Image via Complex Original
You know what they say; one man's trash is another man's treasure. At one point in skate history, boards were considered disposable, hence Sean Cliver's iconic book, titled Disposable: A History of Skateboard Art.However, just because skateboards can't rove the streets anymore doesn't mean they're completely useless. Some ambitious craftsmen have converted old decks into one-of-a-kind household items. From lamps to iPhone stands to even slingshots, these are some of The Best Products Made With Recycled Skateboards.
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Price: $22
Etsy shop owner Jeff Gray has a line of products all made from broken skateboards, including wine glass caddies made from sections of used skateboards. The natural concave curve of a skateboard deck makes it the perfect shape for a caddy. Each piece is hand-cut and sanded, and the grip tape from the deck is repurposed. If you purchase two caddies and stack them on top of each other, the wine bottle can hold four glasses instead of two. Drink up.
Price: $17
Jeff Gray also sells portable bottle openers on Etsy. Gray creates them by cutting old decks into slices. He then glues together the slices using a water-based wood adhesive and leaves them pressed overnight to obtain a small block of layered wood that can open your beverage of choice.
Price: $22-$24
Etsy shop alldeckdout sells handmade rings and customized two-finger rings made from recycled skateboards. Besides their other repurposed skateboard jewelry, like necklaces and bangles, the rings are their biggest hit. Each ring is finished in a high gloss and is comfortable enough to be worn everyday.
Picture Frame
Price: $30
Recycled Skateboards International uses reprocessed skateboards to make several items, including picture frames. The picture frames come in three different sizes and rely on old skateboard decks as their core design. Customers have the option of emailing Recycled Skateboards International to look at a full inventory of the styles in stock.
Sitting Stool
Price: $250
Deckstool created a stool that's not only made from 100% recycled skateboards but is also exceptionally comfortable. Deckstool selects each of the decks carefully, and a skilled skater/craftsman manipulates them in the company's Pennsylvania facility. Each stool is one-of-a-kind, using hand-me-down skateboards in different colors, styles, and brands.
Price: $125
These handmade shelves, made from recycled skateboards, are available in different colors and sizes from Benoit Moureau. Two used skateboard decks attached to each other by four steel rods make up the two-level shelves. They're perfect for storing books, DVDs, and other small objects.
Price: $35
These wall hooks, made by Deckstool, do so much more than just hold a coat or towel. The multifunctional SkateHook can be used as a charging station for a cell phone or tablet, to prop up bags, and as a place to hang gear. These wall hooks are made from used broken skateboards, making each a one-of-a-kind accessory due to the scrapes and scars it endured.
Price: $3.50-$6
This Smartphone Stand, crafted by Flipwood, is made from 100% recycled skateboards and allows your cell phone to stand vertically or horizontally. Each stand has a unique color scheme (teal, brown, or dark gray) and includes a hand-stamped Flipwood logo on its sides. All stands have an organic linseed oil finish and come with cork pads at the bottom. Currently Flipwood is on a temporary hiatus in order to catch up on creating products but will be back up and running before the holidays.
Recycled Skateboard Slingshot
Price: $24
These 6-inch slingshots, created by Board Games, are made with old skateboard decks, rubber bands, and leather launch pouches. Each slingshot has a shellac finish and is intended solely for target practice.
Price: $649.99
Skatecafe takes broken skateboards, turns them into planks, and then lines them up in a single layer to create colorful tabletops. Custom tabletop sizes, including dining or bar height, and shapes are available. Since each table uses different skateboards, the images on each tabletop are different.
Price: $33
These handmade bookends take the ends of a skateboard and use it to keep books organized. The bookends stay true to their skateboard roots since the designer included the wheels instead of just the deck alone.
Skateboard Coasters
Price: $30
Decorate and protect your coffee table from those pesky water rings with square-shaped recycled skateboard coasters. There is no option to choose different colors, but the four-piece set of coasters will make any coffee table look livelier.
Price: $29
This wine rack was made from used skateboard decks joined together to form a balanced display. This handmade wine rack can hold up to four bottles, depending on the size of each bottle.
Price: $200
SUCK UK takes genuine skate trucks from old skateboards and attaches them to skateboard-shaped mirrors to create the Skate Mirror. Made from stainless steel, the Skate Mirror can be hung vertically, horizontally, or simply just propped up against a surface.
Price: $39
Grovemade and MapleXO teamed up to make the Skate Back, an iPhone case crafted from recycled materials in a workshop in Portland, Ore. Each hand-sanded case is rubbed with natural oils to make the colors pop. The cases are durable, colorful, and one-of-a-kind. However, they're only available for the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5s.
Repurposed Skateboard Lights
Price: $289
Omega Lighting Design took a regular skateboard and turned it into a light source. By replacing the four wheels with light bulbs, creator Mark Bell made the perfect light for any skateboard lover. Customers have the option of buying one of the already-made skateboard lights or turning in one of their own boards to make the lamp more personal. These skateboard lamps can work both as ceiling lights or wall sconces.
Recycled Skateboard Guitar
Price: $3,800
This handmade red and black guitar is more of an art piece than an actual musical instrument (although it does serve the purpose of jamming out, too). John Gibson, the man with enough patience to construct this instrument over hundreds of hours, completely stripped a skateboard, took its bits and pieces, and glued every individual piece to an old guitar. Of course, there are more steps, like sanding, painting, and compressing. Nonetheless, the guitar alone is remarkable to look at.
Colorful Skate Shades
Price: $99.99
Using bamboo wood for strength and recycled skateboards, Second Shot collaborated with BotanyCo Eyewear to make stylish, one-of-a-kind sunglasses. These durable shades come in five different colors, and no two are the same. Attached to each frame of the glasses are polarized lenses to block out rays.
Red and Maple Skate Art Knife
Price: $79.99
Second Shot took recycled skateboards and sanded, compressed, and shaped them into wooden handles for numerous Damascus Steel blades. Since each handle is handmade, no two will be exactly the same. Colors vary from knife to knife.
Skate Watch
Price: $235-$375
All Skate Watches, made by Second Shot, vary in color and design. The patterns range from stripes to maple leaves. While the watch cases and bands are stainless steel, the watch faces are made entirely from broken or old skateboard pieces. Each water-resistant watch is made by hand in Canada and is delivered in a handmade box with an inimitable lid made from four to six different skateboards.
