently visited by many different insects, but frogs, toads, the occasional mouse, and of course spiders also make it their home! Our insect hotel also doubles as a small bench and a spot for young plants.

Bench

Do you have a big stack of larger patio tiles left over? You can quickly and easily turn them into a nice, sturdy bench for your garden. It’s perfect for the patio if you need extra seating (for example, when hosting a party). Aim for a seat height of about 40–50 cm (and don’t forget that you might want to add a cushion on top). Make sure the structure is sturdy and glue the tiles in place if necessary.

Raised flower bed

Smaller tiles or concrete blocks are ideal for creating a raised garden bed. By raising the bed, you’ll be closer to your plants (even when they’re still small). This also allows small or trailing plants to stand out beautifully. Because a raised bed usually has good drainage, it’s perfect for less hardy plants. If desired, you can add a wide border for extra permanent seating areas in the garden. Using adhesive is recommended.

Border Edge

Do you want to neatly edge your lawn or a flower bed? Or are your patio tiles not yet secured? You can quickly create a nice border using old, smaller tiles and stones. If this border will be visible, be sure to use the same stones or materials—or the same combination throughout. This prevents the area from looking too cluttered. If you lower the border slightly, to just below ground level, that’s not a problem, of course. That way, you can neatly enclose the patio tiles.

Cinder Block Wall

A variation on the insect hotel is a stacked wall. You can actually build one using all kinds of old materials. It’s a great way to create different levels in the garden or to use as a retaining wall for a raised flower bed. With the right filling and in the right spot, many insects and bees will happily make use of it.

Pond

You can even make a real (mini) pond out of old patio tiles!

At least that’s what we’ve been working on (again) for a while now… Using the old rectangular and square tiles we had left over from the front yard, we’re building a small pond in that same spot. We’re only using new material for the pond liner. Once the pond is finally finished, we’ll definitely post a photo!

What have you made out of old tiles, bricks, or edging stones?

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