The Home Depot is a creative person’s dream — aisles and aisles of raw materials just waiting to be put to use in a DIY project or craft. In fact, many of our customers find interesting and unexpected ways to use these raw materials. Floor tiles as a pizza stone, pegboard as a vase for flowers, and even a copper pipe coupling as a napkin ring? The possibilities are endless for repurposed crafts when you have thousands of square feet of lumber, metal and paint to work with.
Here’s another way to repurpose a common item found at The Home Depot — PVC pipe.
That’s certainly not the most conventional use of PVC pipe, but hey it works! Remember to wash the PVC pipe thoroughly before putting it in contact with food.
We used a 4 inch PVC pipe coupling in this photo, and it cost a whopping $1.82.
Just stamp out your biscuit like you would a normal cookie cutter.
How have you used Home Depot products in an unexpected way?
Photos by Caroline Inge
[Editor's Note: Repurposed is a series dedicated to showcasing clever, new ways to use products we all know and love.]
Is PVC food safe? I want to use it as a pastry mold. Is there a certain kind that is better to use?
If you’re ever concerned about contamination from a DIY food-prep solution, Ericka – play it safe. Make sure whatever you’re using is wrapped with food-safe plastic wrap. So, yep, your utility hammer can double as a mallet next time you make Parmesan Chicken – just as long as you’re not out of that cling wrap.
My husband is a Physics professor; he teaches a class called the Physics of Music. He asks his students to create their own (creative) instrument, and students often use PVC pipe. One of my favorites was one where a student took eight different lengths of PVC pipe and made an “octuber” — like the different notes in an octave.
Very cool, Sharon! That sounds fantastic. I would love to see photos of their instruments!!
You’ve reminded me of a rather obscure musical ensemble from Brazil called Uakti (“wak-chee”). They build all their own instruments out of lumber, glass, sheet metal and, yes, PVC pipe. Apparently DIY can include more than just home improvement.
Kudos on recycling, however I’m not sure you want to use PVC to make biscuits since it is known to leach chemicals! A glass cup or jar would work just as well and not leach chemicals!