15 Upcycled Skateboard Items

After a skateboard has been worn out or broken, skateboard owners may think that they've been left with a useless piece of wood but these 15 items prove that an upcycled skateboard can be used to make just about anything.

Upcycled skateboard art is one example of the great uses for a well-loved deck, like the vibrantly striped works of Japanese artist Haroshi. In other cases, upcycled skateboard items are functional as well as attractive. San Francisco woodworker Nick Pourfard crafts beautifully colored guitars out of old skateboards. Other designers make bottle openers, sunglasses and even bookends.

Some craftspeople re-integrate their upcycled skateboard projects into their skating community -- Deckstool, a company which makes upcycled skateboard furniture created a collection of trophies made from used decks for a charity skateboarding competition.

Upcycling is a great way to put worn items to new uses, and with the Internet providing a huge variety of DIY ideas, it's an option that's accessible to everyone. Upcycled skateboard items are productive and innovative ways to make sure that a perfectly good piece of wood doesn't go to waste.