Don't Toss Old Egg Cartons — Use Them To Make Stylish DIY Pavers On A Budget

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Redoing your patio is often a pricey renovation, and using individual stone pavers can quickly become an expensive upgrade. Purchasing pavers is not typically the most budget-friendly outdoor flooring solution, especially if you prefer bricks or stones with unique shapes or designs. Instead, you can make your own pavers for less with this smart way to use empty egg cartons. By mixing concrete or cement to craft your own stones, installing pavers in your yard will be a much more affordable project. Upcycled egg cartons make for a wonderful mold for your pavers, too, since the rows of egg cups create an interesting, bubble-like texture for the stones. Alternatively, you could place the finished pavers upside down to have flat stones.

Needless to say, larger, square cartons made of cardboard will have the best size and shape for pavers, compared to the rectangular versions. To prevent the wet concrete from spilling out of your egg carton, you'll also need a few scrap pieces of wood to make a frame around the cardboard mold. Plain, square pavers can cost over $2 per stone, but a 60-pound bag of Quikrete concrete mix that will make numerous pavers is about $5 at Home Depot. While cement is also a good option and should be more affordable than normal pavers, it may be a little pricier than concrete. If gray isn't the color you envisioned for your stone patio or walkway, pigments can be added into your wet mixture to change your pavers' hue.

To create budget-friendly pavers with this unique DIY, nail four wooden boards together in a way that will fit securely around your egg carton. You could also form a bigger rectangular frame to hold multiple egg cartons and make a few pavers at a time. With this option, placing a thinner wood divider between each cardboard carton is necessary to be able to separate them later. Once your molds are prepped, mix your concrete or cement with water according to the directions. Stir in a liquid or powder concrete pigment if you wish to add some color. Then, pour your mixture into the egg carton, filling the wooden frame to the thickness you'd like your pavers to be. If you're worried they won't be strong enough, press drywall mesh into the middle of each stone.

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After this, smooth out the wet stone. Now, pop off the wooden box and leave your DIY pavers to dry. Once the stones have set, peel off the cardboard egg cartons. When finished, each paver will resemble a LEGO block. Use your unique egg carton stones to build a paver garden path or walkway. For a patio, placing the stones upside down will provide a flat floor surface for your furniture. While you could create a paved walk or patio, these egg carton pavers would also make cute stepping stones for your garden. For a cute spin on this project, paint the stones with fun colors or designs to decorate your outdoor space.