How can I reuse or recycle kitchen cupboard doors?

My friend Katherine is getting a new kitchen soon and I’ve unofficially bagsied her (wood or woodish) kitchen cupboard doors – for reusing for other stuff rather than just putting in our kitchen.

Lots of still-in-good-condition kitchen cabinets are given away from Freecycle/Freegle or sold on eBay – a quick and cheap way to revamp a kitchen. But what else can be done with them?

Alison Bailey Smith recently ran a “de-junk re-junk” project with local artists around the Wirral – and that included work on old kitchen doors. I’ve also seen a few different cupboard doors revamped into pretty serving trays – although I can only find one picture at the moment.

I’d imagined I’d use Katherine’s cupboard doors in the garden – if there is a full cupboard frame, I’ll use it as storage space on the wall near by greenhouse/where my potting bench will be. Depending on what the doors are made from and if there is enough that are a similar size, they might be suitable for making planters (my current obsession!). If they’re not quite strong enough for that, I might use some to make a broody/quarantine coop for our chickens in case we ever need one.

Any other ideas for things to do with them?

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10 Responses to “How can I reuse or recycle kitchen cupboard doors?”


  1. Chris says:

    I would repaint them, hang hooks and make hat racks.

  2. Linda says:

    Coffee table (outdoor even). Lid on a planter to store outdoor stuff in it’s best location.

  3. In addition to the doors being recreated into artwork by Micheline Robinson, who carved my old drawer fronts and Linda Evans who painted them, one of the other contributors, Roy Lewis and I turned some of the remaining doors into plinths to exhibit the artwork. Using the original hinges as a means for them to be attached together.

    There are more doors and any artists who are based in Merseyside are more than welcome to join in on the action for the July show from the 16th to the 31st of July. The main body of artists involved are part of a networking event that I run called “With These Hands” who next meet on Friday 15th of April 2011 at Capuccinos in the Park in Birkenhead Park at 10am.

  4. Van says:

    Depending on the surface, solid wood doors could be sanded down to make a series of unique cutting boards.

  5. Bastienne says:

    I was just looking at some plans for wooden solar cookers. It seems that old kitchen cabinet doors could make a very stylish solar cooker. You would have to make sure the seams are properly caulked so there is no leakage.

  6. Patti says:

    I know someone who is putting used kitchen cabinets in his workplace garage and making a mini kitchen in the corner, he will use them to hold food & cooking utensils.

  7. stella says:

    I wanted to make some molds for making my own concrete pavers, so the old doors made a good size base and I glued offcuts of timber from another reno project into a square onto it. These were laminated doors, so I figure they will withstand a bit of moisture without warping.
    Use as a base for other art work, such as mosaic.
    Remove handles and use as small portable work areas, lego creations, playdough, jigsaws, drawing.
    Use to press flowers, leaves etc, door, paper, flowers, paper, door, repeat!

  8. I am refinishing recycled teak kitchen cabinets and cupboards at present. Why not do the same?

  9. Amanda says:

    I Amanda nope kitchen units no cooker . Some kitchens units cookers free changer . Dad has stoke . Worries another. . Live nope kicked some kind person who could help . So grateful happy . Dad would .



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