How to Make a Pet Bed out of an Old Tire
Our pets hold a special place in our hearts and our homes. They need to have their own little space where they can lie down and spend time with you. However, pet beds are often expensive if you buy them from pet stores. So, in this article, we’ll show you some creative ways to make your own pet bed without spending a penny.
Believe it or not, you can actually recycle an old tire to create a beautiful and comfortable bed for your dog, cat, or any other pet you own. Recycle, save money, and get creative with these original ideas.
Make and decorate a pet bed
The easiest and most popular way to do this is to use the original shape of the tire, rather than trying to reshape it. Next, we’ll show you how to paint and decorate a tire to create the perfect little bed for your pet. You’re going to need the following materials:
- Paint
- Foam or an old pillow or cushion
- A paint brush
- Measuring tape
- Fabric scissors
- Medium sized paint brush
- Fabric
Before you start painting, you’ll need to give your tire a deep clean to get rid of any dirt. Then leave it to dry.
Paint the surface
You can use whatever color you want to decorate your tire. Paint the entire outside surface, or just part of it – whatever you like best. One nice idea is to use the half-painted effect, painting just the upper-half of the tire.
The tire will form the base of your pet bed. Leave it for several hours until it’s completely dry, before going on to make the cushion.
If you want to give your pet bed a fun and original look, you could use stamps to cover it in little paw prints, using a tone that contrasts with the base color. You could also write your pet’s name on the front of their bed. Using stamps and stencils is a quick and easy way to get really good results.
Another nice way to paint your tire is to decorate it to look like a donut. Apply an irregular coating of paint to the top of the tire to look like icing, and use a brown or sandy tone on the bottom half to make the doughy base. Then, you can even use multi-colored paint to create authentic-looking sprinkles. Choose fabrics to match, and you’ll have a really fun donut pet bed.
Make the cushion for your pet bed
Once your tire is dry, you can go on to make the cushion for your pet bed. Take the measuring tape and use it to measure the diameter of the interior of the tire, so that you know how big your cushion needs to be. Use these measurements to sketch out the outline of your bed on the foam, then cut.
Once you’ve cut out your foam cushion, you can cover it with fabric. You can just use materials you already have in the house – like old clothes or bed sheets that you no longer use. If you want to go out and buy fabric for your pet bed, you’ll find a huge variety of materials with colorful animal patterns. If you want, you could also add a blanket and another small cushion to keep your pet warm and comfortable.
Make your own pet bed: option #2
Instead of painting the surface of your tire, you can cover it from top to bottom in fabric. Then, add the cushion, blanket, and your pet’s favorite toys. This will make it even more comfortable for your pet, as it will never be in direct contact with the cold surface of the tire.
Things to remember
Always remember to wash your pet bed regularly, as it will quickly gather a lot of dirt and pet hair. Take out the cushions and blankets and wash both them and the tire thoroughly.
This is a really interesting way to make your own DIY pet bed out of an old tire. It’s perfect for both indoors and outdoors, and you’ll be able to move it around easily.
You can use it for pets of all different shapes and sizes. Plus, if you have more than one pet and you have more than one tire, you can come up with all kinds of different designs. So, why not give it a go?