Don't Toss That Old Garden Hose — Turn It Into A Handy Backyard Feature

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Garden hoses are typically made of durable materials like rubber or vinyl, but sometimes they don't last very long. After sitting outside in the hot sun and getting tangled or bent, some garden hoses will quickly spring leaks. Luckily, this genius way you never thought of to reuse an old garden hose will keep it out of the landfill. By cutting the ends off your old, leaky hose and coiling it, you can quickly transform it into an outdoor mat. For this DIY, you'll need to fold your hose and attach zip ties to hold it into the correct shape. Or, use glue and an old rectangular door mat as the base of your project, adding the hose on top for a unique design and added durability.

Depending on the style of outdoor rug you want, your hose could be turned into a rectangular, semicircular, circular, or oval shaped rug. If you have longer or multiple old garden hoses, you will be able to make a larger mat. This project will complement other DIY pieces, like this patio craft made from jar lids, and can be used in multiple ways. A smaller rug could become a doormat leading into your home, or you might set the upcycled garden hose on your porch for functional decor. Alternatively, the squishiness of the hose material makes this mat a great pad for kneeling on as you work in your garden.

The easiest way to complete this upcycle is to carefully wrap or fold your hose into the shape of an outdoor rug. With this method, your mat will be an oval or circular shape. You can connect the ends of several hoses to keep going until your mat is as large as you'd like. After cutting off the metal couplers on the hose, fold the end of the rubber over onto the rest of the hose. Secure this bend by wrapping a zip tie around both pieces of the hose and tightening it. Continue to coil your hose, zip-tying each new crease into place.

Using less hose for the first fold will create a circular shape, while a longer roll makes more of an oval. As you're wrapping the rubber tube around itself, make sure you keep it as tight as possible to prevent gaps from forming in your mat. If you'd like to connect multiple hoses, wedge a small section of a dowel rod or PVC pipe into the ends of each hose to hold them together. A wine cork can also work to plug and connect the ends of the hoses. Make sure you stop up the open end of the last piece as well to ensure the mat is sealed. Once you're finished, tighten the zip ties before cutting off the plastic ends and setting your rug outside.

If you don't like the look of zip ties or if you want a more traditional doormat, there's another way to repurpose an old garden hose into a nifty outdoor solution. Rather than coiling the hose into a flat mat, you'll cut sections of the hose to attach to an existing mat. This project works well if you only have a shorter hose.

Lay the hose over the doormat and cut it to fit on the mat. Glue the rubber onto the mat with a strong adhesive that can withstand outdoor conditions, such as waterproof Gorilla Glue, or paintable E6000 craft glue. Set bricks or something heavy like flower pots onto the hose to press it into the mat while the glue dries. Repeat this process until the entire base is covered to create a rectangular rug. Alternatively, cut the base into a semicircle for a fun, uniquely-shaped outdoor mat. Plug the open ends of the hose segments with corks to prevent water or bugs from getting inside.