Tires

DIY Tire Crafts: Transform Old Tires into Giant Holiday Ornaments

Dec 1,2016

There’s a chill in the air and twinkling lights popping up throughout the neighborhood. Only one word can describe the feeling the winter holidays bring: magical.

Finished holiday tire craft, used tires transformed into giant holiday ornaments, sitting on front porch Add to the winter holiday magic with your own festive and unique decorations. Take an old tire and transform it into a stunning oversized ornament to display inside by the tree or outside under an awning. Not only is it a responsible (and stylish) way to recycle old tires, but it’s also the perfect tire craft to do with your kids to get in the holiday spirit!

Materials

An old Blizzak tire by Bridgestone
Yardstick
String
Pencil for tracing
¼” Plywood board (or ¼ inch foam core)
Jigsaw (or scissors if using foam core)
Nail gun and nails
Thick wire edged ribbon in red, blue or green
Holiday sweater
Thick rubber bands
Hot glue gun and glue
Duct tape
Galvanized bucket

Steps for Transforming Old Tires into Ornaments

Step 1:

Using a yardstick, measure the diameter of the tire hole. Add an inch or two to the width that you measured, and halve it. If your tire hole was 12 inches across, you would add two inches making it 14 and halve it to 7. This will be the length of the string you use to draw your circle.

Measuring center of old tire for holiday tire project

Step 2:

Tap a nail into the center of the plywood or foam core and tie the string around it. Attach the other end of the string to a pencil, making sure the distance between the two is the halved value you calculated.

Measuring piece of plywood to place in center of old tire for used tire project

Measuring plywood with string to cut for used tire project

Step 3:

With the string pulled taught, draw a circle on the plywood or foam core. Using a jigsaw, or scissors—depending on the material you use—cut the circle out.

Step 4:

Take your wired edge ribbon and tape the edge to the underside of the tire, so it is firmly in place. Wrap the ribbon tightly around the tire, making sure to not leave any gaps. This is best done with another person, so they can assist in holding the tire up, while you wrap.

Wrapping ribbon around old tire to transform it into a giant holiday ornament

Continuing to wrap blue ribbon around used tire to transform it into a giant holiday ornament decoration

Step 5:

Once you’ve gotten all the way around the tire, leave a tail of a couple inches before cutting. Take the tail and tape it using duct tape to the back or underside of the tire.

Close-up of securing blue ribbon to tire with duct tape

Step 6:

Take your holiday sweater and wrap it around the circle of plywood or foam core, making sure the pattern is centered on the circle.

Pulling holiday sweater with reindeer on it over circular piece of cardboard

Adjusting holiday sweater over plywood so the design is properly aligned

Step 7:

Using the duct tape, tape down the collar and the hem of the shirt on the backside of the board. Grab the excess material and secure it tightly with a rubber band.

Securing collar of sweater to the back of the plywood with duct tape

Securing excess sweater fabric with rubber band at the back of the tire

Step 8:

Using a nail gun, secure the sweater-covered plywood to your wrapped tire. Use about 12 nails around the perimeter, spaced like a clock.

Securing sweater to plywood using nail gun

Step 9:

Turn the galvanized bucket upside down, so that the narrower end is on top. Line it up with the top center of your ornament and secure it to the ribbon using a hot glue gun.

Hot gluing silver pale onto top of tire craft to make the used tire look like a holiday ornament

Viola! Now you have a stunning decoration that you can say you made yourself with an old set of tires.

Final tire craft, transforming old tires into giant holiday ornaments, displayed in foyer of home

Before you head out to check the holiday decorations around town, make sure your car is ready for winter weather by visiting your nearest Firestone Complete Auto Care location. Or visit us here for the latest tire and auto service coupons.

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