10 Creative Ideas to Repurpose Old Bathtub

Bathtub is an important element of any bathroom that invites you to soak in soapy water. Right from stone and porcelain, to fiberglass or carbon fiber, bathtubs come in a range of materials that add beautiful curves to your personal bath space. But what to do with a bathtub when it turns old and useless? Trashing it straight away is not a wise decision because you have to invest a considerable amount of money in buying a new one.

Instead of trashing a bathtub, you can consider repurposing it into a functional household item like a sofa, chair, or garden pond. All it requires is a little creative imagination and DIY skills to turn trash into gold. Repurposing old bathtubs into functional objects isn’t very hard. Thus, here are some creative ideas to upcycle any bathtub into a timeless object of beauty, which will give your imagination wings for a creative weekend DIY project.

Table of contents

Reuse as chair
Turn into a couch
Oversized planters
Water features for garden
Transform into outdoor oven
Make a beverage cooler
Upcycle into a fire pit
Reuse as outdoor hot tub
For yard decoration
Repurpose as pet bathtub

Chairs

Turning an old bathtub into a chair is a neat idea. You will need to mark out the design, cut through, and attach legs to it creatively and you’re done. How you decorate it will create a difference in your design and that of your neighbor. Check out a few inspirations for DIY bathtub chair in the pictures below.

Old bathtub turned a chair with a steel frame — Image: Recyclart

Old bathtub into cozy chair with unique legs — Image: Pinterest

bathtub into chair on metal legs — Image: Reddish Studio

Old bathtub into a garden chair with cushions and wood frame — Image: Pintyplus

Old bathtub into chair with a wooden frame — Image: LittleThings

upcycled bathtub chair with leg rest — Image: David Olschewski

Old bathtub into cozy lounge chair — Image: Hometalk

Old bathtub into chaise lounge — Image: Pinterest

Couches

An old bathtub can become a great resource for decor at home. You can turn it into a useful furniture item such as a sofa or couch. The transformation results in a vintage-inspired furniture unit, which makes a perfect addition to any backyard or patio. Check out the images for a bathtub couch below.

simple way to turn old bathtub into a sofa — Image: One Krieger Chick

Old bathtub repurposed as a sofa — Image: Instructables

bathtub repurposed into a sofa with upholstery — Image: Your Haute Couture

sofa made out of old bathtub and wooden rocking chair legs — Image: Green Diary

Couch made of old bath tub with stand — Image: Pinterest

Upcycle Old Bathtub into sofa with cushions — Image: Greenmoxie

upcycle Old Bathtub into outdoor seating — Image: Pinterest

Old Bathtub into luxury seating — Image: Reestore

Old Bathtub turned a modern chair with leather upholstery on seat — Image: Etsy/TTSPShop

Old bathtub repurposed into a stylish red sofa — Image: Etsy/Reduxx

Old bathtub into comfy black and red sofa with thin legs — Image: Instagram @kilig.upcycle

Old bathtub into yellow sofa with cushioned seats — Image: Instagram @lambertandsons

Old bathtub into a sofa with cushion on seat — Image: Instagram @martaszavadil

Old bathtub into a sofa with tapered legs — Image: Instagram @lavenderandlovage

Old bathtub into a sofa with wooden base — Image: Instagram @drugbrko

Old bathtub transformed into a sofa with brass lining — Image: Instagram @lee.jones74

Also Read: 15 Ways to Reuse/Recycle Old Refrigerator

Planter

While landscaping your garden, an old bathtub can be repurposed as planter. A bathtub can be your inexpensive container to plant flowers and even grow vegetables. Check below for some pleasing ideas.

Old Bathtub into yellow garden planter — Image: Gardening Channel

Old Bathtub into brown garden planter — Image: plain jane styling

Old Bathtubs are cheap gardening containers — Image: Garden Betty

Old Bathtub planter painted stylishly from outside — Image: Hometalk

Old Bathtub as planter with mosaic design on outer surface — Image: Pinterest

Old Bathtub into a mini village in your garden — Image: CARMOM

Old bathtub into violet planter — Image: Pinterest

Old bathtub into a blue planter — Image: Instagram @amateurbot.ann.ist

rugged bathtub into planter in yard — Image: Instagram @joanealy

Old bathtub into garden planter — Image: Instagram @larazzablack

Old bathtub into a smal garden — Image: Instagram @savannahhoffmandesigns

Old bathtub painted from outside serves as planter — Image: Instagram @bamboopecker

Old bathtub into planter in garden — Image: Instagram @wokeandwired

Old bathtub into a planter covered with vines from outside — Image: Instagram @camilla.morrison

Old bathtub into garden planter covered with large stones — Image: Instagram @kirstylenai

Old baby bathtub into planter on metal stand — Image: Pinterest

Old bathtub into a planter with wooden stand — Image: Instagram @peavinegardens

Old baby bathtub into a planter — Image: Instagram @viphomeandgarden

bathtub planter in patio — Image: Pinterest

turn Old Bathtub into garden — Image: Pinterest

use Old Bathtubs for gardening — Image: Recyclart

Outdoor Water Features

A small pond made from a repurposed bathtub would be a cool attraction in any garden. One can bury the tub in the garden and fill it with water or leave it on the ground. Adding a few toy fishes and water lilies would enhance the appeal.

old bathtub into backyard pond — Image: Reddit/moonsugar6

Old bathtub into garden pond — Image: Empress of Dirt

Old bathtub into a pond in garden — Image: Auntie Dogma’s Gardenspot

Old bathtub transformed into a garden pond — Image: Goods Home Design

Old bathtub into a small garden pond — Image: Imgur

small garden pond from Old bathtub — Image: Instagram @tricias_adventure

Old bathtub into water feature for garden — Image: Pinterest

bathtub into water feature with fountain for garden — Image: Oh My Creative

Old Bathtub turned into pond with fountain — Image: Pinterest

Old bathtub becomes a fish pond — Image: Flea Market Gardening

Old Bathtub turned into a duck pond — Image: Pinterest

Also Read: 30 Stone Bathtubs That’ll Rock Your Bathroom

Backyard Oven

If you are creative enough and skilled in metalwork, you can try turning an old bathtub into an oven for your backyard. Cut a bathtub into two halves, one of which will serve as the wood burner and the other the slot to cook food.

Bathtub into outdoor pizza oven — Image: Pinterest

Beverage Coolers

Making a food and beverage cooler is a great after-use of an old bathtub. Build a wooden box to house the tub, fit it in and you’re good. It can also be double as a seat when the wooden box is shut.

Old bathtub into food and beverage cooler — Image: FB/Moonman In The Morning

Fire Pit

You can turn the old and useless bathtub into a fire pit. Bury the tub in the ground and you’re all set to start a fire to ignite your outdoor party.

Outdoor Hot Tub

If you cannot afford a hot tub due to its hefty price, use an old bathtub bought from Craigslist, a garage sale or the local flea market. Instead of using the bathtub as it is, draw inspiration from the project below to build one that’s unique and creative.

Old bathtub into hot tub — Image: Eartheasy

Old bathtub into hot tub on earth — Image: Rocket Stove Stuff

Bathtub Mary

In addition to all the above ideas to repurpose an old bathtub for home decor, one can even use it as an abode for a statue to stand outside the front gate. This Virgin Mary statue inside a repurposed tub is just a fine example.

reuse Old Bathtub for home decor — Image: SFGate

Virgin Mary in old bathtub — Image: Deborah Pacini

Pet Bathtub

An old tub can be painted and decorated to attract pets and placed strategically in the yard as a pet washtub. It can also be used to collect rainwater for watering the garden, cleaning tools or for outdoor dog washing of course.

Old bathtub garden decorations — Image: Pinterest

What to do with an old bathtub?

The unused bathtub can be transformed into furniture, planters, storage solutions, and different kinds of outdoor décor pieces.

What materials are needed to repurpose an old bathtub?

The materials needed will depend on the specific project, but common items include power tools, screws, paint, and gardening tools.

What factors should I consider when choosing a new purpose for my old bathtub?

When repurposing an old bathtub, you must decide its new intended use according to its condition. Any bathtub even if it has cracks can be reused as a planter but make sure to weatherproof it properly to prevent rust and corrosion. You will need a bathtub without any cracks to make a water feature for your garden.

How safe is putting a repurposed bathtub around your home?

It can be safe to repurpose an old bathtub but if you’re dealing with a bathtub with sharp edges or rough surfaces, make sure to sand and smooth them to avoid the risk of cuts or scratches. If planning to repurpose it as a pond or outdoor water feature, it’s essential to make sure the tub is clean and free of any chemicals or contaminants that can be harmful to plants or wildlife.

How to clean an old bathtub before reusing it?

Cleaning an old bathtub before repurposing it is crucial to ensure that it’s safe for new use. You must start by cleaning up the entire surface and scrubbing it with soap and brush. Thereafter, rinse it thoroughly and sanitize it in the last. Let the tub dry before the next step.

Can I use an old bathtub in the garden?

You can make planters and water features out of old bathtub to display your love for sustainability in the garden.

What are the environmental benefits of repurposing an old bathtub?

When you are repurposing an old bathtub, it reduces waste and saves energy as you don’t need new materials and manufacturing processes.

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