20 Ideas to Turn Old Tools into Garden Art

Have a look at all the ways old tools, scrap metal, and metal parts can be transformed into unique garden art. From quirky birds to bike gear trellis, there are countless ways to let rusty parts live on your backyard.

Want more upcycling ideas? See 17 Ideas for Old Doors and Windows in the Garden.

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Recycled Tool Art Ideas

These are some of my favorite junk art ideas taken on garden tours over many years.

Some feature old tools simply displayed as art on walls and fences.

Other times long-handled tools get a new purpose as trellis for climbing plants.

The most charming are the animals like cats, birds, and imaginary creatures made from a compilation of rusty tools. This usually requires welding but you could collect the tools and bring them to a welder to assemble.

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1Woodpecker

This woodpecker was clearly made by a pro with some artistic skills. See how a shovel was cut and made into wings?

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2Bird

I love this hammerhead bird with it’s big washer eyes.

In this next picture I listed the various parts used to make it.

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3Bird

This is another bird from the same garden. It has a shovel body, rebar legs, and big metal spool eyes.

The parts are simple and easy to find in junk shops.

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4Crows

Some gardeners really like the look of rusted metal. Others can’t wait to give it a coat of paint.

These comical crows are made from shovels (painted black), rebar (painted yellow), and other assorted parts.

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5Garden Tools

Older garden tools made from wood and metal get a gorgeous patina as the years go on.

Here they are displayed with a yellow folk art bird.

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6Roadrunner

This roadrunner bird has a fun comb made from a rake head.

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7Knight

Another expert piece which I’m sure was not cheap. This charming knight has all sorts of wonderful details including chains for hair and horseshoe armor. It’s so well done.

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8Hand Tools

This idea was more common years ago before scrap metal started fetching a good price. I love how the tools look arranged on the shed wall.

9Tool Collection

This is the largest tool collection I have ever seen. I imagine the owners like to buy up random boxes of old farm tools at auction and add to this display.

See what I mean? That’s a lot of tools.

Most are in their natural state but I did notice a painted saw too.

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10Gears

Another fun idea: collect an assortment of old gears and weld them together to form a trellis.

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11Trellis

This one is in my garden. I was trying to get the orange nasturtiums to climb up but they had other ideas.

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12Shovel Bird

It probably shortens the life of the garden art to have the shovel facing this way where it collects water but it’s a very sweet bird nonetheless.

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13Owl

I made this owl from an old metal stove vent filter, whisks, canning jar lids, springs, and forks.

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14Licence Plates

I had to include this one since I still see it fairly often on garden tours. Not everyone likes licence plates but if that’s you, give them to someone who does!

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15Garden Tools

This was in my first garden which you can tour here. I wasn’t sure what to do with tools as they got damaged so I just hung them on the fence for further consideration.

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16Tool Art

This is some of the stuff on my shed walls. Sometimes it’s not the single pieces that work but how they all go together.

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17Garden Tool

I’ve had this tool for ages and never found it useful so I painted the handle blue and hung it on the arbor.

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18Cat

Not a great photo but a favorite little metal garden cat made from various metal scraps.

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19Birdhouse

It’s never recommended to put a perch on a birdhouse used by real birds (because it makes it too easy for predators to get in), but I love this tool as an art piece.

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20Wheel

No, it’s not a tool, but old metal wheels are always awesome in the garden. And I love how they stashed the birdhouse at the bent spoke.

And there you go. Hang onto to those old tools and get creative.

~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛