What to Do with Extra PVC Piping

Pieces of PVC piping you can use for DIY projects | Terry's Plumbing Pittsburgh

What to Do with Extra PVC Piping

PVC piping is the backbone of any home’s plumbing system. It’s lightweight while still extremely durable—not to mention pretty cheap. Whether you’re overhauling your entire home or just taking care of a few minor repairs, you’ve probably amassed a little extra PVC piping along the way. It’s probably just collecting dust in your basement. So, what can you do with extra PVC piping?

Recycling PVC Piping

Unfortunately, PVC is a very difficult plastic to recycle. Most municipalities won’t pick it up or accept it at drop-off locations. That’s because PVC can contaminate other, more recyclable plastics. It’s a good idea to check with your local recycling collectors before disposing of any PVC.

The best ways to avoid this are by precycling and upcycling. Precycling means only buying the amount of materials you’ll need for a given job or project. It’s tempting to get more than you need just to be safe, but you can always make another trip to the store. Upcycling means using the PVC in a new way. Need some ideas on how to upcycle your PVC piping? Keep reading!

Home and Decor DIY Projects

If you’d rather upcycle your extra PVC piping, there’s no shortage of fun and functional ways to repurpose it. Looking for a good craft project? Consider using your PVC to make your own:

Plant pots
Furniture
Art stations
Soccer nets
Shoe organizer

A great thing about PVC is it’s easy to paint and decorate however you’d like! Looking for something a little more utile for your leftover PVC? Try some of these:

Tomato plant cages
Curtain rods
Tool organizer
Room divider

You can find instructions for all of these DIY projects and much more here.

PVC Piping Musical Instruments

You probably won’t make it to Carnegie Hall with your PVC instrument, but you’ll at least have some fun around the house! With a little know-how and some creativity, there are a number of different musical instruments you can fashion from PVC pipe. How about your very own PVC xylophone? Or take a trip down under and make a plastic didgeridoo.

If you’re feeling particularly ambitious, you can even try a more complex instrument like a pan pipe. Any of these instruments are a great activity for families and to teach kids about building as well as music. Just be warned: musical instruments make a lot of noise.